2/11/16

Hearts, Hats and Hello from 1903

Valentines Day in 1903 was on Saturday.  Nice that it was on a weekend...like this years Valentines Day which falls on Sunday.  The next time Valentines Day falls on a Saturday will be in 2026, and on Sunday...in 2021. 

A bit of February Calendar Trivia for you.  As for the history of Valentines Day...there is a plethora of information on the web...if you are interested.  My interest for this post is not so much about Valentines Day as the iconic shape associated with February 14th...The HEART!!

From my collection of Hearts, my favorites are the 'Crocheted Heart Pin Cushions'.  Vintage ones are rare finds and often pricey...the reason I decided to make them.  That post...Feelin The Love features ones I've made.  Three Roses post features a Vintage Crocheted Heart from my collection.

I should have bought this pin cushion instead of just taking a picture.  I probably would have paid $28 had I paid more attention to The Pins.  The seller tried to tell me how special they were on the tag...w/HAT Pins!  Which brings me to the second 1903 item...HATS!

As you see, the style of hats in 1903 were elaborate and BIG.   How in the world did the Edwardian era women keep those hats on their heads?  Glad you asked.

The hat itself was a shapeless, amorphous mass of tulle, smothered floral ribbon rosettes, and plumage draped in lace veils which gave an impression of the hat being a frothy mass...or mess.  The secret to shaping the massive hat and keeping it on the head was...

...Pompadour Hair Frame Supports, a pompadour expert hairdresser/maid, a head of long, thick hair and Hatpins.  The frames were used as a base for a woman's hair to be built up and smoothed over the base.  Those with thinner, fine hair collected hair from their brush and used it for a filler.

The volume of the support contraptions gave the hats a firm structure to rest on.  Even so Hatpins were essential to holding the pompadour frame in place.

RING RING!!!
"Hello, Minnie's Millinery & Salon"
Oh, yes, we have Pompadour Supports.
Certainly, we have a large selection of Frothy Red Hats.
An appointment for the Valentines Ball?
I have an opening on Saturday, February 14th at 9 in the morning.
How long?  Depends on your hair and hat.
Thin you say.  Biggest Red Hat in stock!
Fine, we will see you Saturday at 9....oh, and...
Bring a ditty bag lunch
and
Your 'Hairbrush' collection!

Linking to
 Beverly's How Sweet The Sound
Pink Saturday!
Happy Valentines Day!

5 comments:

  1. you captured the flavor of an era. I'm sure I would have managed to stick myself with a hat pin constantly

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  2. I wonder how many hats a woman had? I guess it depended on her wealth. Where would a poor woman have stored them??

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  3. I love hats...caps...beanies....
    great post.

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  4. Oh Sue! You are a live wire! Happy Valentine's Day, dear one!

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  5. My grandmother had a phone like that; I well remember Daddy holding me up so I could talk to his brother and sister. It was a party line so everyone would listen when they heard the phone ring.

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