by Leonore Dicker
While hats always seem to be in fashion, their actual creation was necessary and their evolution intriguing. Nowadays, we stylishly wear them during the winter to protect ourselves from the cold and in the summer to shield our eyes –and skin– from the sun. Thousands of years ago –and for most of human history– individuals wore “headwear” to protect themselves against falling rocks, weapons and masonry.
In the Middle Ages, hats became a marker of social status. Individuals could guess one’s class, simply by looking at one’s hat. While women had been expected to cover their heads with veils or hoods from a very early stage, it’s only at the end of the 16th century that they started sporting structured hats. The term “milliner” (a person who makes or sells women's hats) was only first recorded in 1529.
By the 20th century, men and women would change their hats depending on what they were doing –which could sometimes mean several hat changes in a day! Leaving the house without a hat was judged disgraceful – no matter the social class. During the Second World War, this tradition decreased as wearing a hat simply wasn’t practical. People often had to rush to air shelters and didn’t have time to think of their hat.
The eighties and nineties saw a chic hat comeback, thanks to the Princess of Wales (Diana) who was a hat enthusiast herself. Nowadays, it’s all about the beanie – unless you’re attending Dubai World Cup.
“I began wearing hats as a young lawyer because it helped me to establish my professional identity. Before that, whenever I was at a meeting, someone would ask me to get coffee.” – Bella Abzug
