Why should we all go out and get a hat? For so many great reasons: they protect against the elements, suit multiple occasions, are a great form of self-expression and can even cover a bad case of bed-head! 

Back in the day, hats actually ruled fashion. They were once a vital part of a woman's wardrobe and you would never leave the house without one. Hats were a status symbol where extravagant feathers, ribbons and extremely large brims were put on show. At one time you could take one look at a woman or a man and tell exactly where they fit into society just by the hat they wore. Later in history though, this became more difficult as more hat styles were made accessible to all classes; if one wanted to modernize their appearance, getting a hat would be their first point of action.

Hatmaking also known as millinery, is a specialized art that requires skills in design, pattern-making and careful hand-sewing. Using traditional methods, a milliner would take the head measurements, then design a pattern to correspond. If a hat was made of straw, lengths of straw were sewn together. If it was made of felt or buckram (a stiff mesh fabric) it was wetted and shaped over a mould and formed the base of the hat when it dried. After the structure was created, milliners selected gorgeous fabrics to cover hats then lined and decorated them with feathers and ribbons. These techniques, though using modern methods of construction, are still the basis for hat design today.