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Considerations
 Choosing
the Right Bonnet
Consider your age, locality, and your personal
attention to fashion in choosing a bonnet.
Younger and most especially well to do women wore the latest
fashions. Styles in
fashion plates preceded the wide acceptance of new styles for months
or even years. Women in
major cities, such as New York and Philadelphia, adopted trends more quickly than other parts of the country.
Consult local history museums for pictures of women in your
area when choosing items for a new impression.
Fabric and Straw
Period bonnets were most often straw, or covered buckram with
a facing and a crinoline lining.
Consider the
socio-economic level of your impression in choosing fabrics and
trimmings.
Period bonnets were most often covered, faced, and trimmed with
silk. There are exceptions to this rule. For example, Burwell School in
Hillsborough, NC has written documentation of linen bonnets, and we
have a cotton bonnet in our collection.
Period silks do not have slubs like modern Dupioni. Solid
colors are much more common on bonnets than prints.
Appropriate silk choices for a tight bonnet are taffeta, velvet,
satin, and broadcloth. Appropriate silk choices for a drawn
bonnet are taffeta, satin, chiffon (very similar to period silk
crepe), and habotai.
We have not come across a seasonal rule for
wearing straw
bonnets. 1861 Godey's has straw bonnets as late in the
season
as November and as early as March.
Please see our straw forms page for a discussion of period
straw.
 Purchasing
a Bonnet or Kit
A bonnet kit or pattern is a less expensive
alternative to a custom bonnet.
If you are an experienced seamstress or
crafter, millinery is a very rewarding art.
However, millinery can be frustrating if
you are inexperienced.
The best way to save money on a bonnet,
if you do not have millinery experience, is to purchase a premade
form with the coinciding pattern.
The patterns give detailed instructions
on covering methods that will allow you to create an affordable
bonnet. We are also available via email for "tech support".
 Ties
and Trims
Finding period appropriate trimmings can
sometimes be a difficult task.
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Original ribbons were made of
silk.
For midcentury bonnets, ties were usually four to six
inches in width. It
is very difficult to find wide silk ribbons or silk velvet
ribbons in any width.
To achieve the look of the period, we offer the best wide
ribbons available to us.
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We take care to offer millinery flowers
made of high quality materials with no visible plastics.
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Ostrich feathers were the most common
feathers used on nineteenth century bonnets. Other
feathers described in the fashion magazines were peacock,
Marabout, game, white heron, and tropical bird feathers.
Fitting
a Bonnet
Many 1850's-1860's living historians wear their bonnets too far
forward which creates an odd looking tilt to the bonnet.
Fashion bonnets for this era provide no sun protection. The front
inside edge of the bonnet should sit on the very top of the head
(as it fits on our logo) creating a lovely "C" or spoon shape from the
side. If the bonnet slips off of the back of the
head, consider adding more trimmings, cotton netting behind the
trimmings, or a velvet crossband to cling to the hair.
Our patterns and forms are designed for a standard 22.5 inch
head. They should fit comfortably on a 22 to 23 inch head.
If you have a larger or smaller head, we would be happy to size your
form or bonnet for no additional fee. We would be happy to
size a pattern for an additional $5.
Most mannequin and Styrofoam heads are small in size.
The black head our website, who we lovingly refer to as Mabel,
is a full sized 22.5" head.
Forms displayed on Mabel
should fit similarly on a 22 to 23 inch head. The forms
appear larger on the Styrofoam heads than they do on most people.
All images are
property of Timely Tresses unless otherwise noted.
Phone: 919-235-8221
E-mail:
admin@timelytresses.com
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