From the Edwina Wright estate
Era: Post-War Glamour, c. 1947–1953. This period specialized in creating dramatic texture on small, structured hats.
Style:Feathered Open-Crown Toque or Halo Hat. Brimless Toque with an Open Crown. The circular body of the hat clings to the head and is made of feathers, leaving a central aperture. The hat was intended to be worn perched on the back of the crown or tilted, allowing the wearer’s styled hair to show through the open center.|
Material: Densely applied black feathers (plumes or small hackle feathers) over a minimal buckram base.Function: Formal accessory for afternoon, cocktail, or evening events, signifying a return to luxury and high style after wartime austerity.
Maker/Origin: Unidentified Milliner.
Description
A sophisticated women’s hat defined by its combination of a minimal, brimless shape and maximalist texture. The entire visible structure is covered in a dense application of black plumes. The open crown is the defining characteristic, marking this piece as a formal accessory designed to integrate with the elaborate coiffures of the immediate post-war period.
Provenance Note
This piece is a strong representation of the late 1940s/early 1950s trend for dramatic textural contrast and structure, particularly in cocktail and evening accessories.