Hattie's name wasn't really Hattie Carnegie at all. Her birthname was Henrietta Kanengeiser. She wasn't given the nickname of Hattie until she began her employment and training at Macy's when she was 15 years of age.
Hattie was a fitting nickname for the young girl for two reasons, She was trained as a milliner through Macy's Department Store, a designer who makes hats, and Hattie was a suitable nickname for Henrietta.
She took the name Carnegie, when she was in her 20's, in tribute to Andrew Carnegie. At the turn of the century, Carnegie was the richest man in America. Hatttie wanted to be as successful as Carnegie.
On the ship, an inquisitive Miss Henrietta, who was struggling with speaking English, was asking a steward all kinds of questions about America. Her parents didn't want her bothering people with endless questions, but Henrietta was so curious and wanted to learn all about America. The ships staff and passengers admired her curiousity, and when she asked one passenger who the most successful man in America was, he thought for a moment and answered: Andrew Carnegie. Henrietta's blue eyes brightened and she smiled and announced: "When I get to America, my name shall be Carnegie too". Hattie Carnegie was never related to the Carnegie Family, but the name of her choosing brought her good fortune.
Many immigrants changed their last names to assimulate into their adopted country. The entire Kanengeiser Family soon followed Hattie's lead and changed their names to Carnegie as well. Her parent's didn't like the name Hattie, and although everyone else began calling her Hattie, her parent's named her Henrietta and called her that until they died.
Earliest Employment
Upon arriving in New York from Austria, fourteen year old Henrietta knew she had to find a job to continue to help support her family.
Back in Vienna, she had quit school two years prior to do just that.
Now it was going to be even more difficult for the young teenager. She was in a foreign country that spoke a language she could barely understand. Because she was uncertain about her English speaking abilites, she didn't want to get a job in a clothing store just yet. She took several different jobs; washing floors and dishes, and various types of housework.
Hattie mentioned in an interview that most people were understanding that she was new to the United States, and were patient with her. They knew she was a hard worker, and wanted to help out her family. Still many other's could be unbelievably cruel to her. They made fun of her culture, her religion, her accent and the fact that she struggled understanding and speaking English. Although she couldn't really understand what the words themselves meant, she knew they were making fun of her because of the tone of their voices and their gestures.
Hattie went home in the evening and cried herself to sleep many nights because she was upset and so exhausted from working all day long.
Hattie made a vow then and there. If she ever achieved her dream of having her own shop, everyone would be welcomed there- no matter what their race, religion or nationality.
Hattie was belittled. The experience gave her an understanding of the evils of prejudice. Hattie was very accepting, generous and loyal to those she cared about. She considered her difficult childhood a true learning experience. She was determined to acheive success with her life.
How Hattie Almost Lost her Business
When Hattie was 19 years old, she thought her career was ruined before it was even started. She was working at Macy's at the time, and she felt that she might have just enough money and training, after spending four years working for them, to make a go of it. Unfortunately she met the wrong person. A man started talking to her, and because they had the same interests and ambitions, over time she began to trust him. He wanted the same thing she did- his own business. Hattie did find it strange, however, that he was asking her all sorts of questions about John Zanft and their relationship. He seemed to know they had dated and were serious about each other.
She explained her sad story- that they had to split up because of her arranged marriage. She was depressed because John was gone and would probably never see him again. She mentioned that she felt she should start focusing on a career now and get on with her own life, instead of always wanting to be with John. The man asked her how much money she had saved in the bank, and she foolishly told him.
He asked her that if they split the cost they could have a shop now.
Hattie, being so determined to begin her career, thought that was a great idea. She took the money out of the bank, and she and her so-called friend went shopping.
Hattie said, "I was young, a recent immigrant, determined but very native". For the first time in three years, Hattie didn't have John to turn to for advice in the matter. She didn't understand at the time to get everything in writing, and she just took him at his word. Hattie said: "We began to set up shop, we bought all the items we thought we needed for our new business venture". After a month of putting everything together he said: "Our grand opening is Monday".
Hattie was overjoyed. She was finally going to have her dream. When Monday finally came and she arrived at the new location, everything was gone. Her so called friend dumped her and took off with everything, setting up shop for himself.
Hattie was stunned and heartbroken. Unfortunately she didn't have a case because she had no proof they ever had a contract. Nothing was in writing. Hattie felt she didn't have time for tears, as she had to begin again. That meant saving money, going back to her job at Macy's. Hattie decided she was going to learn all she could about business so this would never happen again. Hence she started attending business seminars, making sure she attended evey one.
It took Hattie four additional years of hard work, saving, and educational seminars, finally opening her shop in 1909 at the age of 23. Hattie got the last laugh in the end, because she became a success. Whenever she had a fashion show this man was promptly thrown out if he even set foot in her store. When he was losing his business, he begged and pleaded for her help-"he even cried", she said, "I wasn't about to help him though. He almost had me ruined". Hattie told him off and his business went under and he was never heard from again. Hattie now understood why he was so concerned about her and John Zanft, and whether they were together. "John would have dealt with him!", she said with a laugh.
A Young Girl Ahead of her Time
Hattie Carnegie was very controversial for her time for a couple of reasons. She was born in 1886 in Vienna, Austria. Hattie's family was Jewish so they wanted to make sure she would marry someone who would not only take care of her but who was also Jewish. Her parents pressured her into an arranged marriage which she eventually agreed to. The problem was it didn't work out because she was in love with someone else. Her first husband was also in love with someone else. After a time they eventually agreed to divorce. Divorce was practically unheard of at the time. They would both be free to marry for love.
When Hattie was working for Macy's Department Store she wanted to raise the hems on all the dresses above the knee because she thought they looked better that way. She and her supervisor used to fight over this, because every time they put the hem down- Hattie would just put it above the knee again. Hattie was just a teenager and a recent immigrant when she started working at Macy's. They admired her drive and ambition, but got aggravated at her stubborn nature. She was very young, but knew so much about fashion. Eventually Hattie won that battle because everything she designed, and all the ideas she came up with, were well received by the customers. Hatties innovative thinking was making Macy's Department Store a lot of money. During the time she worked and trained at Macy's, for six or seven years, they began to respect her. They started consulting her concerning fashion design
which led to her increased confidence and independent nature.
I have noticed, with the Hattie Carnegie clothes that I own, when I wear them they are slightly above the knee. She kept that fashion trend. The raised hem seem like nothing today, but it was very controversial in her time.
Why are you Dressed like that?
When Hattie was a teenager, working for Macy's Department Stores, she had aspirations of being a famous and successful businesswoman- one day and owning her own shop- instead of working for someone else.
Because of this fact, she had a great sense of fashion. She never wanted to look tacky because she thought that would project badly on her future choice of career, so she always dressed nicely. She wore designs that she created. She took great care to make sure she looked perfect, and was so proud when someone complimented her on her beautiful clothes.
One day, before she met John, one of her friends asked her if she wanted to go out with him. She asked her co-worker and best friend, Rosie Roth, if she minded filling in for her that afternoon. Hattie wanted to leave early that afternoon and wanted to leave right from the store.
Hattie came out of the dressing room a little later and was dressed so differently that Rosie thought she had lost her mind. Hattie was always concerned with looking fashionable that it didn't make any sense.
"What in the world is wrong with you Hattie? You want to be in the fashion business and you are going out on a date, dressed like that.....Where is your beautiful dress?" Hattie answered, "I think I would look very strange wearing a fancy dress to go play golf". Hattie's friend was a golf instructor.
Fashion and Other Popular Culture of 1900-1910
Hattie's Formative Years
The first decade of the 20th century was a time of social change in America and the world. It was the era of mass immigration and mixing of cultures and a changing of ideals, especially for women.
Henrietta Kanengeiser was just 14 years old when she boarded a ship to America with her parents and three brothers and two sisters. Life was so different in Austria. She grew up in the countryside surrounded by the beauty of the open fields, flowers and mountains and went to a little schoolhouse in the village. When she was not in school or the synagogue, little Henrietta appreciated nature and the beauty of Austria, and loved animals and flowers. When she was a little girl, she loved modeling her mother’s hats in the mirror. She adored pretty dresses and was such a little lady, but at the same time she was fiercely independent. This was part of the reason, that although reluctant at first, Henrietta developed an extreme love for America and New York City. That love for pretty dresses and jewelry and that independent nature that she developed in Austria would serve her well. Years later that little girl, who modeled her mother’s hats in the mirror and was the daughter of a tailor, would conquer the fashion world. New York City was so different from life in Austria. In Austria, Henrietta’s life would have been mapped out for her, she was bound by what her culture expected of her. In America, she would be permitted to achieve her dreams. Her life became very different than it would have been if she remained in Austria. Henrietta was a working girl in New York City from the first days. Still struggling with the English language she accepted housework which consisted of cleaning floors, washing dishes and doing other household chores for the more well to do households. Later she went to work with other young girls in the mills. It was unskilled, tedious and very dangerous labor. Many times children would be severely injured while working with the machinery. Although they would be passed a decade later in 1900, there were no child labor laws. Most children of Henrietta’s generation instead of completing elementary school went off to the mills and sweatshops each day.
n 1900, You were considered fortunate if you had an eighth grade education. Henrietta only had a sixth grade education, but she was the eldest daughter in a very poor family, so obtaining employment was a necessity. Only a mere 10% of the population graduated from high school in 1900.
Recreation at the Turn of the Century
The new American worked hard for a living, but they also found time for recreation. Jazz was a new and popular music. Young people of Hattie’s generation also enjoyed attending the theater, and opera and classical music was extremely popular among European immigrants. Hattie loved to play golf. I laughed at the thought of this little lady, who wasn’t even five feet tall, picking up a golf club that was almost bigger than she was. Golf was a very popular sport in 1900. Young women of Hattie’s generation were not only going to the golf course to watch their boyfriend’s play, they were sometimes, even challenging them to a game and dare I say, winning. Other popular sports, that the new liberated women of Hattie’s generation took part in, were boating, rollerskating and riding a bicycle.
The phonograph that was invented the year Hattie was born in 1886, but it first achieved extreme popularity in 1900. It was considered a fabulous invention. One could actually turn a lever and listen to a song being played. The phonograph popularized opera and classical music into the mainstream. Due to it’s high pitch and use of several musical instruments,it was the perfect music to be played on the earliest version of the record player. Comic books and cartoons were also popular during this decade. Illustrators and newspaper columnists were as popular in the first decade of the Twentieth Century as movie stars are today.
Riding in motorcars was considered not only fun, but made travel easier than a generation before. They had not yet totally replaced horse and buggy, but even with the slow speeds that the first automobiles had, everyone wanted to have one. When the assembly line was perfected. Automobiles were available to everyone at a reasonable price. Even Hattie had an automobile when she began to achieve success.
Hattie Carnegie
A Gibson Girl
The Women's Rights Movement
Young women of Hattie’s generation were also beginning to realize that they lacked the basic right to be heard, to make their opinions known, and to be be considered equal within society.. They could not vote, but they were determined to fight for their rights. These women felt certain rights should be granted to each and every citizen regardless of their gender. The Women’s Suffrage Movement was in high gear. Women who attempted to cast ballots in elections were arrested and put in jail. Whatever property a woman owned upon her marriage, in the eyes of the law it now belonged to her husband. Women were also
discouraged from seeking employment outside the home. Successful businesswomen were few and far between. Society had a difficult time accepting an intelligent, independent, business savvy woman who felt that she could balance career and family. Due to these inequalities, The Women’s Suffrage Movement was born, but by 1900 it was in high gear. The Gibson Girl was very involved in this movement.
What a Beautiful, Stylish Lady Looked Like
She was very beautiful dressed in lace and ribbons, her hair was upswept, pinned and soft. She loved to wear beautiful hats, most often with floral prints. Hats were a popular and most often essential part of the daily wardrobe. She was also a controversial trendsetter. Even though her dresses usually reached her ankles. Her dress had a raised bustle. They were very low cut, sometimes with very short sleeves. The girls of this generation loved to show off their figures. If she chose to wear a corset, It was less restricting and used to enhance her figure, rather than to just make her appear thinner as it had a generation before.
Her Shoes
The first type of shoe with a higher stylish heel was soon invented. Women were learning how to walk with grace in them. Small feet were considered very pretty, and girls would be known to wear a shoe that was sometimes two sizes too small. Some women would even resort to surgery to amputate their little toes to fit into a smaller size shoe.
The First Cosmetics
The Gibson Girl loved the shades and colors of cosmetics. Because of the growing popularity of the first homemade cosmetics, they began to be developed and sold in most department stores. Hattie bought her first cosmetics when she was working as a salesgirl at Macy’s Department Store and loved all the pretty shades.
Her Hair Styles
Hattie was considered the ideal Gibson Girl of her generation. She was beautiful, she had blonde hair and a head full of curls. Curly hair was a sign of extreme beauty. When a primitive version the curling iron was invented straight haired women achieved the beautiful hair that Hattie was considered fortunate to be born with. They used these irons, which were not only a fire hazard, but were very dangerous and many girls burned themselves and set their hair on fire in an effort to curl it.
Her Jewelry
Hair ornaments were coming into vogue. Hair would be fastened into a clip most often on one side of the head. They were fashioned into decorative and feminine objects, such as butterflies, flowers, ribbons, and some even had real hair woven into them. Beads with crystals were really popular, anything that shined and glowed. Opera length pearl necklaces were all the rage, because girls of this generation adored the opera and the theater and dressed to the occasion. It was common to see hair ornaments and hats covered in beautiful feathers. Cameos were pinned to dresses. (To be continued).
More on the Culture and Styles of Hattie's Generation
Women's Suffrage and Hattie Carnegie
I decided with the upcoming election that I would discuss Women’s Rghts Movement and Women's Suffrage. This topic is very detailed a with several different issues, but I decided my focus was going to be the issue which affected Hattie Carnegie the most. The issue that I have selected is Property and Business Ownership. The Women’s Rights Movement was very near and dear to Hattie’s heart, and were of equal importance to her.
The End of Oppression ?
Hattie Carnegie was an impoverished Austrian-Jewish immigrant whose family boarded a ship in search of the American Dream. Oppression of the Jewish population ran so rampant in Austria, after that horrible fire the family had no choice, but to begin a new life in a foreign land.
Despite the fact she lacked much of a formal education, Hattie knew what she wanted very early in life. She was a determined young lady and nothing was going to stop her from achieving her goals.
By the time that Hattie had been in the United States a few years, she had become very adapted and assimulated into her new culture. She held a management position at Macy’s Department Store.
She was a successful milliner. I will write more about millinery in the next few weeks. Hattie had just about conquered the English language. Above all, she was a patriot, and loved her adopted country.
A Citizen
Hattie usually got what she wanted. Miss Hattie decided that another dream she wanted was to be an American citizen. She was ready for the challenge. She mentioned to her dear friend Valeska Suratt that she wanted to officially obtain her American citizenship. Hattie shared her thoughts on the subject of her impending citizenship with Valeska, because she was a natural born American citizen. Hattie
thought Valeska's opinion was important because she wanted advice from someone who was born in the United States. Valeska mentioned to Hattie that she could officially become an American citizen, but why bother because she would have no voice in the government. Hattie didn’t understand why, Her parents told her, on the ship over from Austria, that America was going to be good for them. It would allow them opportunities in life that they wouldn’t have if they remained in Austria which was the reason why they left Austria.
A Little Lady
Hattie understood the oppression of the Jewish people and their struggles for equality with regard to employment and education back in Austria, but this was America. When the family had traveled to escape those prejudical attitudes, she was now going to experience similar prejudice because she was a woman.
Hattie’s Introduction to the Movement
Valeska Suratt was Hattie’s first American friend, with the exception of John Zanft. At the turn of the century Valeska Suratt was a household name. She was a successful theatre actress and even appeared in a few silent films and was involved in the early suffrage movement. The more Hattie’s friend discussed the movement with her the more interested Hattie became. She wanted a business of her own and wanted the rights to make informed and legal decisions regarding that business. She attended rallies whenever she could and talked with other women who had business aspirations. She also believed as her friend Valeska had that any achievement or advancement that the businesswoman had made in the Nineteenth Century could actually be in jeopardy if they didn’t have representation and a voice in the Twentieth Century. That representation she believed began at the voting booth.
The Women’s Rights Movement certainly did not begin with Hattie’s generation, it actually began over forty years prior to her birth- but by the time she arrived in New York City in 1900, the largest and least recognized civil rights movement was in full force.
Businesswomen
Women were very involved in securing equal rights for African-Americans and it was because of this women had began to realize their basic rights of citizenship were also being denied. African-American men appreciated the efforts of these women, and gratefully returned the favor by supporting the Women’s Rights Movement and equal rights for women of all races.
Ferdinand Fleischman
and Hattie Carnegie-Fleischman
In 1900, legislation was passed that gave limited rights to property and business ownership to married women. This was amended from the original documentation in 1848 that gave women the right to own property or a business with the permission of her husband. Still these rights were very limited. If a woman divorced her husband, the Court would automatically award her property or business to her husband in the divorce settlement, even if it was the wife’s property prior to their marriage. Hattie's parents arranged her marriage while she was still a teenager, as was customary in her culture, but they thought she was too young to marry at that time so they allowed her to wait a few years. Hattie was in her early 20’s by the time she married Ferdinand Fleischman sometime around 1910. Hattie started her millinery/fashion business a year before she married Ferdinand. She was an overnight success, but worked tirelessly to achieve her goals. Hattie stated that she never harbored any ill feelings toward Ferdinand. He wasn’t the love of her life, but she developed a lasting friendship and respect for him.
He was very kind to Hattie as he had promised her father he would be.
He never stood in her way, except for the time that Hattie mentioned the idea of them getting a divorce- an idea Ferdinand opposed, but he compromised and agreed to a trial separation. Hattie and Ferdinand separated and reunited several times, before finally deciding that the marriage wasn’t going to work. Neither of them could ever be truly happy with the situation, and the couple divorced amicably. Hattie stressed that although Ferdinand fought with her when she attempted to file for the initial divorce, he was never greedy or selfish. She appreciated his not fighting her for the rights to the company that she had built. According to the current divorce laws, Ferdinand could have taken over the business and Hattie would have been left with nothing, but he didn’t believe it was right to take Hattie’s business from her. She was thankful for the understanding nature of her ex-husband. When she was asked about her first marriage she said that the marriage was a mistake for both of them, and added that it wasn’t Ferdinand’s fault and that arranged marriages were the problem. Ferdinand was part Austrian and part English. England was also fighting for a similar Equal Rights Amendment for Women.
Little House on the Prairie
Women and business ownership was the focus of a memorable episode of Little House on the Prairie. The series was set back in the 1870’s and 1880’s at the heighth of the Industrial Revolution when women were just beginning to have a voice of their own. This particular episode revolved around the Olesons who were having a fight over the management of the Mercantile. Mrs. Oleson threatened to leave her husband.
The Mercantile had belonged to Mrs. Oleson when they married years before. Mr. Oleson brought up the fact that the Mercantile was now his by law if she decided to leave him. She was so angry she stormed out. Anyone who has seen the show is aware that Mrs. Oleson was the ultimate snob of the town. She thought that she was superior to everyone, so nobody liked her. The news of their breakup was the town gossip. The women grew increasingly nervous and passed around a petition on property and business ownership. The men refused to sign, with the exception of Laura’s husband, Almanzo. It became a town divided. The women sided with Mrs. Oleson and the men of the town sided with Mr. Oleson.
The Ingalls discussed the situation of business and property ownership. Caroline mentioned to Charles that although she didn’t usually agree with Mrs. Oleson about anything this was different. The business was hers. She asked Charles what he would do if this was them, all this time trying to persuade him to sign the petition. He told her, that he thought the petition was foolish and the women were foolish because he considered them to be equal in every respect. She continued further, “What if we divorced, what then"? Charles replied, “In that case, the law would say the business was mine". With that Caroline, up until the time the lone hold out, packed a suitcase and moved down the street to the restaurant hotel. The episode ended on a positive note with the men realizing that they needed their wives, and in true sitcom fashion all the men signing the petition allowing the women of Walnut Grove to own property that was rightfully theirs.
They Could Serve, but Could Not Vote
Women could run for elected office in every state in the union by 1877, and had served on juries since the mid 19th century, but they could not vote in elections. If they attempted to do so the ballots were cast aside and not counted. Eventually protesters of disenfranched women voters were thrown in prison. Susan B. Anthony the co-founder of Suffrage for Women was imprisoned for attempting to cast a ballot in a federal election. By 1890 several states permitted women to vote in state and local elections. Wyoming was the first state to recognize women’s suffrage. Women were still not recognized and counted at the federal level.
The Norse Vikings- A Tolerant Society
Another interesting point. The Norse Vikings were considered tyrants and feared throughout the Viking Age. The Viking Age lasted from around 700 AD to 1000 AD. The Norse Pirates were feared globally but were surprisingly very tolerant and accepting toward Viking women. Women in the Viking culture during the Viking age had an amazing slate of rights.
This included the right to actually divorce a spouse for mistreatment or adultery, and they were usually granted custody of the children following a separation.
Erik the Red’s wife left him. I don’t know if they were officially divorced or not. She left him over his refusal to give up his heathen ways and to convert to Christianity. Leif, Erik’s eldest son who discovered America, was peaceful and accepted Christianity. He brought the ideals of his new faith back with him to his country and family. Leif’s siblings and mother adopted Christianity, but Erik rejected the faith and his wife gave him an ultimatum. When he still didn’t comply, she left him and took the three other children with her. The Vikings were the first culture to recognize women as equals, although, New Zealand was the first country to grant women the vote.
The Great War
About ten years or so preceding and during The Great War, the Women’s Right Movement was starting to generate serious attention, from even those individuals who had previously opposed the movement.
The Gibson Girl, was a term that referred to young girls of Hattie Carnegie’s generation. The Gibson Girl was a beautiful fashionable young woman with a voice and a social cause that she not only believed in but that she also pioneered and fought for. While the servicemen were overseas protecting our freedoms and interests the women did what they could, and assisted the country and industry on the home front. They still had no offical say in who their leaders were, regardless, they were patriots. Women entered the workforce in droves, staying there until the war was over. With that act of non-selfish patriotism, America finally woke up to the injustices facing women in America.
he Nineenth Amendment was passed into law in 1920 giving women the right to vote and officially be heard.
Hattie Carnegie-An American
Hattie Carnegie was often invited to Washington DC, a few times each year to present a fashion show for the wives of the Congressmen. After the show Hattie took her models around on a tour the nation’s capital. She wanted them to realize how fortunate they were to be free, valued and represented in America. Hattie told the girls, “Our freedoms are so important to us, remember it has only been seven years since we were permitted to vote”- Hattie Carnegie 1927.
Hattie’s Shadow
Ferdinand Fleischman wasn’t the only one who didn’t resent being in Hattie’s shadow. Major John Zanft accepted when he proposed to Hattie- he was always going to be overshadowed by her. He accepted the role of second in command and was appointed vice president of Hattie Carnegie Inc. Hattie was always proud of her husband’s military service and commitment to America. She lovingly called him, "My American Soldier." While her American soldier was involved in combat overseas, she, like millions of other women in America and across the world, fought for and finally acheived representation in the country she loved.
Just in Case your Wondering
Hattie Carnegie did pass the citizenship test and officially became an American.
She was always referred to has an American Designer, despite being Austrian born.
I haven’t any idea what political party Hattie Carnegie belonged to, although Major John Zanft was a Republican.
Hattie once stated that she voted in every election starting in 1920.
Please Visit:
http://www.legacy98.org/ for more information on Women's Suffrage and the Women's Rights Movement.
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The Crowning Touch:
Magnificent 20th -Century Hats Popularity of Hats during the Gibson Girl Generation; Hattie’s generation
By Bernadine Chapman
When it comes to elegant headgear, obviously, the hat was the crowning glory of the women of the early 20th century. Feminine hats have run the gamut of the fashion spectrum for centuries, and spectacular head coverings easily wove their way in a special place of honor in a woman’s wardrobe.
Yesteryear’s ladies’ hats reflect a menagerie of unequalled motifs , setting trends that took top billing when it came to making a fashion statement in women’s apparel. Between 1905 thru 1925, a variety of millinery styles began to flood the fashion market. Although hat choices were virtually inexhaustible, basically head coverings were uniform in structure. Stock hats were created from a basic crown in either flat style or bell shape. Brims came in various widths, ranging from the turned down types to the wide magnificent brims that frequently completed a woman’s ensemble. In it’s simplest form, a hat was a hat, but with the addition of a few accessories, the lady’s hat was transformed into an enchanting phenomenon, and the more ornate and profuse the trimmings, the better.
Hats were fashioned from a variety of materials, Straws, felts, velvets, silks and satins were shaped to a particular style, then elaborately enhanced with an abundance of feminine accouterments . Popular hat coverings of the times included but weren’t limited to, yards of taffeta, miles of ribbons, lengths of lace, gardens of flowers, bushels of fruits and the ever popular plumage from our featured friends.
Around 1900, the Audobon Society headed a strong campaign to restrict the use of birds on headgear. Some hat accessories actually used entire stuffed birds or other bird anatomy, ie, halved birds and bird wings, as hat decorations. Pursing the cause for some 20 year, the society’s efforts eventually proved victorious with the passage of legislation to prohibit the use of natural wildlife on millinery fashions with the exception of allowing feathers.
Ostrich feathers, an acceptable form of fashion décor, were one of the most popular of hat enhancements. Plumes naturally shed by the ostrich could be easily dyed to match a specific wardrobe color. Fully curled ostrich feathers provided a striking addition, when included as part of a hats crowning glory. In efforts to achieve a fuller look, bunches of ostrich feather tips were applied to the brim. The tips sold in sets of three, ranging in price from 30 cents to $1.50 per cluster. Hats that sported ostrich feathers were popular fare and considered elite when it came to style and grace.
Society dictates governing ladies’ hats were somewhat contradictory, To women, hats were considered elegant and stylish, but to theater and movie managers, the hats were considered headaches.
Due to a hats’ elaborate construction, reaching heights and circumferences bordering on the outlandish and eccentric, they were a constant annoyance. That unlucky patron, seated behind an elegantly hatted female, virtually found it impossible to see the stage or screen. In efforts to quell paying customers dissent , establishments of the era resorted to a courteous request of “Ladies, Please Your Hats Prior to Performances. Thank you.
Hats were generally worn atop a profusion of hair which was the style of the day. Many women futher increased the volume of their hair by adding hair pieces to accentuate the height of their natural coiffure and this process resulted in hats reaching greater heights. Hats could be placed squarely on the head, tipped at a jaunty angle or with the brim pulled to one side. Her whatever style a woman chose to affix her hat, it became her personal fashion statement.
To hold the hat firmly on her head, women started to enlist the use of hatpins. Purchased in dozen lots for 3 cents, hatpins not only became a means of securing a lofty headpiece, but also considered lethal weapons.
Accounts of accidental stabbing, scrapping, scarring and other serious injuries caused by the improper placement of the hatpin were commonplace.
Between 1900 and 1915 many communities were embroiled in the hatpin controversy, and laws pertaining to proper hatpin use abounded. Ordnances governing the hatpin encompassed regulations concerning the extent of hatpin protrusion beyond the hat proper and recommendations of hatpin top protectors.
Hatpins were considered so dangerous in fact , their wearing was restricted on some forms of public transportation.
The majority of the women of the era felt that the hatpin laws bordered on the ridiculous; those at the mercy of a misplaced hatpin begged to differ. For the next 20 years the hatpin debate continued , until the invention of the safe bobby pin took over, The hatpin controversy was all but forgotten and the shocking new hairdo took top priority as the most important fashion concern of the day.
The stylish hats of yesteryear could be purchased at the leading department store, ordered from the pages of mail order catalogues, or professionally designed by a milliner. Many a creative woman devised her own hat style by using imagination and ingenuity.
Nonetheless, the hats of the early 20th century proudly claimed a place of honor, demanding the status as an immediate fashion statement.
The Victorian lady’s crowning glory, has known no close challengers, when it came to be recognized as a sign of an elegantly dressed woman of the era.
Interesting Mini Articles……
Ladies Home Journal: Published in October, 1913
Question: What are the latest colors in hats this year? Should my hat match my suit?
Answer: It is a matter of personal taste as to your hat matching your suit.. With a black suit, a purple, light blue or bright red hat is in good taste and often more becoming than one that is all black.. When I say “red” I mean all the beautiful peony reds which are very fashionable this year, however with an all navy suit in the new shade of green which is called “evergreen” or the deep forest or seal brown is also very chic. For trimming of darker hats the new tango yellows, in a complete line of colors which consist of a complete line of colors from light orange to a burnished copper and a deep mahogany shade, are new an they form a beautiful contrast.. The new reds are in a peony shade, The lightest being a brilliant DuBarry Rose, The darkest being a deep warm garnet. Gray too, is popular, and will be worn but not in the brown shades of past seasons, but in putty shades such as platinum, silver gray or gun metal.
There are many other new colorings, varying from the neutral to the intense in shades, but remember when only when hat can be purchased within your budget at the time, and any desired bright note can be added as a trimming. Intense colors should be used in one area only, and must be chosen carefully when they come in direct contact with the features. When a bright color is used for a hat, a black velvet trim will make it more becoming.
Dry Cleaning was Available in 1925- Amazing!
From Home Laundering and Dry Cleaning (Scranton, PA. The Women’s Institute of Domestic Arts and Sciences, 1925)
NEVER EVER TRY THESE METHODS..... FOR ENTERTAINMENT ONLY! THANK YOU!
Hats represent a special branch of cleaning. For home use the following simple suggestions will be of value.
For white or lighter colored felt hats, first brush then go over the surface lightly with fine sandpaper. If very soiled use gasoline and a light woolen cloth and rub the felt very well, then brush and shape with the hands.
Still another method is to make a paste of powdered magnesia. Spread the paste over the hat. It can be easily brushed off when dry.
White and colored beaver hats made be cleaned with wood alcohol applied with a soft brush.
Hats made of manilla, hemp, YES, IT SAID, HEMP,LOL! panama and rough straw braids in natural colors may be cleaned by using a weak solution of oxalic acid. For a badly sunburnt hat, dissolve one tablespoon of oxalic acid in one pint of water, a process that will require from fifteen to twenty minutes. When the acid is dissolved completely, pour one tablespoon of the solution onto a pine board. If the solution foams or forms bubbles it is too strong, and it should be weakened. CAUTION: WHEN CLEANING A HAT BY THIS METHOD NEVER PLACE YOUR HANDS IN THE ACID SOLUTION.
To bleach a straw hat, make a paste by adding to the juice of a lemon, enough powdered sulfur to make it smooth. Cover the hat well and leave it in the sun to dry. Then brush with a fine brush dipped in water and wipe with a dry cloth. To give a glossy finish to a straw hat, apply a solution of one part transparent shellac to five parts wood alcohol.
Clean light feathers, aigrettes, and paradise plumes by sousing in gasoline, then a combination of one pint of fresh gasoline and two tablespoons of wheat flour. Draw the feather through the closed hand to squeeze out the gasoline. When the feather is practically dry it must be rolled in clean cornstarch.
As gasoline affects some dark colors, dark feathers or plumes must be washed in wood alcohol and never put through a powdered paste or rolled in cornstarch.
EDITORS NOTE: NO WONDER VERY FEW HATS HAVE SURVIVED THE TIMES!
VERY IMPORTANT=WRITTEN FOR THE ENTERTAINMENT VALUE ONLY! FOR YOUR PERSONAL SAFETY, THE SAFETY OF OTHERS AND FOR THE SAFETY OF YOUR VINTAGE COLLECTIBLES DO NOT, REPEAT…..DO NOT TRY THESE PRACTICES TODAY!
ALWAYS BRING TO AN EXPIRENCED DRY CLEANER IN YOUR AREA!
Appeared in the Butterwick Quarterly in the Spring, 1926
Hats for this Spring will be large or small but it is the small hat that plays the biggest part.
The most generally accepted hat of 1926 fit’s the head closely and is the exact depth of the head from the top of the hat to the eyebrow. The small brim comes just over the eyes or is turned up at the front, back or side-front. Paris is experimenting with the new crowns, hat and square or high in the back.
The so-called gigolo crown, but those are severe, but still chic. The close bell shaped crown, is often fitted to the head with a with a crosswise plait. When the hat is of felt or velours, retains it’s vogue.
Hats with broad brims of the cowboy type are new for sport or the country. The large hat of crinoline or fine straw can be used to some extent with afternoon frocks. The French draped turban keeps the hair in place and doesn’t have to be removed during a movie or a play.
The small hat is trimmed with decorative pins, metal and leather ornaments, feathers, narrow ribbon, velvet binding and occasionally flowers. In felt and velours the brim is frequently cut and the ends are crossed in the back. The turban style is trimmed with ornamental pins, while the large hat is trimmed with ribbons or flowers.
This Spring the hat may match the costume, harmonize with it or provide a sharp contrast.
Historical Background on Victorian Hats and Millinery Shops
By Fran Lees Solberg
The Following Article Originally Appeared in the Volume III, Issue 4 Addition of
The Lady’s Gallery- A Magazine about, Fashion, Culture and Antiques
During the Victorian era, the hat was one of the most important fashion accessories in a lady’s wardrobe. It was an indicator of her social class, her fashion sense and even hinted at how generous that her husband or her father was. A hat was an indicator that she was a lady-a woman that attended a church service without a hat would be brandied an eccentric at best and a floozy or commoner at the worst.
One of the purposes of the hat, and it’s often accompanying veils, gloves and parasols, was to protect the skin from the sun and other environmental elements that might cause freckling or tanning. Victorian women valued a white complexion, the paler, the better, so much so that women would go to great lengths to attain the ‘ideal” skin tone-even ingesting such materials as talcum powder or arsenic to achieve a fashionable pallor.
Victorian women loved the outward displays of wealth. Milliners were charged with the same responsibilities as those of the eras architects and interior designers-to make certain that their clients appearances communicated to the world that they could afford the expense of an elaborate hat. And even more important than that was that their husband or father indulged them enough to spend his money on such non essentials.
A woman of moderate means could economize her millinery bills, in a number of ways. Since hats were constructed on a straw or felt base in many cases, it was a simple matter to snip the threads, holding the old trims in place and replace them with fresh or refurbished ones to create a “new” hat.
Women having access to attractive feathers from their flocks of poultry or a husbands passion for hunting game birds might barter these for a milliner’s services or supplies. Those women who lived too far from town to visit a millinery shop might decide to gather straw threshed from the family’s wheat crop and braid into the raw materials for a new hat..
In any case, even the poorest farmer’s wife would put on a well worn, yet freshly washed and starched sunbonnet to go to the nearest settlement for supplies. No matter how meager a family’s resources, a woman would do whatever she could to maintain her complexion.
Millinery shops were a common sight in towns and cities in the United States until the early 1960’s
In the late 1800’s public records such as tax records, town maps and newspaper advertisements show the existence of one or more milliners in county seat towns.
A typical shop would have a front room with showcases, a full length mirror and perhaps a tea table. A milliner always encouraged lengthy visits and a welcoming atmosphere, the longer a potential customer was in the shop, the greater chance that the milliner would make a retail sale.
The workroom in the back of the sales area would have been furnished with a large worktable, storage cabinets and several chairs. A treadle sewing machine would be set up near a window or door to take advantage of the natural light while stitching. Both of the rooms would be heated by woodstoves and lit by kerosene or gaslights.
The millinery shop served additionally as a social center for the ladies of the town and they might linger after shopping for the latest gossip on births, weddings and funerals in the area. Men would almost never come into the shop unless they were paying the bills or buying a gift for a special lady, just as women rarely entered the masculine domain of a blacksmith shop.
While milliners were most exclusively women, census records of the time indicated that many women entered the profession out of choice, not necessity. Many milliners were wives or daughters of men of property who were able to provide a comfortable level of income without female assistance.
Census records of the era also indicated that there was at least one servant listed in the homes of those women who identified themselves as milliners.
Milliners were admired by their peers in the community for their fashionable wardrobes and relative freedom. Buying trips would take the milliner out of town to select new supplies in big cities …..some might even often travel overseas to London or Paris.
When the milliner returned to town she would not only bring back beautiful merchandise but also new information on the social and political issues of the day that was of great importance to the modern woman.
In this way, the news of such movements as women’s suffrage and the temperance movement were spread to women in less populated areas.
Fran Lees Solberg is a free lance writer, designer and teacher specializing in Victorian needlework and craft techniques. She learned her millinery skills while volunteering at Living History Farms in Des Moines, Iowa as an historical interpreter. Fran recently moved to Petaluma, California where she is involved in the local historical society.
