First things first, if you want to keep your hat in great shape, always make sure you are handling it by the brim instead of pinching the crown.  It is something we have all seen in the old Hollywood movies but take it from the professionals – grabbing the crown of your hat will ruin the shape of your hat over time, leave dark fingerprints, break down the material and, in some cases, damage the hat permanently.  The brim, however, is a single plane of material, so the pressure of grabbing it will not crease the material or damage the shape of your hat.

Now that you have properly picked up your hat and put it on, there are a few tips to keep your hat looking great from everyday wear. Make sure you are protecting your hat from the elements, unless it is a genuine rain hat, never wear your hat in a rainstorm. If your hat is completely soaked it can lose its shape and can become irreparable unless it is 100% rabbit or beaver hair. If you do get caught in a rainstorm set your hat upside down on a flat surface with the interior hatband opened and let it dry naturally. On the flip side, never leave your hat in a hot car – the heat and humidity will warp the shape of your hat and shrink the size.

One thing that will inevitably happen is your hat will get dirty and will need to be cleaned up. The cleaner you keep your hat, the longer it will last and the better it will look.  For your felt hats it is always wise to brush them regularly. We recommend having a dark bristled hat bush for your darker hats and a light bristled brush for your lighter hats. This will help remove dust, dirt and even some stains.  Industry standard is to start brushing on the left side of your hat and move around the hat counter-clockwise. Be sure to brush the crevice where the crown meets the brim and the underside too.

If you have a straw hat that gets a bit dirty, we recommend a frequent light brushing to remove dirt and dust. If there are slight stains, we suggest using a slightly damp piece of cloth and lightly rubbing it over the dirty spots in small, circular motions. If you have a smooth leather hat, it can be treated in a similar way as you would treat soft leather shoes or handbags. However, when in doubt, it is always wisest to take your hat a hat professional to have them cleaned and shaped.

When it is time to retire your hat for the season, there are a few tips for proper storage as your hat goes into hibernation for a few months. Most importantly, make sure your hat is in good condition before you store it – do not store a dirty hat! This can cause stains and dirt to set in which could make it very difficult to clean. Also make sure you are storing your hat somewhere that it is not too hot or humid, we recommend storing your hats in a hatbox and to perforate the box so the hat can “breathe” and not get musty.  Make sure you store your hats on their crown, if you store your hat on its brim, gravity will take its toll and can damage the hat’s shape. This is also a great tip for any time you take off your hat in general, plus it will prompt you to pick up your hat by the brim, so it’s a win-win!

Just a couple more tips and you will be completely knowledgeable on basic hat care. Occasionally flip down the sweat band so it can dry and air out, this will keep your hat nice and fresh. Also be mindful of where you are setting your hat down. Our biggest no-no is setting your hat in a chair as people sit in chairs and well … I think you know where this is going! Other than that, the final piece of advice is to wear your hat proudly and with style. Hats are most definitely making a comeback, so do your part by wearing yours well and in good shape!

The cloche was first invented by Caroline Reboux, a very well known Parisian milliner, in 1908. Fittingly, “cloche” is the French word for “bell”, and a cloche can be described as a fitted hat that covers a lady’s head from just above the eyebrows to the back of the neck. While cloches were commonly made of felt in their beginning and designed for the fall and winter months, straw versions were created for the spring and summer to ensure its status as a seasonless classic.

The cloche became so famous that one could even have it embellished with beading and lace for cocktail parties, soirées, and even bridal apparel. It also became customary for women to relay messages to on-lookers by affixing ribbons to their hat. My favorites include a firm knot signifying they were married and unavailable, or one could embellish their cloche with a flamboyant bow to signify she was single and interested in mingling.

This amazing hat forged through the 1920s as THE accessory to don, but shockingly and suddenly became obsolete between 1933 and 1934. It began to look as though the fashion world would lose this stylish beauty.

Thankfully, the cloche came back with a bang in 2007 when many designers re-exposed it in their fall collections. It was being featured in numerous magazines, and made its way to the silver screen when Angelina Jolie donned the style in the 2008 film “Changeling” (which was based in the 1920s). This fantastic exposure left many fashionistas taken by the cloche and wanting their very own to complete their personal collections.

Without showing any signs of fading, the cloche made two fabulous reveals in recent history: one in film, and one on New York City’s catwalk. French actress Bérénice Bejo wore many fabulous cloches in the 2011 silent film “The Artist”. The cloche was also an accessory of choice in Fashion Week 2012 for numerous designers including Ralph Lauren, Sonia Rykiel, and Christian Dior.

Mark Bridges (costume designer for “The Artist”) commented on the cloche by saying that “they sort of hide your face and are very coy”, which encapsulates the style perfectly. They given women an air of feminine sophistication, as well as a bit of sexy mystery, AND they are the perfect accessory for a bad hair day! The cloche is definitely a must for every woman’s personal collection, and I strongly encourage every woman to release their inner flapper and have fun with this adorable and timeless trend.

While I have worked in fashion for several years, I am very much a Haberdasher-in-Training. Something I find fascinating is the mystique of hats — they are shrouded in mystery, and I discover every hat has a secret that our public is yearning to understand. Each hat has its own place history, its own significance in past and present society, its own clever story, and its own affect on its owner-to-be.

Hats have been a significant part of society for thousands of years, as far back as ancient Greece and Rome. Hats had practical uses and were also used purely for adornment. One of the earliest pictorial proofs we have is of a man wearing a conical straw hat found on a Thebes tomb.

Hats continued to thrive through the ages, their most prevalent time being between the 19th and early half of the 20th centuries. They were markers of status, occupation, and social affiliation. Members of all social classes owned hats, including the lowest strata. During the Great Depression, many men in America didn’t have a nickel in their pocket: however, every man had a hat on his head.

It is no secret that hats vanished almost entirely from wardrobes in the latter half of the 20th century. Though there is no clear single event, there are several well-known theories as to the suspension of hat-wearing. One belief is that men, after six years of being in uniform in World War II, had hadenough of hats. There is also the reasoning that the hippie culture viewed hats as conformity in a time of revolution. The most common cause for the hat hiatus is attributed to none other than JFK having appeared hatless at his inauguration. However, this is not true: he did in fact wear a silk top hat to the occasion, but removed it for his speech. So there!

Hats as fashion lost their place in modern society, and became something that was not very common to see in public. They began to seem antiquated to the younger generations. It was almost as if hats were viewed as a utility much like an umbrella, rather than something to wear as a personal style statement. It was beginning to look as though the intriguing stories and histories would be lost, and there was a dwindling need for haberdasheries around the country. Something had to change.

It was around 2007 that the hat made a dramatic comeback. The rise of AMC’s Mad Men, which focuses on a 1960s New York ad agency, featured many of its characters wearing very dapper and classic hats, including the timeless fedora. More and more men and women began embracing this classic tradition and the die was cast.

In 2010 women’s hats were on the rise in America. Many fashion experts and stylists, myself included, accredit this to Kate Middleton (now the Duchess of Cambridge). She brings an air of sophistication back to hat-wearing, proving hats can be added to any wardrobe in any setting.

I recently read an article that describes the modern hat as “a blurring and transforming of traditional class barriers”. Today’s urban dwellers are putting their own spin on the industry and showing the world that hats embrace style and individuality. It is clear that the hat has transcended the barriers of time and is rebuilding its status as timeless, endearing, and always a classic.

Your Haberdasher, Miranda D

We want our website to offer the same exceptional customer service that our physical location is known for. We look forward to bringing you the very best the hat world has to offer! Please feel free to contact us and let us know what you think of the new design, or if you find yourself downtown Austin please stop in and say hello!