Hello all I have almost finished my AW13 hat samples, but am still drawn to the pillbox that sits on the back of the head. I have only ever made pillboxes to sit on the side at a jaunty angle and find that hat elastic works well on this style.
I subscribe to a blog that features royal hats, and recently, I have seen a lot of the 'back of the head' pillboxes. Audrey Hepburn also favoured such a style, and of course, wore it so well.
My first 'proto-type' of this style used two loops on either side of the hat which I added clips to. I also sewed a comb to the top underside.
Is there a better way?
Rose
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It is fabulous to see the return of the pillbox style of the 60s with it sitting on the back of the head. Jackie (Kennedy) made this the style of the 60s era.
It actually suits all shape faces especially with added width of the pillbox.
Hi Rose
I haven't tried this myself but I have seen a vintage pillbox with small elastic loops sewn to each side under the peterham ribbon (ie similar to the elastic button loops) which could be easily then secured to the hair by use of bobby pins.
Hope that helps a little.
I usually take an elastic band (the thinner round type, not a wide flat) and make it just a little smaller than the hat. Then I stitch it with loops (so not to fasten the elastic band in the hat) in about four places around the hat. That way, you can easily sneak bobby pins in where needed, and with a little hair spray it stays even in windy weather. Sometimes, I use a comb in the front as well, because it's easier to fasten the hat without holding it up at the same time. Hope this made sence, feel free to ask if not and I can post pictures!
Here are two different hats with that solution! Once the elastic band is in place, you can put bobby pins anywhere that is needed, as well as combs, and you can place the hat anyway you want. I recommend a hair updo, and hair spray for it to stay in place even in wind. The knot is fairly easy to hide behind the head band, I just haven't done it here.
Thanks for sharing this Louise! Some great ideas there :)
That sounds perfect to me and exactly the way we used to do this at John Boyd Modelhats and Philip Treacy in London. However, we only sew on the loops(without clips), so that the client could use their own curvy grips, in their hair colour, to secure the hat as invisible as possible. Regardless, one should still take the clients head measurement and try to match the size and headshape as good as possible,which will make the pillbox more secure.
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