Hi, I am working with a few woman who have experienced loss of hair :( . I was going to line the fur felt hat with pure silk or fleece, but do you have any other suggestions as to design style and fit. What woman like and what they don't like? The hats are for woman in Chicago and it is going to get cold!
Thanks
Kathleen
Tags: bald, chemo, hair, thinning
Views: 398
Hi, one of my clients was wearing just a felt hat with no lining during winter with her hair loss.Altho it maybe a case of trail and error, depending on each person. good luck.
I've done a few 'proper' hats (as opposed to fleece beanies and pull-ons) for women who've gone through chemo and lost their hair. I've found that a deep cloche style with a narrow brim seems to suit well. They can be cut a little shorter at the back to incorporate coat collars, and have a deep crown which covers the top of their ears and hides the fact that there's no hair. A little brim adds some sophistication and a bit of mystery too.
The cloche style can also be made assymetrical, i.e. with a longer brim on one side than the other - so it can suit a wide range of face shapes. Natural fabrics, such as pure silk or a soft cotton lawn are good for lining - as natural fabrics absorb perspiration and are not irritating to the scalp - particularly if people are on medication which can make their skin sensitive.
I'm conscious that if someone's wearing a hat because they have no hair, it could be staying on for a longish time so needs to work indoors as well as outdoors - something they can wear out to lunch perhaps? I saw a hat once which had some decorative hole punching in the sides and top and I thought that might be a good idea for an indoor hat - lets air circulate! Soft fabrics are best, Felt is an obvious choice of course, but I've also made an evening cloche using a base of 20/20 buckram covered in velvet and lined in silk which was appreciated.
Hope this helps :)
Another alternative for someone with a sensitive scalp is a fabric hat--wool with lawn lining or even corduroy with lawn lining. You'd probably want to design a custom pattern, but I would think something like the Folkwear Metropolitan Hat (269).
Thank you Cynthia ! What a darling hat. I have not seen that one.
Thank you Greer! I like the idea of ventilation. And a buckram base could make for a very light indoor hat. Back to the drawing board!
Thanks.
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