Womens Cloche Hats
Cloche hats are fashionable, vintage-style womens headpieces. While they were traditionally made of felt, you can find them in a variety of materials and styles, including crochet cloches and colorful cloches with embellishments. Flowers and ribbons typically can be found accentuating these fashion statements.
What is a cloche hat?Womens cloche hats were invented in 1908 but popularized during the 1920s. They are distinguished by their fitted bell shape, which fits snugly around the head. These womens hats are designed to be worn low on the forehead with the brim skimming the eyebrows.
In the 1920s, cloche hats were often embellished with ribbons for daytime wear. Beads or lace added dressier touches for evening festivities. Women who love vintage styles are likely to adore these distinctive hats because they provide a simple way to incorporate flapper style into a contemporary wardrobe.
What materials are cloche hats typically made out of?Cloches come in a wide variety of materials, including:
- Cotton: Cotton cloches are comfortable and casual, and they make stylish additions to beach ensembles or golf outfits. Thanks to their small brim, cloches provide a bit of sun protection, making these casual cotton hats a practical outdoor accessory for women.
- Straw: Straw cloche hats are something of a summertime staple. They often combine natural materials with black ribbon embellishments around the crown.
- Wool: Cloche hats made out of wool harken back to classic 1920s cloches. These pieces tend to have small brims and decorative elements, such as fabric flowers and bows. These cloches may also be made out of patterned wools, like herringbone.
- Felt: Felt was the traditional fabric used in the 1920s, and new felt cloches still bear the hallmarks of the classic style. They are functional hats, keeping womens heads warm in the wintertime, and they often feature decorative elements like chic bows.
- Fleece: For extra warmth, turn to a womens fleece cloche hat. These tend to look more casual than felt or wool cloche hats, but they still retain the charm of traditional ones.
- Crochet: The crochet cloche hat is a chic alternative to traditional felt cloches. These crochet hats run the gamut from casual to elegant, and they come in just about any color imaginable. Womens crochet cloche hats are often embellished with yarn flowers, pom-poms, buttons, or ribbons.
Most cloche hats are one size fits all. Some come with adjustable elements, allowing them to fit women of many sizes.