Thursday, July 30, 2009

Shut Yer Eye Hole: Hats At No Risk of Revival


Am finding it difficult to work fashion's haute front lawn on a midsummer Thursday. Consequently, am spending some time out back, with the disused fridges, junked cars on blocks, and random stuff that the cat dragged in. Specifically, an ultra-arcane style of headgear, with eyeholes cut in. You know what I'm talking about, don't you? Not balaclavas, which are protective in nature. I mean hats designers thought actual people might wear absent a snowstorm or a bank robbery.

Exhibit A, above: this clipping courtesy of Glamoursplash, highlighting a tendence that captured at least one photographer's attention in Paris' glory years as a fashion capital.

Who could possibly think that was a look worth reviving? A milliner in 1984, apparently, who sent his mum off to Royal Ascot Ladies' Day in one of his creations. Mum, bless her, looks like she's loving it (photo © Bettman/Corbis).



And whatever did happen to the veil/monocle ensemble so admirably trendspotted in the Modern Mechanix blog (click on image to behold)?





That same fascinating retro blog gives us this, a more fittingly practical version of the eyehole concept (again, click on the image, but deep breath first). What? That didn't catch on either? Really?



Truly, no-one with a scratch of design sense could think this notion would work, even for the most modern of women. Right? Right?

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