Hat Lore

The Cultivated Cloche

Fashion follower,
Toronto, 1927
Private collection

The cloche hat, so simple and modern, nevertheless blinkered its wearer no less than the poke-bonnets of the 1800s. It dictated a stance that became characteristic of the period, since it was necessary for the wearer to lift the chin and peer imperiously down the nose. The style was also a demanding one, since the wearer was deprived of a flattering frame of hair. The cloche led to society's tolerance of eye and lip cosmetics, which gave definition to the face. Lipstick and eye-shadow became widely used for daytime wear, though the use of mascara was still limited to evening.



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