Consider Your Hairdo When Choosing a Vintage Hat

If you like to wear vintage hats like I do, you'll want to consider how the hat looks with your hairdo.  As hat styles changed over the years, so did coiffures.  In the 40s, when victory rolls were popular, tiny "doll" hats were worn tipped to the front or the side to accent the hairstyle.  In general, hats work best with short hair or up dos.  The photos below are all from 1951 and show how hair can be styled to complement a particular hat. 

Neat curls at the top and sleek sides in a hairdo by Dimitri.  The black wool dress with asymmetric neckline is by Jacques Fath for Joseph Halpert. 

A small shallow pillbox hat by Mr. John is worn slightly tipped to the side and covers the curls at the top of the head.  Note how the short hair allows the large mantle collar of Pauline Trigere's coat to frame the face.

Here, longer hair is worn brushed back from the face and curled at ear level.  The Hadley cashmere sweater is accented with a beaded choker necklace.

A green bonnet by Chanda fits beautifully over the hairstyle and the face veil slips right over the curls.  Gray flannel suit by Alan Graham.

Medium length hair is swept to the side in a dramatic curl.  Hairdo by Enrico Caruso.  Silk dress by Claire McCardell.

This dramatic hat by Braagaard is worn tilted to the side to show off the sideswept curls.  See how that works?  Black velvet dinner dress by Maurice Rentner.