During the Regency, hats were made (among other things) of silk, felt and straw. Decorated according to the wearer's fancy (with lace, feathers, fruit, flowers, ribbon, etc.) they were appropriate for any occasion. Common styles were :

The Balloon or Lunardi hat which celebrated Vincenzo Lunardi's balloon flight in Britain. It featured a straw base with a cloud of fabric for a crown and a wide brim. Oversized Berets (Tams) were also popular. These could be made of velvet or some other heavy fabric, and trimmed with feathers or jewels.

The Shepherdess hat was fashionable and functional. It was a wide, flat straw hat with simple ribbon decoration and ties. The "Gyspsy", a variation of the Shepherdess, featured a scarf over top of the hat that tied under the chin, and sometimes sported lace or floral trim. One variety of these was called the Lavinia

The Cartwheel, just as it sounds, was a round hat with a wide brim. It could be decorated in many ways. The most popular used Ostrich plumes. Heavily decorated, they were also known as French Walking Hats. Riding hats, called Shako Hats were adapted from those worn by soldiers of the day. They were usually tied with sheer scarves which trailed behind and had feather plumes in front. They did not necessarily conform to military color codes and could be found in many shades.

Large straw hats with both brims bent up were also chic. Reminiscent of the military tricorne, it was casual enough for picnics. Decorated with feathers, flowers or braid they could be worn with or without ribbons.

Buy a Hat
Back to top