Millinery is the production of hats and accessories for women. In the past, it was a respectable profession for women, but today it is dominated by male designers. However, there are still many exceptional designers in the millinery sector, and some people work to make fancy hats for movies or period pieces. Stores dedicated solely to displaying and selling women’s hats are harder to find, but there are still many professional millinery associations around the world.
Millinery has two definitions. It can refer to hats and various accessories made for women, and also the actual production end of the hat-making business, especially when those hats are designed for women. The term hatter tended to refer to hat makers who created hats for men and possibly women as well, but in general, the hatter created hats for women only.
The term millinery may be relatively unrecognized by many people these days. In general, we tend not to wear hats to complete every outfit. There are some exceptions; certain religions may require a head covering when going out. In other cases, many people still wear hats to church. As a general rule though, we don’t see the hat as the essential fashion accessory that it once was.
In previous centuries, however, millinery was an important profession, given the high demand for hats for everyday wear and formal occasions. Furthermore, it was a profession exercised by many women: hats made by women for women. Being a hatter was considered a decent and respectable job for women in the 18th, 19th and early 20th centuries. A survey of workers in the 1900s in the US found that there were approximately 82,000 factory workers at that time. Today, the field has been opened up to include many more men’s mills, especially when hats are made in design houses, which tend to be dominated by male designers.
You can also use the term headgear to refer to the decoration of pre-made hats. The cunning bow, feather, ribbon or other item added to a hat is considered part of being a hatter. Some people are especially adept at taking simple hats and turning them into works of art, and they may pursue this profession as a hobby or create beautifully decorated hats as a full-time business.
Even though the hat doesn’t have the same place in women’s fashion that it did in the past, there are still many in the headgear field today. You can take hat-making courses at fashion design schools, community colleges, and the like, and there are even professional millinery associations around the world. Most design houses still employ hatters or have a millinery department as there are many, especially those who wear high quality clothing, who still wear hats on a regular basis. For example, Queen Elizabeth II, and indeed any member of the royal family these days, often wear hats when appearing in public. Also, some people work to make fancy hats; a movie or period piece would be almost unrecognizable without many hats from that period.
Stores dedicated solely to displaying and selling women’s hats are harder to find. If you look at big department stores, you can find some hats and some that are meant to keep your head warm or your face shaded rather than being a fashion statement. You will find, however, that there are still many exceptional designers in the millinery sector, although their creations can be considerably more eclectic than in the past.
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