Burgundy Gatsby Cloche

This flapper cloche was made with precious vintage materials: a vintage fur felt hood, 1920s-era metal thread appliqué and antique mesh made of real metal! (The silk lining, headsize ribbon, beads and feathers are new materials.)

I created this one-of-a-kind cloche for the Milliners Guild exhibition “Wear the Gold Hat: Millinery Inspired by The Great Gatsby and Fashion Hedonism.”

“As a milliner, I am drawn to the ‘everyday’ hats of the past: a slightly dented crown, a not-too-perfect hand-shaped brim. I used vintage materials to create a 1920s-inspired cloche. This could be the daytime hat of a wealthy lady who will switch to an evening headpiece for an opulent Gatsby party later.”

While not an exact reproduction of an extant 1920s cloche, this piece captures the style of true vintage hats of that era, fitting low and close to the head, with authentic period trimmings.

♦ CONTENT and CONSTRUCTION:
Hand-blocked on wooden hat blocks with a hand-shaped asymmetric brim.

Made of a vintage fur felt in “cabernet,” a wine red with a touch of brown.

The crown is trimmed with antique gold metal mesh, an antique black and gold embroidered appliqué and a spray of hackle feathers. The brim is sloped down on the right and tightly upturned on the left. The brim edge is raw, with a delicate line of gold bugle beads just inside the edge.

Inside is lined with orange china silk and finished with a burgundy grosgrain head size ribbon and brand label.

♦ FIT:
Best fits sizes 21.5″ – 22.5″ (small to medium head size).