Vintage Pillbox Hats And the Women Who Made Them High Fashion
By robie2
Post-War Fashion History
In 1950 America was just getting used to post-war prosperity. The war was won and the boys were home and America's factories were churning out cars and washing machines instead of guns and airplanes. Rosie the Riveter was back home baking cookies and having babies. There was a longing for peace, stability and family and this was reflected in contemporary fashions.
Dior had unfurled his " New Look" in Paris a few years before in 1947. This was a lush, feminine fashion statement of long skirts high heels and wasp waists that took post war Europe and America by storm. Its wide brimmed picture hats, long full skirts and stilleto heels lasted only until the beginning of the 1960's when a new young fashionable first lady in the White House imposed her own fashion signature on America and the whole world.
It was Jackie Kennedy who popularized the pillbox hat. She was wearing a Pillbox the day her husband took the Presidential oath of office and she was wearing one in Dallas on the day he was assassinated. The pillbox was her signature and it became the iconic fashion accessory of the decade.
Audrey Hepburn in a Pillbox
The Return of the Pillbox
Movie stars like Audrey Hepburn followed the Kennedy lead. Hepburn was a big fan of the pillbox. Here's a shot of her from the film Charade, but she sported the pillbox look often, not just in films but in her personal life as well. Her pillbox look was jaunty and sometimes included a veil.
Hats in general went out of style somewhere around 1970 when fashion did an about face. Between London's " Mod" look ( think Mary Quant and the Beatles) and the Woodstock generation ( think calico dresses and combat boots and peace symbols) hats were a definite no no for both men and women. The young and forward thinking went bareheaded. The old , sedate, and conservative wore hats and so it was for the next three decades until GenY decided that hats were hip and fashionistas started combing vintage clothing stores and avant guard designers started creating-- yes folks-- HATS!
Today there are hats everywhere-- there are even blogs about hats, There are online shops that deal in nothing but hats, not to mention high end milliners who are making a comeback designing for such luminaries as Paris Hilton and Lady Gaga.
Gen Y Pillbox Adaptation
Lady Gaga in a Pillbox
Finding A Pillbox
Lady Gaga and Paris Hilton only two of the many contemporary celebs who are helping to bring back the pillbox from 40 years of obscurity.
Where can you find an authentic vintage pillbox to top off your retro look? Try vintage clothing stores, flea markets and yard sales. Much is available online. Ebay an obvious place to look. I'm a big fan of Etsy for this kind of thing, but there are a number of excellent sites that specialize in vintage hats and accessories.Try googlling " vintage pillbox hat" and see what comes up. You will be surprised at the number of choices. Of course, you can always buy a newly crafted, retro look hat from a number of designers, but that will probably cost you more and, for my money, is not nearly as much fun as finding and wearing a truly vintage piece.
I'd also suggest having a look in your mother's attic-- chances are there is a pillbox hat up there somewhere. A great classic never goes out of style-- and the pillbox hat is just that.
Own Your Own Vintage Pillbox
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Vintage Feathered Hat Sculpted Dome Pillbox Teal Blue Polka Dots 1960s GC
Current Bid: $17.99
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VINTAGE RED HAT - VINCENT DE KOVEN ORIGINAL - PILLBOX STYLE - 22 1/2 SIZE 1960s
Current Bid: $12.99
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Lot 7 Vintage Womens Hats 1950s Netting Bows Velvet Flowers Ribbons Pillbox NICE
Current Bid: $25.00
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3 VINTAGE LADIES HATS - PILLBOX CAROL HAT, NAVY BLUE PILLBOX + BLACK TURBAN -
Current Bid: $4.99
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Vintage White Mink Pillbox Hat by Mr. D's Stunning
Current Bid: $72.00
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Vintage 1950's Red PILL BOX HAT with Rose and Netting
Current Bid: $24.99
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Comments
and thank you, twilight, for sharing your memories and for taking the time to read and comment.
Great stuff. I don't look good in hats :)
Love it! Pillbox hats are so cute. Like Uninvited Writer, I don't look great in hats. :( Maybe, maybe, these would work for me! :)
Hi UW and Amy. Thanks for reading and commenting. I don't look good in most hats-- only those really wide brimmed floppy things look good on me and I rarely wear them-- but I love the idea that the twenty something crowd is re-discovering the hat as a fashion accessory. Long live GenY!!
Fun hub. Those hats were so cute...I remember wearing them myself. Thanks for the trip down memory lane. :=)
Thanks for the comment Alek-- I remember them too, but never wore them-- they didn't look good on me-- however I thought Jackie looked smashing!!!!
How cool. Great photos and info. Never heard the song in the video before (where have I been, right?), nice addition. Unfortunately, I'm not a pillbox gal, never could look good in one. But I love love love seeing them on people. Elle wears one in Legally Blonde. Cute cute cute! Great hub, Robie2.
I think hats are so interesting - love looking at photos and reading about them, though I'm not much of a "wearing hats" person. Great photos of Lady Gaga and Paris Hilton - pillbox hats really are timeless!
Me too Steph-- I wear big floppy sun hats in the summer but otherwise, am not much of a hat wearer either, but I love reading and writing about them:-)
A beautiful accessory to wear to bring to life an otherwise simple dress!
totally agree, Princessa-- both vintage and timeless IMHO
I enjoyed this revelation of love and respect for hats so much. How I wish I'd kept my beautiful pillbox, instead of selling it at a years-ago garage sale.
Thanks KS-- I bet that pillbox would fetch a pretty penny on ebay or etsy these days.
These pillbox hats are to die for they're so cute! I really want a furry one made of mink perhaps. How do they stay on? With pins?
yenajeeon--how does the pillbox stay on? depends on the size of your head and how far back you wear it on the head, but yes, hatpins can be a good help-- hmmmm wonder if now that hats are making a comeback, if hatpins will do the same? thanks for stoppng by and commenting
We can also take a look at our TV attics to see pill box hats at their finest, and I'm talking about The Nanny sitcom with Fran Drescher currently on cable TV reruns.
This lady/character had style!
She could get a pill box on her huge hair and wear it perfectly.
Wonderful retrospect, Robie.
thanks SAlly-- good to see you as always. I loved " The Nanny" the first time around too.
Excellent hub and it brings back memories of my mom wearing those hats. The pill hat really is so attractive. Rated up and beautiful.
Thanks Pamela-- I always think of Jackie O when I think of the pillbox hat. Glad you enjoyed the hub. It was fun to write.
Dear robie2, excellent hub. You are an excellent writer and lay-out artist also. My grandmother on my dad's side wore a hat each time she went in public...even a veil on Sundays...she loved those small pillbox hats you talk about. Thank YOU for rekindling a fond memory.
Good to see you kenneth-- yes, my grandmother always said " a lady always wears a hat and gloves" and was into those little hats with veils too..... you are quite a writer yerownself and I really enjoy your hubs. Thanks for stopping by.
I got some great memories of Jackie Kennedy in your article.
Truth is, I am a practical person and if that hat offers no shade from intensive sun, I won't wear it.
Jackie was quite something, wasn't she? Truth is, she made me wish I could wear the pillbox, but I never could. They just didn't look good on me -- I look better in broad brimmed hats, so I guess I also get the side benefit of being shaded from the sun:-)
I love everything about this hub! Wonderful pictures and great, vintage hat-shopping ideas. Your writing is very informative and flows nicely. Great hub - loved it. And of course, I happen to adore Beck :)
and I love everything about your comment, tracykarl99-- thanks soooooo much :-)
Just found my grand mothers pillbox hat,
it still looks in great condition.
wow-- that's a great find!
I don't know if I'd attempt the look but it's definitely interesting. I always feel my head's too big to wear hats and I sweat in my hair alot as well but something about the pillbox is definitely iconic. Cool hub!
Yup there is something iconic about the pillbox. I can't wear it either-- pillbox hats make me look like a pinhead. I need hats with big floppy brims for the shape of my face and because I am tall. But the pillbox is a great look isn't it? Thanks for stopping by Alecia
I loved your article and photos. I voted up and beautiful Thanks. Sandra Busby
Thank you so much sandra, glad you liked the hub
Twilight Lawns 15 months ago
Great memories. I remember seeing my mother wearing a red straw pillbox with a red veil in the early forties, and I have a couple of photographs of her wearing a large black straw coolie hat with a black taffeta Dior New Look dress. The effect was stunning. Thank for a lovely hub which brought back a lot of personal memories.