Picture Hat

A picture hat is a wide-brimmed style with a shallow crown. Picture hats are usually elaborately embellished and normally worn towards the back of the head, framing the face. They have been popular since the 16th century and are sometimes called Gainsborough hats, due to the painter featuring them in many of his works (or “pictures”).

Picture hats of the 1960s and 1970s were characterized by taller crowns.

Written by TheVintageFashionGuild

See Also: Cartwheel Hat, Platter Hat

1938 Paulette wool picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1930s / 1940s straw picture hat

Courtesy of thespectrum

1940 Lilly Dache picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1940s wide brim felt picture hat

Courtesy of thespectrum

1940s natural straw and floral picture hat

Courtesy of Lady Scarletts

1950s straw and floral picture hat

Courtesy of thespectrum

1950s Joseph s New York fur felt picture hat

Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing

1952 Sally Victor picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1955 Adolfo picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1955 Emme silk picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1956 Sally Victor picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1958 Balenciaga picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art

1950s Mia Pyrreck straw picture hat

Courtesy of myvintageclothesline

1950s straw and floral picture hat

Courtesy of thespectrum

1950s Seidenbachs Tulsa straw picture hat

Courtesy of thespectrum

1985 Lanvin picture hat

Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art