Sculptural Hat – The term sculptural can be applied to many different hat styles. By definition sculptural is usually three-dimensional and sculptural hats typically have bodies that have been manipulated into different shapes and forms or have attached components.
As an art form, hats may be described as sculptural by means of shape, materials used and in terms of proportion. From the headdresses of ancient Egypt to the tribal hats of Africa to the often Turkish-inspired creations of the Renaissance to the 1980s elaborate church hats and 1990s fascinators, these types of hats are part of our fashion history.
Some of the best examples of sculptural hats are found in the surrealist creations by Elsa Schiaparelli in collaboration with Salvador Dali, the mid-century dramatic turbans and cloches by Christian Dior and, later, Philip Treacy’s wildy inventive flights of millinery fancy.
c 1925 Jeanne Lanvin sculptural hat
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
1930s sculptural wool hat
Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing
1936 Sally Victor wool sculptural hat
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
1940s Milgrim sculptural black felt hat
Courtesy of thespectrum
1940 Elsa Schiaparelli sculptural hat
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
1940s sculptural hat
Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing
1940s sculpted felt hat
Courtesy of dorotheascloset
1943 Sally Victor sculptural hat
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
1940s sculptural felt toque
Courtesy of thespectrum
1940s sculptural straw hat
Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing
1940s Helen Yoffe sculptural hat
Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing
1940s sculptural hat
Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing
1940s felt sculptural hat
Courtesy of cmpollack
1940s sculptural hat
Courtesy of Alleycats
1950s sculptural hat
Courtesy of bycinbyhand
1950s Hattie Carnegie straw sculptural toque with berries
Courtesy of Blue Velvet Vintage
c 1965 Halston silk sculptural hat
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
1970s Jack McConnell sculptural hat
Courtesy of BonniesVintageClothesLine
1980s asymmetrical sculptural hat
Courtesy of alleycatsvintage
1980s Sylvia sculptural flower hat
Courtesy of BonniesVintageClothesLine
1990s sculptural hat
Courtesy of BonniesVintageClothesLine
1980s Kokin New York sculptural felt hat
Courtesy of poppysvintageclothing
2000 Philip Treacy sculptural hat
Courtesy of the Metropolitan Museum of Art
