17.00 USD
The "big hat," of which the one our model wears is certainly an elegant example, hit the Edwardian fashion scene in 1907, with the opening of "The Merry Widow," a very popular light opera from the original German version, "Die Lustige Witwe."
Lady Duff-Gordon, broadly known by her "brand" name as the internationally successful couterier, "Lucile," (her first name was, in fact, Lucy), designed a fancy, Gainsborough-esque broad-brimmed hat, dramatically plumed, for the operetta's star, Miss Lily Elsie.
Though The Merry Widow was hugely popular on the stage, and the waltz of the same name it originated would be greatly loved for decades (and even still today), Mdme. Lucile's Merry Widow hat made an even bigger splash. It caught on almost immediately, and soon stylish women throughout Europe and the Americas were wearing them.
Lucile was also responsible for streamlining clothing designs to better fit a woman's natural shape, and gentling out the exaggerated "S" curve of the very early 1900s. But, it was Paul Poiret of Paris, another famous fashion designer, who streamlined designs to what was at that time, a "figurative" minimum.
Monsieur Poiret, who did NOT like big hats, and was heavily influenced by the "costumes orientales" of la Belle Epoque, opened the door to the narrow-bodied "flapper" style, and the bobbed hair to fit the turban, and the cloche hat, that so complimented his designs.
So, it was "Fare thee well, Raphunzel," "Goodbye Miss Gibson," and "Hello, Boop Boop Ba-doop" :) Well okay, it didn't happen overnight, but it was in large part due to Monsieur Paul Poiret of Paris, that the British born trend of the often elegant, sometimes ridiculously top heavy, Merry Widow hat, though huge (forgive the pun :), from 1907, inevitably bowed to French fashion, and by the beginning of WWI (1914), was mostly being worn only by dear old Aunt Clarice.
Thank goodness that viewing this all from a distance, we are not bound by any of those then-current trends, and can simply embrace all of it!
A lovely card in excellent condition. We've not been able to locate any information on the publisher, K.& C.M. with its distinctive zeppelin design logo, but we recognize the beautiful young woman from a number of other "big hat" images, and believe this is a German card. Please examine our high res scans for detail.
Postage is for first class shipping in a secure photo mailer, and we happily combine shipping on all paper goods. If you purchase two cards, we will refund the postage on the second card, and when you purchase three or more cards from us at the same time, your shipping will be entirely free, except for international orders which, because of sudden increases in international shipping rates will still be charged one card's shipping fees on orders of three or more.
And please come visit our blog at:
redpoulaine.blogspot.com
where we post biographical and historical tidbits, images of cards and photographs for sale, some already sold but remembered fondly, related images of historical interest and sometimes even images of items that have not yet arrived in the shop, but that are expected to arrive soon, as well as coupon codes, links to other related sites, and more!