Woman's Hat

A yellow straw hat dated to the 1890s is festooned with three ostrich feathers and a wide moiré ribbon. It has a small crown and a wide brim. On the inside of the brim are three concentric rows of velvet ribbon.

A remarkable feature of late nineteenth-century fashion was a fascination with feathers, even entire birds. So much so was this feature sought after that a cartoon in the May 14^th, 1892 issue of Punch depicted a winged woman as a “Bird of Prey” swooping down on a water bird ready to grab it with her talons. Organizations formed to protect endangered species.