Hats off to fashion

Jun 16 2003 By Vicky Pepys, The Journal

In 1732 millinery was so important to England that The Hat Act was passed to restrict manufacturing in the colonies to protect and favour the industry here.

It seems ridiculous these days when we rarely don any style of hat, save a beanie for warmth or a baseball cap for shade. And yet there are important social traditions and events which would make not wearing a hat absolutely unthinkable.

Typically, hat wearing is an early summer 'thing', with weddings, christenings, garden parties and the season's sporting events.

The antics of Ascot this week will help to make 'headlines' in more ways than one. The striking, the pretty, and the sometimes-obscure creations of milliners will have their finest moments. Remember David Shilling and his brave mother Gertrude?

Fashionistas like Selina Blow, Grace Jones and Boy George champion the cause of today's more renowned and fashionable milliners like Phillip Treacy, Gabriela Lingenza, Cozmo Jenks, Philip Somerville and Stephen Jones, by wearing hats as part of their own everyday personal style.

It was Stephen Jones in the early 1980s who first began to think in terms of creating a whole look with the starting point of a hat, however small, however delicate and however whimsical. And it is he that we must thank for re-awakening the British public to the power of millinery.

Stephen was the first British milliner to work with Jean-Paul Gaultier, Thierry Mugler and Comme des Garcons. Names like Julien Macdonald, Emanuel Ungaro, Antonio Berardi, Vivienne Westwood, Zandra Rhodes and the Burberry and Pringle design teams, have all turned to him to complete their look.

Currently collaborating with John Galliano, Stephen is creating Haute Couture and Prêt a Porter collections for Christian Dior.

"I love making hats," he says. "They are the cherry on the cake of fashion design."

Three main collections - the diffusion ranges Miss Jones and Jones Boy, the couture line of Model Millinery, plus an ongoing collaboration with the cosmetic line Shiseido - have led to international success and status, particularly in Japan. It is here where Jones Girl hats, scarves, sunglasses and handbags are now produced under licence.

Stephen Jones hats are not available in the North, but his influence can be seen in many high street ranges, particularly the trilby styles which appeared in his first collection.

It is in the department stores where the majority of us start when looking for a hat.

It's a big decision to invest in a hat. But there is no grander way of making a fashion statement. A hat, bought or hired, takes the emphasis away from a last season outfit, and chosen carefully can capture a trend.

The two-day John Smith's Northumberland Plate Festival at Newcastle's Gosforth Park on the weekend of June 28 is perhaps the largest hat related event locally.

The dress code is a little more relaxed than Ascot and the rising popularity of the trouser suit brings its own dilemma. Does a trouser suit mean that a hat is unnecessary?

"Firstly it's important that a hat blends with your personality," says Carol Forster of Get Ahead Hats in Blanchland, County Durham. "You must be the person wearing a hat, rather than the hat wearing you."

She has the answer for the trouser suit dilemma. "Choose a hat with a masculine feel, perhaps with a tall crown to add height."

With four years experience of running Get Ahead Hats, Carol has the perception to be able to 'read' what will suit her client as soon as she steps through the front door.

With over 300 styles to hand, she can virtually guarantee a colour and shape to match any outfit or personality.

"London-based milliner Sharon Williams is having her first season with us," Carol says, showing off six new exclusive styles which can only be described as fabulous.

When choosing a hat, being aware of trends is an important starting point along with knowing your face shape and colouring. That is known as preparation.

To have local availability, the option of hiring rather than buying, and an expert and personal service; that's what is known as a godsend.

Stockist information: Stephen Jones Millinery, 36 Great Queen Street, London WC2B 5AA, (0207) 242-0770, www.stephenjonesmillinery.com.

Get Ahead Hats, The Joiners Cottage, Shildon Road, Blanchland, (01434) 675328; carol@getahea dhats.co.uk; www.getahead hats.co.uk. Hire prices start from £15 to £50 for designer styles.

For DIYers: Millinery supplies and trims from MacCulloch & Wallis Ltd, (0207) 629-0311; www.macculloch-wallis.co.uk.