Have you ever thought that all our hats and the bonnet in particular have deep historical roots? Let’s dig in!
Bonnets have been worn since the Middle Ages but fell out of fashion at the end of the 19th century but last year they conquered the fashion world again. They served as a fashion statement and a practical component of clothing. For instance, the brims - the large front part of the bonnet- were used as a shield for women: to cover their face and neck from sunburn and the male gaze. The bonnets could be very plain made of cotton, linen, muslin, or could be embellished with the addition of lace, beads, ribbons, or ruffles.
The word ‘bonnet’ was originally French, and denoted a particular kind of material. As with ‘hat” or ‘cap’, it is impossible to generalize as to the styles for which the word has been used. Yet, the term has applied to other things such as steel helmets. This piece of accessory was worn by both sexes, however women wore it more frequently. As was customary at medieval times this piece of the closet was made solely for comfort and necessity purpose. Since the weather was much colder than nowadays, the primary goal was to protect the head from cold.
Bonnets were handmade. The wealthy could afford to have a bonnet made to order complete with wide range of ornaments to inlands its fashionable and elegant appearance. The lower class typically made bonnets by themselves and used less expensive materials. Rich people wore bonnets made of silk, lace and ribbons with embroidery, whereas poor people used scratches of fabric that was left from other garments and made their bonnets from rough fabrics such are cotton and linen. Also, the bonnet was one size, again, to save even more money and fabric. A woman sewed bonnet for her daughter, who was 5-6 years old, so that she could wear it when she got older.
Bonnets changed their shapes over time. Thought out the Middle Ages, it was basically a cap, sometimes with ties, but in the 18th-19th century, the bonnet with shield came into the main scene. It was so much in style that many different variations were created and as always, the more wealthy you were, the more luxurious cloth you would pick. You would also adorn your bonnet with ornaments and flowers, all types of ribbons, and, especially, feathers. But overall, bonnets became very affordable so even women from the lower class could afford to buy one.
Bonus fact: in Holland, during Renaissance the most attractive parts of the woman’s body were not the hands, eyes or ankles but the ears! That was the main reason for women to wear the bonnet every single day - to cover their most sexual part from male gazes.