Acocktail hat is a small, extravagant, and typically brimless hat for a woman.[1] It is usually a component of evening wear and is intended as an alternative to a large-brimmed hat.[2] These hats are often decorated with beads, jewels or feathers, as well as a veil or netting.[3] Cocktail hats were most popular between the 1930s and 1960s.[citation needed]
Some fashion historians think that cocktail hats were the precursor to fascinators, hairpieces worn on the side of the head that gained popularity in the 1970s,[4][1] while others argue that fascinators were worn during the day and cocktail hats in the late afternoon or evening. Unlike a fascinator, a cocktail hat has a fully formed and visible base.[citation needed]
Cocktail hats can be of many shapes, ranging from modeled wool or felt or shaped straw to softer, turban-like constructions.[5][6]
Similar women's hats:
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