Belle Curves: Improving A Modern Cloche Hat

We all have them lurking in our closets, those cloche hats we’ve been collecting for years. You may have one, you may have three, or if you’re like me, you may have dozens. You may have so many you keep finding them in crevices, popping out of boxes, and tumbling off of neglected upper shelves.

This Nordstrom cloche hat is one I would almost certainly buy…but it would almost certainly land in my Reject Cloche pile.

The problem is that we never wear these modern cloche hats, for many reasons. Maybe they’re too big for our heads, have too-large or too-small brims, come down too far in back, too far in front, etc.

This is not the cloche hat you are looking for. (but in case it is, it’s from White House | Black Market)

Sound familiar? Wish you could alter your hats to make them wearable? Me too! So here’s the tale of one hat, and ideas for many, many more.

Among my Reject Cloche Hats, I had this weird white woven cotton thing. The bell shape it certainly had, but no style. (Of course I didn’t get a picture of it). I realized I never wore this hat even once, despite holding onto it for at least a decade.

It looked kindof like this….this is an unblocked hood from Hats by Leko

After taking the wonderful cloche hat blocking class at Costume College, I decided to try altering some of my reject hats. I cut the brim down, especially in back, bound the edge with blue bias tape, turned the front of the brim back on itself, and set to decorating.

The nice thing about cloche hats is that anything goes. Asymmetry? perfectly OK, even encouraged. Brimless? OK. Big brim? OK. Feathers, tassels, ribbons, lace, abstract shapes made out of chenille? Yes, please.

I chose some random ribbon design and stitched strawberry appliques to the side. All of these things came from my stash, which always brings me joy, but the most satisfaction has come with taking something unused and creating something lovely from it.

I plan to wear my new Strawberry Cloche this Sunday at the Lake Tahoe Gatsby Festival. And when I get back, I shall devour another Reject Cloche and turn it into another pretty thing. 🙂

How many Reject Cloches do you have in *your* closet? If it’s too many to count, here are some ideas for how to rework them:

Sears, 1922

Sears 1924

Sears, 1925

Sears, 1926

Sears, 1930

See scads more ideas on my Pinterest board, “Hatmaking” – Click Here!