If you want/are willing to wear a bonnet, I have a VERY inexpensive solution. Find a straw hat blank, (I got mine at Michael's Craft Store for about $2.) Cut a "U" shaped piece out of the back so your head fits comfortably. Paint black using spray paint or craft paint. Sew some black bias trim over rough edge where you cut it off. A simple black ribbon over the top to hold it on and Voila! a mourning bonnet. You can drape your scarf over it, or sew/hot glue black flowers/leaves/feathers. Remember, for Victorian hats, if you think it's got enough stuff on it, add more!
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Elizabeth Walpole Sent: Monday, May 14, 2007 3:00 AM To: Historic Costume Subject: [h-cost] a cheat's late Victorian hat Hi everyone, A friend is throwing a costume party next month and has decided the theme is 'an Irish wake' so she wants everyone in black or green, so when the topic of mourning comes up I tend to think Victorian as I already had plans for a natural form dress I just decided to bump this project to the top of my list and make it mourning wear. But I'm stuck on headwear, I have a chiffon scarf that would work OK as a widow's veil. It is a long thin rectangle so it won't work just draped over my head, but if I attach the long side to the edge of a hat it should work OK as a veil (I experimented with pinning it to the inside of my sun hat and it came down to about an inch below my shoulders). I have about 1/2 a metre of buckram (though it's not proper millinery buckram) and some wire left over from making the crescent of my 16th century French hood plus some scraps of black velveteen or satin to cover it. I've also got Butterick 4210 which I might be able to adapt, but I don't have money to buy a bonnet and I don't really want to spend much money on this costume (as the only place I can usually wear Victorian stuff is a dance so bonnets/hats aren't really appropriate) thanks Elizabeth -------------------------------------------- Elizabeth Walpole | Elizabeth Beaumont Canberra, Australia | Politarchopolis, Lochac http://au.geocities.com/e_walpole/ _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume _______________________________________________ h-costume mailing list [email protected] http://mail.indra.com/mailman/listinfo/h-costume
