It is interesting to consider how many words we use in the English language for the various hat styles and designs with which we are familiar.
For men’s hats there seem to be far more descriptive words available to us which immediately evoke a picture in our minds and explain our needs – Fedora, Fez, Trilby, Homburg, Flat cap, Tweed cap, Deer Stalker, Bowler hat, Top hat, Straw Boater and so on. Then there are other hats with particular names that bring to mind an image – beret, baseball cap, newsboy cap, bobble hat and so on.
However, when it comes to women’s hats, rather than a name that describes its shape, words we tend to use often describe the fabrics used to fashion the head-piece: straw, silk, wool, felt, velvet, satin, linen, ribbon, feathers, sinamay and abaca. The label is often of importance too, especially if you are brand loyal.
Also we use words to convey shades and colour hues. Take, for example, the colour pink! There is sugar pink, candy pink, petal pink, magenta, fuschia, cerise, plum, coral, deep and light pink. As the words are spoken, so we each perhaps see the colour in our minds-eye.
For all colours and shades of the rainbow, there are many rich descriptive words we can use to share our wants in regard to a special occasion hat.
We may each need to develop our colour vocabulary in order to communicate our needs one to another. Just for fun think of all the shades of red and name them, or blues, greens and so on. Our vocabulary will grow with use.
One customer told us that are descriptions are excellent. That’s encouraging, thank you!
We do hope that at Hat Trix we can advise, support and enthuse with you about hats!
While you are mulling this idea over, you may like to put a few words together that describe your hat – its shape, colour, features, make and label, fabric. It will be helpful too if you have a few high resolution photographs available to include with your narrative.
Make contact with us using the enquiry form page. The contact details you provide below start the enquiry process.
And remember, when we wear a hat, we are certainly in good company.
[Photograph of HRH Queen Elizabeth wearing lime green, with thanks to Mothers’ Union. http://www.themothersunion.org]