Feathers have always been popularly used as decorating materials for a variety of items. This is especially true in the field of fashion, where feathers have been used to adorn clothing for many decades. In particular, hats are some of the most common clothing items decorated with feathers.
The first feather caps and hats were worn by men. Prominent men in society and government commonly wore hats topped with ostrich plumes, and men involved in the military also used hats with feathers that indicated the wearer’s rank. Leaders of ancient African and Native American tribes also wore feather headdresses as a sign of authority.
At the turn of the last century, though, millinery became a popular trade. Hats created for women featured large, attention-grabbing feathers. Many women in high society wanted hats with exotic feathers, so milliners of the period actively participated in the international trade of bird feathers. Plumassiers, or feather workshops, became widespread as well; these workshops usually dyed feathers in a variety of colors, with many of these feathers used to top hats. In the Edwardian era, these feathered hats could be sold for as much as a hundred pounds each.
Feathered hats don’t enjoy the same popularity these days, though. Many of these hats are used only during formal occasions. In Britain, for instance, women attending royal events are typically required to wear hats. Fascinators designed with feathers are usually worn during premium horse-racing events as well as weddings, where formal attire is expected.