Hatpin
Encyclopedia
A hatpin is a decorative pin
for holding a hat
to the head, usually by the hair. In Western culture
, a hatpin is almost solely a female item and is often worn in a pair. They are typically around 20cm in length, with the pinhead being the most decorated part.
The hatpin was invented to hold wimple
s and veil
s in place, and was hand-made. In Britain
, demand eventually outgrew the number that could be supplied by hand-making, and they began to be imported from France
. In 1832, an American machine was invented to manufacture the pins, and they became much more affordable. During the 1880s, bonnets gave way to hats and the popularity of hatpins soared. They remained a standard womens' accessory through the 1910s and were produced in a vast range of materials and types. Hatpin holder boxes were also produced. Laws were passed in 1908 in America which limited the length of hatpins, as there was a concern they might be used by suffragettes as weapons. Also by the 1910s, ordnances were passed requiring hatpin tips to be covered so as not to injury people accidentally. Various covers were made, but poorer women often had to make do with ersatz items like potato pieces and cork.
Hatpins are also collectible items, and there is an American Hatpin Society for collectors in the U.S. and The Hat Pin Society of Great Britain for collectors in the United Kingdoms.= www.hatpinsociety.org.uk
Pin
A pin is a device used for fastening objects or material together.Pin may also refer to:* Award pin, a small piece of metal or plastic with a pin attached given as an award for some achievement...
for holding a hat
Hat
A hat is a head covering. It can be worn for protection against the elements, for ceremonial or religious reasons, for safety, or as a fashion accessory. In the past, hats were an indicator of social status...
to the head, usually by the hair. In Western culture
Western culture
Western culture, sometimes equated with Western civilization or European civilization, refers to cultures of European origin and is used very broadly to refer to a heritage of social norms, ethical values, traditional customs, religious beliefs, political systems, and specific artifacts and...
, a hatpin is almost solely a female item and is often worn in a pair. They are typically around 20cm in length, with the pinhead being the most decorated part.
The hatpin was invented to hold wimple
Wimple
A wimple is a garment worn around the neck and chin, and which usually covers the head. Its use developed among women in early medieval Europe . At many stages of medieval culture it was unseemly for a married woman to show her hair...
s and veil
Veil
A veil is an article of clothing, worn almost exclusively by women, that is intended to cover some part of the head or face.One view is that as a religious item, it is intended to show honor to an object or space...
s in place, and was hand-made. In Britain
United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Ireland was the formal name of the United Kingdom during the period when what is now the Republic of Ireland formed a part of it....
, demand eventually outgrew the number that could be supplied by hand-making, and they began to be imported from France
France
The French Republic , The French Republic , The French Republic , (commonly known as France , is a unitary semi-presidential republic in Western Europe with several overseas territories and islands located on other continents and in the Indian, Pacific, and Atlantic oceans. Metropolitan France...
. In 1832, an American machine was invented to manufacture the pins, and they became much more affordable. During the 1880s, bonnets gave way to hats and the popularity of hatpins soared. They remained a standard womens' accessory through the 1910s and were produced in a vast range of materials and types. Hatpin holder boxes were also produced. Laws were passed in 1908 in America which limited the length of hatpins, as there was a concern they might be used by suffragettes as weapons. Also by the 1910s, ordnances were passed requiring hatpin tips to be covered so as not to injury people accidentally. Various covers were made, but poorer women often had to make do with ersatz items like potato pieces and cork.
Hatpins are also collectible items, and there is an American Hatpin Society for collectors in the U.S. and The Hat Pin Society of Great Britain for collectors in the United Kingdoms.= www.hatpinsociety.org.uk