1904 Red silk beret
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1902-1908 A red silk beret and a muff
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The back of the beret
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A side view of the beret
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Detail of the back showing the chenille tassel
Description
The red silk satin is cut into an oval shape which is about 24" across from front to back and about 16" from side to side. It has running stitched tucks between ⅛" and ¼" wide and about 1⅜" apart, running from the outside edge and converging on an off-centre point about 10" in from the back of the beret and about 12" from the front. The satin is then pulled in to form a stump 1" high where the tassel is attached.
The outer edges are pulled under towards the centre and pleated into a wired ring about 6¼" in diameter, so that when laid flat the beret measures about 14" from top to bottom and 11" sideways. The ring is covered by a slightly darker silk satin ribbon, 2¼" wide, twisted to a width of 1¼". A bow of the satin ribbon is at the front about 3" to the left of centre, and more of the ribbon hangs at the centre back as two loops, 8" and 6½" long, and an 8" long end.
The beret is backed on butter muslin and lined with ivory silk, which is coming unstitched round the centre.
The tassel is composed of 2½" long strands of matching silk chenille with bobbly bits, attached down a 2" length of braid, and is 4½" long altogether.
Associated item
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The muff
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The back of the muff
Description
The muff is padded with wool wadding and the inside is covered with silk satin the same colour as the ribbons on the hat; 1½" of this comes over the edges each side on to the top, which is covered with black satin. A box-pleated frill in the red satin, about 1¼" deep, is under the edges of the black, protruding over the lining.
The front is covered with five concentric circles of black silk chenille, with a loop of black silk satin ribbon, 2⅜" wide, and two ends, one, 12½" long, hanging down. A black and brown tiny checked ribbon, 1¼" wide, has 3" long strands of black chenille with thicker bits, attached to it, and this goes round each side of the front, running along the top of the back, down the sides and across the lower part, leaving the black satin uncovered, as this would have been held against the wearer's body.
Contemporary illustrations
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Detail from a cartoon in Punch, December 1902
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Detail from a cartoon in Punch, December 1904
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Detail from a cartoon in Punch, January 1905
Contemporary items
More hats from the Hopkins Collection can be seen in Headwear, published by The School of Historical Dress and available from the Hopkins Costume Trust bookshop.