Parisisal Pillbox Hat
Extract from Designing and Making Hats and Headpieces • By Judy Bentinck • Published by The Crowood PressAbout
Designing and Making Hats and Headpieces
Pillbox hats were originally worn as British military headgear and were
sometimes also known as the Kilmarnock hat. They were worn by the Gurkha regiment, amongst others. The pillbox has a flat crown and short straight sides. This style was made iconic in the 1960s when it was favoured by Jackie Kennedy, with many different versions designed
for her by Halston, the great American dress designer. The style later became known as the ‘Jackie O’ after she married Aristotle Onassis, and was always worn on the back of her head. Another claim to fame for the pillbox was Bob Dylan’s song ‘Leopardskin Pillbox Hat’, which he wrote for his album Blonde on Blonde in 1966.
Since then the pillbox has always been a popular style as it is easy to wear,
particularly as it has no brim and therefore doesn’t intrude when people
are greeting and embracing one another at events such as weddings. It can be worn in different positions on the head depending on the wearer’s preference, and a fashionable look is to wear it at an angle over one eye. This particular pillbox hat is worn slightly to one side of the head to show more of the trim and veiling.
- Luna D. favorited Parisisal Pillbox Hat 24 Apr 17:03
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Step 2
Pull the cone over the block. Parisisal cones and capelines have a cross or ‘button’ at the centre. This needs to be carefully lined up with the centre of the tip of the crown. It should look like an × front to back. The lines of the weave will then sit parallel all the way down the hat. The pillbox need not be very deep but pin far enough down the block to allow for a turning where the head ribbon will be sewn. Pin so the straw fits firmly and as evenly as possible, pinning around
the block to ensure it is pulled tight. -
Step 12
Carefully cut away the excess straw so none can be seen beyond the headribbon. You now have a basic pillbox hat, ready to be trimmed. The trim is made of the same parisisal as the hat and features black spot veiling. The veiling is attached first in
the centre around the ‘button’. The folded and curled parisisal detail is then sewn on top to hide the ends of the veiling. Glue two black quills together and sew to the hat under the twirl.