ABACA                     A fabric made from natural fibres from the leaves of the abaca plant (a banana relative), native to the Philippines

 

ACRYLIC                  A kind of material, fabric, fibre or paint that is made fromacrylic acid

 

BANDANA              A square or triangle of cloth with a distinctive (usually paisley) pattern, worn tied around the head, neck, or face

 

BANDEAU               A structured or unstructured headband of material

 

BERET                       A floppy, soft fabric or felt flat hat that is generally worn tilted to one side

 

BLOCK                     A wooden shape (made by a specialist manufacturer) used to shape millinery materials to produce a hat (the process of shaping on a block is called ‘blocking’)

 

BOATER                   A stiff, flat-topped hat made from plaited straw. Originating from Venetian gondolier hats it became popular for boating, sporting events, and as a fashion statement in the late 19th/early 20th centuries

 

BOWLER                  A hard, felt hat with a rounded crown and a short, curled brim - Charlie Chaplin was a famous bowler wearer

 

BRIM                         The projecting portion of a hat which frames and shades the face, extending out from the crown

 

BROCADE               A decorative woven fabric with intricate, raised patterns that appear embroidered but are woven directly into the material

 

BUCKRAM              A stiff cotton or synthetic fabric used as the foundation of hats that are then covered with fabric

 

CAPELINE               A roughly shaped crown and brim made from felt or straw that is blocked into a hat

 

CELLULOSE

ACETATE                  A biodegradable bio-plastic made from wood pulp fibres

 

CLOCHE                  A close-fitting hat with a round crown with either no brim or a small turn up at the edge, first seen and made popular in the 1920s

 

COCKTAIL HAT     A small, often frivolous hat usually worn forward on the head for evening occasions

 

COOLIE                   A large but shallow cone-shaped hat

 

CRINOLINE            A stiff, springy and translucent material made from woven polyester, usually used for decorative trims

 

CROWN                   The top part of a hat which sits on the head

 

DERBY                      Another term for a BOWLER hat

 

ELASTANE              A synthetic fibre also known as Spandex or Lycra with exceptional elasticity

 

FASCINATOR         A small, inexpensive decorative headpiece

 

FEDORA                  A classic hat which is traditionally flat-brimmed and defined by its indented crown pinched at the front on both sides. Usually made from felt but available in many other materials

 

FELT                          A fabric made from wool or animal fur where fibres are not woven but matted together by the felting process

 

GROSGRAIN          A woven ribbon, specifically for millinery, that has  distinctive parallel ridges which create a textured, matte finish, often used for trimming or inside the hat as a sweatband

 

MAROCAIN

CREPE                      A luxurious, densely woven fabric with a pebbly texture, matte finish, subtle sheen, and fluid drape

 

MATKA                     A hand-spun, raw silk fabric known for its distinctive slubby texture and rustic charm, made from the shorter, leftover fibre of silk cocoons that would otherwise go to waste

 

MILLINER                A person who makes hats

 

MILLINERY             The process of designing and creating hats and other headwear for all genders, for theatre, film, and high fashion

 

MOIRÉ                      A pattern of wavy, rippling lines or shapes in fabric

 

PANAMA                 Straw woven in Ecuador (and also Peru and Colombia) – a hat made from this straw is called a Panama Hat

 

PARISISIAL             Woven sisal fibres (from the Agave Sisalana plant) used for hat bodies

 

PETERSHAM          Another name for GROSGRAIN

 

PILLBOX                  A small brimless hat with a flat tip and cylindrical sides

 

POLYESTER            A manmade synthetic fabric

 

POMPOM               A fluffy or woolly ball or tuft

 

RAFFIA                     A natural fibre made from the Raffia palm native to Madagascar

 

ROULEAU               A thin, fabric tube made from bias-cut fabric

 

SCRUNCHIE          A fabric-covered elastic hair tie used to hold medium to long hair

 

SILK                           A luxurious and strong natural fibre produced by certain insect larvae, known for its softness and shine

 

SINAMAY                A lightweight but stiff fabric made from the natural fibres of theabaca plant native to the Philippines, often with a very open and loose weave

 

SWEATBAND         A ribbon or leather band sewn inside a hat’s crown where it comes into contact with the wearer’s forehead

TURBAN                  A headpiece typically made from twisting or winding a large quantity or length of fabric

 

TWILL                       A strong and opaque type of fabric (usual cotton or silk) woven with a distinct diagonal ribbed pattern

 

VEIL                           A trim of netting or fine fabric (like tulle or silk) for the head or face, for concealment, a ceremonial purpose or general decoration