Mushroom hat

A mushroom hat (also sometimes referred to as a mushroom brim hat or dish hat) is a millinery style in which the brim of the hat tilts downwards, resembling the shape of a mushroom (or dish). It is a style that first emerged in the 1870s and 1880s, when it was usually made of straw. It became fashionable again from around 1907 to the late 1920s; these versions featured a distinctly downturned brim although the size and shape of the crown varied according to prevailing fashions.

A new and exaggerated version of the mushroom hat was popularised by Christian Dior in 1947 as part of his "New Look" collection. This style generally had a minimal crown and a very wide brim, with some models resembling a flying saucer.

The defining characteristic of mushroom hats is their downturned brim, resembling a mushroom or toadstool. In the 1870s, designs in straw shaped like a mushroom became popular. These had a small crown trimmed with ribbons, flowers and – in the 1880s – bird decorations.

In 1907, mushroom hats in both straw and felt became popular. Such was their ubiquity that Evelyn Sharp lambasted them in an editorial in The Guardian, writing: "For about six months have we endured the sight of mushroom shapes in every kind of straw trimmed with a fringed silk scarf. I suppose there was some attraction in the mushroom hat when it was first designed, and I can still see its charms when it is very small and very flexible....worn by somebody in a motor car. But this autumnal growth of felt fungi deserves nothing but condemnation". Her words fell on deaf ears as the popularity of mushroom shapes persisted. In 1909, a full-page advertisement in The Times describing Selfridge & Co's millinery choices detailed a mushroom brim hat decorated with ostrich feathers. In the same year, Dickins & Jones offered a: "becoming mushroom hat...trimmed with wide Velvet Ribbon and a Large Posy of Flowers at side". By 1915, variations on the design for younger girls included almost brimless mushroom models – similar to a cloche or bucket hat.

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