By Cheree Franco
MSU Ag Communications

MISSISSIPPI STATE -- Today’s brides are increasingly choosing wedding hats or fancy headpieces, called fascinators, as an alternative to a traditional veil.

Jackson resident Susan Fiselman Hermes chose to wear a handmade fascinator adorned with pearls and ivory feathers when she got married in the Caribbean last spring.

“We were planning a sunset beach wedding, so we wanted something fun and laid-back,” she said. “A traditional veil just didn’t feel right.”

At Christine’s Couture, a bridal shop in Starkville, employee Jennifer Burt said she first noticed the trend last spring, when many women began purchasing short, loosely woven veils fastened to a to a hat or headpiece. Reminiscent of the 1940s, this style is known as the birdcage veil.

“We started selling more birdcage veils two seasons ago,” she said. “They’re popular in outdoor weddings, or sometimes a bride will buy one just for the reception, because they’re fun and allow for easier mobility than a traditional veil.”

According to Burt, brides of all ages and personalities are choosing trendy hats and fascinators.

“The variety of interested brides has been somewhat surprising,” she said. “It’s definitely a fashion-forward look.”

Phyllis Bell Miller, an associate professor at Mississippi State University’s School of Human Sciences, teaches a creative-design workshop every other spring. She incorporates wedding millinery into the curriculum.

“These days, anything goes. A vintage hat, new hat, veil attached to a hat…it really depends on what looks best on the bride,” Miller said. “But if you want to be historically accurate and match your hat to your dress, you should consult a book on historic costumes.”

“A lot of girls want their own version of a vintage look,” Burt said. “They want to meld vintage and modern.”

Wedding hats date back to the cone-shaped headdresses of the 1600s, which perhaps echoed an even earlier trend. Ancient Romans molded brides’ hair into tall spires to ward off the horned demons thought to flock to the new couple.

More recently, from about the 1920s through the 1950s, lace cloches and other close-fitting wedding hats were popular, Miller said.

She suggested complementary pairings, such as a wide-brimmed picture hat with a bouffant skirt or a Juliet cap with a more form-fitting garment. Other popular options are the derby or the pillbox hat.

“The general rule is that the brim of a hat shouldn’t extend past your shoulders,” Miller said. “But try on all different styles, even those you’re not sure you like. And take along a trusted shopping partner--someone who will tell you the truth.”

Color on a wedding hat can work well, as long as the color is repeated somewhere in the outfit.

“Repetition is the key to pulling a look together, so make sure you use that color in the bouquet or on the dress, gloves or shoes,” Miller said. “Don’t limit yourself to flowers and tulle. There are endless ways to trim a hat: branches, feathers, ribbons, beads, rhinestones.”

Miller recommended consulting a floral designer.

“Your florist has designer’s training and may be able decorate your hat with fresh or permanent flowers that complement your bridal bouquet,” she said.

But she urged caution in do-it-yourself efforts.

“Experiment with your glue on a bit of scrap fabric,” she said. “You never know how the materials will react, and you don’t want something that looks amateur and homemade. Be objective about the finished product. Compare your work to professional work. Even if you worked on something 10 hours, it may not be something you really want to wear.”

Contact: Dr. Phyllis Miller (662) 325-8783