Textiles and Dress

Eugénie hat

A Eugénie hat (sometimes also eugenie hat, Empress Eugenie hat or empress hat) is a small women's hat that is usually worn tilted forwards over the face, or it may be angled low over one eye. Typically, it is made of velvet or felt, although a variety of materials may be used. The classic design also has a plume of feathers, although other trims may be used. It first became popular in the mid 19th century and was named after the French empress Eugénie de Montijo, a fashion trendsetter whose taste was much admired and copied. In the early 1930s an adapted version worn by Greta Garbo in the film Romance inspired a wave of similar styles. By 1932, the feather-trimmed small hat had become ubiquitous and was widely criticised by the press – especially in the United States – with some commentators predicting its rapid demise. Despite the criticisms, its tilted shape and jaunty feather trim influenced millinery styles for the succeeding decade.

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See also

• ▸Down jacket
• ▸2025–2026 Iranian protests
• ▸Funeral of Mary, Queen of Scots

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