Age and Hats in the Early 1910s

If you didn’t see their faces, would you know that the hat on the left was recommended to middle aged women in their 40s and the one to the right for those over 60?  Such were the suggestions of the Ladies Home Journal in the early 1910s.  These two were the most exuberant creations on pages featuring many possibilities. 

And here are the most subdued suggestions.

Each page contained sets of rules for each age group.  Wide hats were better for the middle-aged women, while tall models were better for the old.  Hats predominately of black, white, and gray were foundational for all wardrobes, with a touch of color recommended for those older women who favored those shades in their clothes.  Apparently pink, generally judged a color for young women, was not forbidden as an accent for the old. 

I’ve studied fashion advice to older women for years but came across a surprising new warning on these pages:  “Nothing detracts from the dignity of the older woman as quickly as a hat tilted to one side of the head.”

As always, I thank Davie Caro–this time for the links to the Ladies Home Journal pages.