They Want You in the Navy

CELEBRATING THE ROARING TWENTIES IN A SPECIAL SERIES

Forward view: 1920s navy straw hat trimmed with velvet piping and pearls, from the Vintage Hat Series

I rarely wear navy. Probably because it has such dull, conservative connotations of business suits and sensible court shoes. That’s not me, you won’t be surprised to hear. Recently though, I’ve discovered a few special pieces that have made me like navy more.

The hue inherited its name from the dark blue and white uniforms worn by officers in the British Royal Navy since 1748. Navies around the world subsequently followed suit. Initially the shade was called marine blue, but close association with the navy soon changed that.

Woman in navy uniform, 1919; vintage 20s military jacket1920s bathing suit and bathing boots(Clockwise from top left) A navy interior; vintage inspired nautical dress; 1920s Remington Monarch typewriterNavy and white was a classic combination for swimsuits in the 1910s and 20s, and of course there is the sailor-inspired dress that will never, ever go out of fashion entirely.

As for my little 1920s hat, I saw it on Etsy and immediately fell in love with it, especially the tiny pearls scattered in an orderly (one could even say military) fashion across the top – they’re like polka dots. Navy is actually part of the winter colour palette (which is me), so I might just fall in line and join the ranks.

Aft view: 1920s navy straw hat trimmed with velvet piping and pearls, from the Vintage Hat Series

Find them at: Vintage photograph from Two Digging Divas; vintage 20s military jacket image sourced from My Fashion Power; framed bathing suit image sourced from Bronson Design; see the bathing boots at Salon of the Dames; navy interior sourced from Daily Design Elixir; Fedora nautical dress still available in some sizes; typewriter seen at Fab.