A Paean to Pink
By now it must be fairly patent that I have a sneaking fondness for pink … It didn’t used to always be so. I reviled it for a long period during the wishy-washy pastel 80s before I had my pink epiphany in my mid-twenties when I whimsically tried on a candy-pink blouse in a store and discovered how it suited my complexion. So much so that even the shop assistant exclaimed in mutual astonishment with me! That was quite funny.
I’ve since discovered that any super-bright colour suits me. Back then, I used to reach for muted tertiary colours, but now my fingers invariably snatch at any vivid hue. So somehow I have managed to amass a collection of vintage pink hats, and this little quartet is by no means all of them – these are just the ones with veils! (These photos were actually taken exactly four years ago, on August 24, 2012; I’m not quite sure why they have languished in the archives so long – although I do observe now that the veils have an unbecoming flattening effect on my bangs.)
There is a whipped-up confection of pink satin, a 60s hat that I purchased on eBay, from the UK. All the others came from America, and were bought on Etsy. The velvet bandeau with its feather bird is from the 50s, and the whimsical flock of flamingos is also 50s or possibly 60s. I do love birds, so naturally I was attracted to these headpieces.
The marvellous chenille pom-pom veil sweeps up into a bow at the back, and I think that may actually be a relic of the 40s. It is a little more fragile than the others, and the black net feels like it is made from a different fibre. It is dotted delightfully with rows of pink, blue and white chenille pom-poms.
The marvellous chenille pom-pom veil sweeps up into a bow at the back …
The enormous pearl baubles dangling from my ears are 60s clip-ons, and I was quite chuffed to see January Jones wearing the exact same pair in an episode of Mad Men, the one when they went to Rome. The off-white silk blouse is an old favourite, bought new from Australian store Veronika Maine.
So here they are – finally unveiled!
Photos: August 2012