The Oatlands Village Hat

In and around the year 1800 a day hat, known as the Oatland Village Hat was currently in fashion.

In "A Dictionary of English Costume 900 - 1900", edited by C.W. and P.E.Cunnington, the hat is described as being "a day hat, the brim curved up in front and behind, the crown domeshaped with a ribbon round it of straw twist or leghorn". The dictionary further makes reference to the fact that the hat was named after Oatlands House, Weybridge, which was at the time, occupied by the Duchess of York as her country home.

The Cunningtons possessed no illustration of the hat nor were there any further details known except an entry in the Ipswich Journal of May 1800, which contained a reference on similar lines.

A recent examination of copies of "The Lady's Monthly Museum" in the Victoria and Albert has, however, proved rewarding.This popular ladies' magazine, the full title of which is worth recording as a masterpiece of over-statement, was, "The Lady's Monthly Museum, or Polite Repository of Amusement and Instruction, being an Assemblage of what can tend to please the fancy, Instruct the mind or Exalt the Character of the British Fair", "Edited by a Society of Ladies", it was first published in 1798 and finally expired in 1832. In addition to containing fashion plates, it provided notes on women's fashions of the period.

In the issue for- July 1800 there is an illustration of two elegant young ladies wearing what is described as being the morning dress for that month. One of the figures displays a plain white muslin gown (which was very popular at the time) with a black lace cloak and lilac shoes.

In addition she is wearing the 'Oatland Hat with lilac ribbons and feathers'. The illustration shows the hat worn on the back of the head. The hat’s rounded dome has, in this case, a ribbon band with another ribbon passing underneath the chin and tied in a bow. The hat is completed with a small ostrich feather worn at the front.

The article originally appeared as:
The Walton and Weybridge Local History Society - MONOGRAPH No. 2.

Details of the Oatland Village Hat. - by Mrs D.B.Carey. September 1968

And is reproduced by kind permission of The Walton and Weybridge Local History Society

Why it was named the "Oatlands Village Hat" is something of a mystery as the village of Oatlands did not come into existence until after the Oatlands Estate was sold in 1846.