A 1908 invention by the French milliner Caroline Reboux, cloche is French for bell which defines the close-to-the-head shape. Indeed, Reboux's cloche style hats were often cut and formed on the client's head.
With many options for brim shapes and embellishment, the cloche remained popular through the 1920s and 1930s.
It fell out of style in the 1940s and 1950s with a resurgence in the 1960s. Again popular in the 1980s, it has remained a much loved style even showing in the 2008 Dior collection of cloche-inspired hats.
I've loved the cloche styles worn by the ladies in the Downton Abbey series and movies,
and a favorite fashionista, Miss Phyrne Fisher.
The Pattern
I had acquired a pattern in a costumer's destash group for a Decades of Style Pattern Company 1920s Tier-rific Ensemble which features contrast bias binding finishes on the edges of the over-blouse and tiers.
A 1920s Cloche sewing pattern named Vivienne is offered by Elsewhen on Etsy. It is for sizes 19" to 25". The options are wonderful to create multiple fabric and pattern designs with or without bias binding for the brim and pleated embellishment. I decided to pair the dress and cloche patterns using bias binding for both.
I purchased, downloaded, and printed the pattern, and following the very clear instructions, found my head size and cut the pattern.
There are just 3 pattern pieces: A Cloche Crown, B Brim, and C Pleats.
The Fabric
When the Downton Abbey series was in full swing, Andover Fabrics created entire selections of cotton fabrics designed to reflect the personality of the characters. Some of these fabrics can be found on the secondary market today and I was fortunate to find one in a beautiful brick red with a feather print. This fabric will be used for the 1920s tiered dress and a portion of the cloche.
I found a beautiful coordinating fabric by Andover from the Lady Sybil collection and will use this as the main body and brim of the hat.
Sewing the Cloche
The instructions are very thorough outlining recommended fabrics and stabilizing techniques for your specific fabric. For my light-weight cotton I'll be using a medium weight fusible interfacing. I cut 6 panels for the Cloche Crown outer layer, the lining, and brim and pleated sections.
Six panels are also cut for the fusible interfacing leaving a smaller seam allowance.
Both sides of the brim will be from the same fabric and the fusible interfacing is also cut, all with seam allowances as instructed.
A trial with this fusible interfacing showed that there were some marks on the exterior of the fabric, so I fused the interfacing to the lining crown panels.
The interfacing is fused to one brim piece.
Three panels of the crown are sewn together and the seam allowances pressed.
Topstitching on either side of the seams keeps the seam allowances in place and creates a finished look for each panel.
Now the two sections are sewn together and topstitched at the seam allowances.
The lining is sewn the same way as the outer crown omitting the topstitching.
The lining is placed inside the crown and the edges basted together.
The two sides of the brim are laid wrong sides together and the seam allowance cut away from the outer edges. A black satin bias binding is stitched around the outer edge.
To give the pleats interest I used each different fabric on either side and will decide later which fabric will be the main and which will peek out from inside the pleats. The fabric and interfacing are cut.
The interfacing is fused to one side of the pleats.
As with the brim, the seam allowance is cut from the edges, the edges basted, and the satin bias binding sewn around the edges.
The pattern is used to practice the direction of the pleats and then the fabric is pleated, marked, and sewn to hold the pleats in place.
The brim and pleats can now be pinned to the crown, adjusted as desired, and the positions marked.
With the pleats removed, the brim can be sewn to the crown and the seam allowance turned inside the crown.
A grosgrain ribbon is sewn to the crown with one edge at the stitching line.
The pleats are now attached to the crown as desired leaving the point free and covering the end where all the pleats meet with a cloisonne button given to me as a bonus with a vintage button purchase. It is perfect for this cloche which is now finished!
The Finished 1920s Downton Abbey Cloche
Other Notes
I started this dress diary telling you about the popularity of the cloche. In my 1930s wardrobe research I found a cloche in a Sears Catalog offering from 1930 with the same beautiful pleated embellishment and the brim left forward. So if you are looking for historical accuracy, here it is!
With the hat complete it is time to work on the 1920s Tier-rific Dress which will be the next dress diary. Thank you for sharing your time with me!
Historical Sew Fortnightly - July 2024
July: Always in Style: Make a garment or accessory that is appropriate for more than one historical period...or even a historical piece that can be worn with modern clothing! (Note that the piece should still be 'historical', not just 'historically-inspired'.)
What the item is: Cloche Hat
How it fits the Challenge: A fashion icon of the 1920s, the cloche is a hat style from the "heyday" of hat wearing. A 1908 invention by the French milliner Caroline Reboux, cloche is French for bell which defines the close-to-the-head shape. With many options for brim shapes and embellishment, the cloche remained popular through the 1920s and 1930s. It fell out of style in the 1940s and 1950s with a resurgence in the 1960s. Again popular in the 1980s, it has remained a much loved style even showing in the 2008 Dior collection of cloche-inspired hats.
Materials: Andover Downton Abbey licensed cotton fabrics. The main fabric is called Lady Sybil.
Pattern: Vivienne by Elsewhen on Etsy
Year: 1920s
Notions: Interfacing, thread, satin bias binding, cloisonne button.
How historically accurate is it: True to an offering in a 1930 Sears Catalogue.
First worn: July 2024 teaching a class at Costume College.
Total cost: $17
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