A hatpin is a decorative and functional pin for holding a

hat A hat is a head covering which is worn for various reasons, including protection against weather conditions, ceremonial reasons such as university graduation, religious reasons, safety, or as a fashion accessory. Hats which incorporate mecha ...

to the head, usually by the hair. In

Western culture Leonardo da Vinci's ''Vitruvian Man''. Based on the correlations of ideal Body proportions">human proportions with geometry described by the ancient Roman architect Vitruvius in Book III of his treatise ''De architectura''. image:Plato Pio-Cle ...

, hatpins are almost solely used by women and are often worn in a pair. They are typically around in length, with the pinhead being the most decorated part.

Production

The hatpin was invented to hold

wimple A wimple is a medieval form of female headcovering, formed of a large piece of cloth worn draped around the neck and chin, covering the top of the head; it was usually made from white linen or silk. Its use developed in early medieval Europe; i ...

s and

veil A veil is an article of clothing or hanging cloth that is intended to cover some part of the head or face, or an object of some significance. Veiling has a long history in European, Asian, and African societies. The practice has been prominent ...

s in place, and was handmade. In

Britain Britain most often refers to: * The United Kingdom, a sovereign state in Europe comprising the island of Great Britain, the north-eastern part of the island of Ireland and many smaller islands * Great Britain, the largest island in the United King ...

, demand eventually outgrew the number that could be supplied by hand-making, and they began to be imported from

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...

. In 1832 a machine was invented in

America The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territori ...

which could mass-produce the pins, and they became much more affordable. During the 1880s, bonnets gave way to hats, and the popularity of hatpins soared. They remained a standard women's accessory through the 1910s and were produced in a vast range of materials and types. Hatpin holder boxes were also produced.

Use in self-defense and as a weapon

Hatpins were sometimes used by women to defend themselves against assault. Laws were passed in 1908 in America that limited the length of hatpins, as there was a concern they might be used by

suffragette A suffragette was a member of an activist women's organisation in the early 20th century who, under the banner "Votes for Women", fought for the right to vote in public elections in the United Kingdom. The term refers in particular to member ...

s as weapons. Also by the 1910s, ordinances were passed requiring hatpin tips to be covered so as not to injure people accidentally. Various covers were made, but poorer women often had to make do with

ersatz An ersatz good () is a substitute good, especially one that is considered inferior to the good it replaces. It has particular connotations of wartime usage. Etymology ''Ersatz'' is a German word literally meaning ''substitute'' or ''replacement ...

items like potato pieces and cork. In January 1918, the Norwegian newspaper ''

Morgenbladet ''Morgenbladet'' is a Norwegian weekly, newspaper, covering politics, culture and science. History ''Morgenbladet'' was founded in 1819 by the book printer Niels Wulfsberg. The paper is the country's first daily newspaper; however, Adresseavi ...

'' reported that police in

Kristiania Oslo ( , , or ; sma, Oslove) is the capital and most populous city of Norway. It constitutes both a county and a municipality. The municipality of Oslo had a population of in 2022, while the city's greater urban area had a population o ...

advised that passengers with uncovered hatpins be told to leave the trams. No law however had been passed against boarding a tram with uncovered hatpins. The tram staff had also stopped selling hatpin covers on board the trams, as regulations on the subject appeared so confusing that the staff preferred not to interfere.Reprinted in ''

'', January 12 2018

Collectibles

Hatpins are collectible items, and there is an American Hatpin Society for collectors in the United States and The Hat Pin Society of Great Britain for collectors in the United Kingdom.

References

*''Encyclopædia Britannica''
hatpin
Accessed August 16, 2005. *''The Encyclopedia of Hatpins and Hatpin Holders'' by

Lillian Baker Lillian Baker was a conservative author and lecturer She is known for supporting Japanese-American Internment throughout her career. Biography Lillian Baker was the widow of a World War II veteran. In the 1970s, Baker and others in California o ...

External links

* * {{Historical clothing Hats History of clothing (Western fashion)