Friday, December 9, 2011

Outlandish Hats: Three Owls and a Chicken


This is one of those posts for which I wish I had some clever explanation. Some historical tidbit that would make clear the motivation for whatever fashion statement is being made by the lovely ladies below. Alas, I am at a loss to explain what is going on with these carnivorous strigiformes, each with its attendant half-consumed rodent.

The fact that I found 3 of these pictures, all pre-code actresses and all roughly similar in theme, seems unlikely to be a coincidence, but even The Owl Utopia, where I found the owl photos, offered no explanation for why they should be adorned by such macabre headgear.

As for the chicken hat adorning Miss Townsend, I suspect it was taken as publicity for the movie Chicken Every Sunday (1949). I believe I have seen this movie, but I don't recall the hat making an appearance in the film. Thanks to my good wife Jann of 69BlackBras for the pic.





Jean Harlow


Clara Bow


Louise Brooks


Colleen Townsend




2 comments:

  1. I have an editor who is obsessed with hats. I will have to send her a link to this post.

    "Strange" doesn't begin to describe these photos....

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  2. What macabre headgear! Particularly Harlow's headpiece, with an owl devouring its dinner. I assume (and hope!) that these toppers were for publicity-stunt purposes only.

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