Hat

During the 1930s, '40s and the early '50s, when hats were considered required accessories for well-dressed women, Sally Victor was among the foremost American milliners. Creative and very successful for almost 40 years, Victor began her prolific millinery career in 1927. She was one of the original members of the Edward C. Blum Design Laboratory, and often used the Brooklyn Museum's varied collections to draw inspiration for her designs. She was so connected with the Design Lab that she participated in several collaborative exhibitions and the museum often used her designs in publicity materials to exemplify how the Lab could benefit designers by providing inspiration. Her work is characterized by a special quirkiness that could often be traced back to interesting sources such as Native American tribes, the artist Henri Matisse or Japanese armor. She also combined traditional hat-making materials such as felt and silk with new synthetic materials in unique ways. According to her May 16, 1977 obituary in the "New York Times," Victor described her mission simply as "designing pretty hats that make women look prettier."

A virtuoso of manipulating common millinery materials such as straw into new and interesting styles, Victor expertly pleats and folds one piece of chartreuse straw into this stylish creation. Doll hats were extremely popular during this time, and were worn perched at a flirtatious angle. The forms were simply diminutive versions of common styles, such as the top hat. However, Victor puts her own stamp on the style in her creative construction. On most doll hats, the focus is on the front, but Victor balances the look by extending the velvet ribbon to the back, ending in an oversized feminine bow.