Tea Party Hats for Women: Classic Vintage Styles

Step back in time and top off your look with the timeless charm of these tea party hats for women. Whether you’re planning a classy tea party, searching for the perfect women’s accessories, or dreaming of vintage elegance, there’s nothing quite like the allure of a beautifully styled hat. From fancy hats that turn heads to fabulous fascinators, we’re diving into the most iconic styles, from the chic 1920s to the eclectic retro glamour of the 1970s. As a member of an antique auto club, I’ve been collecting interesting vintage hats for years. Some of the hats you will see here are either part of my personal hat collection or hats that have been sold in my Etsy hat boutique. Let’s explore vintage hats for women that never go out of style!

Tea Party Hats for Women in the 1920s

In the 1920s, women’s hat styles were essential to fashion and reflected the sleek, modern silhouette of the era. Here’s a quick summary:

Shapes:

Cloche hats were the most iconic—bell-shaped and worn low over the forehead, like the example below.

Bucket hats and helmet-style hats followed similar close-fitting lines.

Some hats had small brims, while others were brimless.

Materials:

Common materials included felt, straw, velvet, silk, and satin.

Hats were often embellished with ribbons, feathers, beads, brooches, or sequins.

These styles complemented the bobbed hairstyles and drop-waist dresses of the Jazz Age, offering both elegance and a touch of rebellion. Wear one of these styles as part of a 1920s tea party outfit.

Tea Party Hats for Women in the 1930s

In the 1930s, women’s hat styles became more romantic and varied compared to the sleek styles of the 1920s. Here’s a summary:

Shapes:

Tilt hats (sometimes classified as fascinators) were very popular—small hats worn at an angle, often perched on the forehead.

Wide-brimmed hats returned, offering elegance and sun protection. Here is an example of a floral wide-brimmed hat, perfect for a garden party.

Berets, turbans, and pillbox hats also gained popularity.

Styles often followed the natural curve of the head and coordinated with curled, feminine hairstyles.

Materials:

Common materials included felt, straw, wool, silk, and sometimes fur for winter styles.

Embellishments featured veils, feathers, bows, flowers, and rhinestones.

Hats were an essential finishing touch, adding glamour and sophistication to the tailored and graceful fashion of the decade.

Tea Party Hats for Women in the 1940s

In the 1940s, women’s hat styles were bold, practical, and often creative—shaped by wartime influences and resourcefulness. Here’s a quick summary:

Shapes:

Tilt hats (fascinators) remained popular, often small and angled dramatically on the head, as in this example, below.

Pillbox hats, berets, and turbans were widely worn, easy to style with victory rolls and pinned curls.

Wide-brimmed hats added flair for formal occasions.

Many styles were asymmetrical or featured sculptural designs for visual interest.

Materials:

Due to wartime rationing, hats used felt, straw, wool, and repurposed fabrics.

Decorations included feathers, veils, artificial flowers, netting, and bows—often handmade or reused.

Hats in the 1940s balanced fashion with functionality, showing both resilience and creativity during challenging times.

Tea Party Hats for Women in the 1950s

In the 1950s, women’s hat styles reflected elegance, femininity, and a return to refined fashion after wartime austerity. Here’s a concise summary:

Shapes:

Pillbox hats became iconic—small, round, and perched neatly on the head. Here’s a cute felt pillbox hat embellished with a ribbon on the side and vintage rhinestone jewelry.

Cloche-style revivals and wide-brimmed hats were popular for formal occasions.

Half-hats and headbands offered a chic, minimal option.

Hats were worn to complement structured hairstyles and coordinated with outfits.

Materials:

Common materials included felt, straw, satin, velvet, lace, and tulle.

Embellishments like netting veils, artificial flowers, pearls, sequins, and feathers added delicate detail.

1950s hats were the final, graceful touch to a polished look—ladylike, coordinated, and unmistakably stylish.

Tea Party Hats for Women in the 1960s

In the 1960s, women’s hat styles evolved dramatically, reflecting the decade’s shift from classic elegance to bold modernism. Here’s a summary:

Shapes:

Early 1960s hats continued the refined look with pillbox hats (famously worn by Jackie Kennedy) and cloches.

Mid to late 1960s saw a shift to mod styles like helmet hats, bubble hats, and oversized brims.

Berets, caps, and turban-style hats were also trendy, often worn further back on the head. Here’s a vintage turban with metallic threads, passed down to me by one of my grandmothers. It’s my favorite hat to wear when we have hat day at school.

Materials:

Materials included felt, wool, straw, vinyl, velvet, and synthetics.

Minimal embellishment in later years gave way to sleek, sculptural shapes.

Some hats featured bold colors, patterns, or metallics in line with the mod aesthetic.

By the late ’60s, hats became more of a fashion statement than a daily necessity, embracing both avant-garde and youth-driven style.

Tea Party Hats for Women in the 1970s

In the 1970s, women’s hat styles were eclectic, expressive, and often bohemian, reflecting the decade’s free-spirited fashion. Here’s a summary:

Shapes:

Wide-brimmed floppy hats were iconic—relaxed and dramatic, often paired with flowing hair and maxi dresses. Here’s one with a chiffon bow in the back, perfect for a classy tea party.

Bucket hats, berets, and newsboy caps gained popularity for casual, youthful looks.

Crocheted hats, cloche revivals, and headscarves also reflected vintage and handmade trends.

Materials:

Common materials included felt, straw, cotton, denim, crochet yarn, and corduroy.

Natural textures and earthy tones were favored, often with minimal embellishments or playful prints.

Overall, 1970s hats were a mix of retro revival and laid-back cool, blending vintage charm with modern attitude.

More Tea Party Ideas

Vintage tea party hats for women are more than just stylish accessories, they’re a delightful way to express personality and celebrate timeless fashion. Whether you’re crafting your own DIY tea party hat or collecting pieces from the 1920s to the 1970s, these charming styles add magic to any occasion. Looking for more tea party ideas and excuses to wear your favorite? Host a themed tea party with friends, plan a tea-themed Mother’s Day gathering, or throw a classy tea party birthday. How about an Anne of Green Gables tea party? Whatever the event, a vintage hat is the perfect finishing touch!

Free Printable Party Planner

Organizing a party takes planning. Whether you are planning a sunflower-themed party, a lemon-themed party, an apple-themed party, dahlia-themed party, a chicken-themed party, an elephant-themed party, a butterfly-themed party, or a tea party, here’s a FREE monthly planner you can use to plan your sunflower-themed party or any other event. Use it throughout the year to keep daily, weekly, and monthly tasks organized. Since it’s undated, you can print out a new planner each year or anytime you need a fresh place to put your ideas. Get it here!

Get the sunflower planner!

Have fun planning a pineapple-themed party, and may all of your party-planning endeavors meet with great success!

 

 

Lisa Mitchell is a wife, mom, and school librarian who likes to host parties. When the weather allows, she enjoys entertaining outdoors on the grounds of her family’s small Pacific Northwest farm. To learn more about what this website has to offer, click on over to the Welcome page.