Fashionably Forties Felt Tilt Topper

A DIY Project for Gene Marshall & Friends

Gene Marshall

You can easily make stylish hats for your favorite fashion doll diva by using simple objects as a hat block.  Miss Marshall's smartly tailored felt topper uses the bottom of a travel size bottle to form the crown.  

The first thing you'll need is an appropriate bottle for your hat.  You might just find the perfect one in your kitchen or bathroom.  If not, check out the beauty and skincare aisle at your local drugstore.  Make sure the bottle is long enough to allow for the felt to stretch down, and that it is the same size or smaller than your doll's head.  The bottle used for this project measures 4" in circumference and is 3-1/4" long.

Additional Supplies Needed:

• Wool Felt, I used a 9" x 11" piece
• Foil
• Saran Wrap
• A thick rubber band
• A glass or other round object for tracing a circle
• Dressmaker chalk or other marking tool
• Emery board
• Sewing needle and matching thread
• Scissors
• Ruler or tape measure
• Lightweight Buckram, available at most fabric stores or millinery supply shops
• Assorted trims

To begin, prepare your "hat block" by first covering the bottom of the bottle with foil.  Cover the foil with saran wrap as shown above.

Thoroughly wet felt under the faucet with hot water, stretching the felt in all directions.  This will loosen the fibers and make it easier to stretch and smooth.  Blot excess moisture with a paper towel.  Center the felt over the bottle, smooth down sides, and secure with a rubber band.  Position the rubber band approximately 1/2" or more below the position of your cutting line to ensure a smooth finish.  Begin pulling and stretching the excess felt below the rubber band until it is smooth and wrinkle-free above the rubber band.  Take your time.  Once you are satisfied with the results, let it dry for at least 24 hours.

Once the felt has completely dried, measure the desired height of the crown and mark for cutting before removing it from the "hat block" as shown above.  Tip:  If the bottom of your bottle is slightly rounded, place a small flat ruler or other small flat object on top of the crown and measure down with a tape measure and mark the location with chalk.  This will help you keep an even line around the circumference of the crown.  You are now ready to carefully remove the felt from the "hat block" and cut following your marked cutting line.

To keep the cut edge of the crown from stretching, cut a 1/4" wide strip of buckram the length of the circumference of your "hat block" plus approximately 1/2" or slightly more to allow for overlapping.  Stitch to secure as shown above, then slide off the "hat block".

Insert the buckram inside the crown positioning it so that it is even with the cut edge.  Stitch close to the edge as shown above.  Your trim will hide your stitches.  I found this technique makes it easier to attach the crown to the brim.

For the brim, cut a circle of felt in the desired size.  For Miss Marshall's hat, a 2 1/2" diameter circle was used.  Soften the cut edge by lightly sanding the edge with the fine side of an emery board.  Center the crown over the brim and whip stitch the bottom of the crown to the brim with matching thread as shown above.  To indent the top of the crown, I used the round portion of a wooden chess piece available at most craft stores.  You are now ready to trim your hat as desired.  The hat is secured to the hair with a straight pin.  Because wool felt retains its shape, you can easily adjust the brim to the desired look.

Resources:

Wool felt is available from Edinburgh Imports.com.  They offer an excellent weight felt for doll hats and it comes in a wide assortment of yummy colors.  The felt can be purchased by the yard or by the piece.  The piece size is 9 x 11 inches.  Wool felt may also be available at some fabric and craft stores such as JoAnn Fabrics.  Be sure to purchase wool felt, not synthetic craft felt.

Gene Marshall

Costume Credits:  Tweed jacket from Robert Tonner's Brenda Starr Collection.  Skirt from Sandra Stillwell.  Handbag from Madame Alexander.  Hat, gloves, scarf, jewels, and styling are from The Couture Touch. 
White Orchid Gene Marshall is from Jamieshow.

Costume Credits for the first photo:  Jacket and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  "Fur" muff is from Integrity.  Brooch from Robert Tonner.  Bracelet from Facets by Marcia.  Scarf from an unknown designer.  Hat, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.
Cocoa Crisp Gene Marshall is from Integrity.

More Felts with Forties Flair

What better way to refresh a tailored suit for a new season than with a new hat.  Monolithic Studios' stars Madra Lord and Gene Marshall choose their favorite felt with a decidedly forties flair.

Madra Lord

Luscious spring blooms and a coordinating grosgrain hat band accents Miss Lord's stylish topper.  Suit is from Integrity.  Gloves and scarf are from Ashton Drake.  Handbag from PD Root. 

Gene Marshall

Miss Marshall's asymmetric hat features a dramatic floral trimmed bow and a scarf draped to one side.  Jacket is from Ashton Drake.  Skirt and gloves are from Sandra Stillwell.  Earrings from Facets by Marcia. 

Spotted in Manhattan Madra Lord and White Orchid Gene Marshall are from Jamieshow.

Hats and styling are from The Couture Touch.

Top of the Morning to You!

Happy Saint Patrick's Day!

May the luck of the Irish by with you.

Spring Hats in Bloom

Hats accented with flowers can be worn with your furs, your tweeds, your tailored town suits, your dinner suits.  They are the perfect escape from winter.

From Vogue 1941, red roses are planted on a black and white striped tilt hat accented with a dramatic siren veil.  From Walter Florell.

Monolithic Studios' film star Madra Lord wears a Sandra Stillwell hat updated with pink tulips.  Suit ensemble is from The Couture Touch.  Bracelet from D.A.E. Originals.  Top This Madra Lord, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

A delightful floral topper adds whimsy to Miss Lord's Town and Country suit.  Jacket with replaced buttons is from Integrity.  Scarf from Ashton Drake.  Hat and gloves are from The Couture Touch.  Spotted in Manhattan Madra Lord is from Jamieshow.

Credits:

January 15, 1941 issue of Vogue magazine from the author's personal collection.

A Felt with Forties Flair

Monolithic Studios' star Gene Marshall along with pal Ivy Jordan debut a stylish new topper that is actually a 2 inch felt craft hat available in black and ready for custom trimming.  The hat's vintage shaping makes it the perfect accessory for 1940's tailored suits.

Gene Marshall

The hat trimmed simply with a narrow black suede band and a dramatic feather.  Jacket from Ashton Drake's Star Wardrobe Collection.  Scarf, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Fab Lab craft felt hat is from Jo-Ann Fabrics.

Ivy Jordan

A similar style craft hat is accented with a grosgrain band and floral trim.  Jacket from D.A.E. Originals.  Scarf, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Marigold Market black felt top hat is from Hobby Lobby.


"Symphony in G" Gene Marshall, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

"V for Tea" Ivy Jordan is from Integrity.

The 1940's Turban

The turban has been a renowned fashion staple with women for a number of decades.  In the late 1930's milliner Lilly Dache revived the turban elevating it to high fashion prominence.  Carmen Miranda, the Brazilian singer, gave the turban enormous publicity by wearing it festively adorned with fruits, flowers, and feathers.

The turban was available ready to wear or could be wrapped by the customer when she put it on.  They were available in a variety of fabrications and suitable for day or evening wear.  The stars from Monolithic Studios prefer their turbans wrapped by their personal stylist.

Diva Madra Lord goes for drama wearing a turquoise blue turban trimmed with a floral corsage accented with beading.  Top and corsage are from Ashton Drake.  Hat, gauntlet gloves, skirt, belt, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Pool Pose Madra Lord is from Integrity.

Two illustrations from McCall Patterns showing turbans paired with dresses for a chic daytime look.  Turbans could be cleverly manipulated into an incredible variety of flattering styles.

Large cabbage roses with stems accent Gene Marshall's jewel-tone turban.  Dress and jewels are from Madame Alexander.  Fur drape and purse are from PD Root.  Hat and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Gloves and Miss Marshall are from Ashton Drake.

Miss Marshall in a chic, asymmetrically draped turban.  Jacket from Jamieshow.  Handbag from Sandra Stillwell.  Restyled jewels from Facets by Marcia.  Belt from Integrity.  Hat, gauntlet gloves, scarf, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Gene Marshall is from Ashton Drake.

Pink tulips are thrust through loops in Loretta Young's cashmere turban by Lilly Dache.  Jewels by Flato.  Photo by Rawlings for Vogue, 1940.

An animal print turban tops Miss Lord's smart suit ensemble punctuated by a pop of color.  Restyled suit is from Integrity.  Fur from PD Root.  Handbag and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Hat, ascot, belt, brooch, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Moulin Noire Madra Lord is from Ashton Drake.

Credits:  

Color and Design in Apparel by Bernice G. Chambers, 1942.

Updating Hats with Flowers & Bows

We asked two famous film stars to select a hat from their personal wardrobe to update.

Gene Marshall

The simple addition of a black felt bow elevates the hat from Integrity's Daily Threads set.  Paired with Robert Tonner's Arrival at Port suit (sans the belt), Miss Marshall is ready to greet her fans.  Handbag is from Madame Alexander.  Gloves, jewels, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  "Symphony in G" Gene Marshall, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.  A braided hairpiece purchased at a local beauty supply house was added to her coiffure.

Madra Lord

The hat from Miss Lord's Top This suit ensemble is reshaped and trimmed with pink tulips and a dramatic spray of feathers, both recycled from other outfits.  Hat, Jacket, and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Fur and handbag are from furrier PD Root.  Skirt, scarf, jewels, and styling are from The Couture Touch.  Careless Kisses Madra Lord is from Integrity.

The Couture Touch would like to thank our stars for taking time out of their busy schedules for this project.

1940's Hats, Furred and Fabulous!

A stylish leopard-trimmed tilt topper with matching muff-bag by Otto Lucas.  From British Vogue, 1941.

 Sophisticated, high-flared tricorn by John Frederics.  From Vogue, 1942.

From the Millinery Salon at Carson Pirie Scott & Co., Chicago.  From Vogue, 1943.

A Fur Drama

On Stage Today - Dramatic Fur-Accented Fashion.  Our Leading Ladies are Gene Marshall and Madra Lord.  Now On With The Show......

Gene Marshall

A fur scarf adds dash to Miss Marshall's re-styled herringbone suit.  Additional accessories include a dramatic tilt topper, brown leather gauntlet gloves, and a suede handbag matched to the fur.  Suit, handbag, and earrings are from Ashton Drake.  Fur scarf, hat, and gloves are from The Couture Touch.

Madra Lord

Miss Lord's suit takes a dramatic turn with dyed-to-match fur trim.  Suit ensemble with re-styled collar is from Robert Tonner's Anne Harper Collection.  Gloves and bracelet are from Ashton Drake.  Scarf and earrings are from The Couture Touch.

Madra Lord

Luxurious fur trim gives glamour to Miss Lord's wool felt hat.  Fur wrap is from furrier to the stars PD Root.  Gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Hat and earrings are from The Couture Touch.

A touch of fur can lend drama and sophistication when costarring with a suit ensemble or a fashion accessory such as a hat.

Cast:

Fashion Plot Gene Marshall is from Ashton Drake.
Careless Kisses Madra Lord is from Integrity.
Spotted in Manhattan Madra Lord is from Jamieshow.

The End

Inspired by a French Fashion Plate

An Easy DIY Hat for Gene Marshall & Friends

Film diva Madra Lord updates the tweed jacket from Gene Marshall's Fit For A Queen travel ensemble with a stylish red felt topper accented with bow and feather detailing recycled from another hat.  Inspired by a French fashion illustration, this easy to make hat will be the perfect addition to your favorite diva's fall wardrobe.  Jacket and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Muff from Integrity.  Brooch is from Mattel.  Hat, scarf, and earrings are from The Couture Touch.

Idées (Manteaux et Tailleurs), Winter 1940.

To make this hat, here's what you will need:

Wool felt.
Hand sewing needle.
Thread to match felt.
Scissors.
Dressmaker chalk.
A glass or other round object for tracing a circle.
Emery board.
A bow.  [Pre-made bows are available at fabric or craft stores.  The recycled bows used for Miss Lord's hats measure 2" across.  If desired, you can use smaller ones as pictured in the original fashion illustration shown above.]

To begin, trace a 2-1/2" diameter circle on to wool felt and cut out.  Soften the cut edge by lightly sanding with the fine side of an emery board.  Form 2 tucks as shown in the photo below.

Secure the tucks with tiny hand stitches.  Attach a bow either with a needle and thread or with fabric glue.  The bow will hide any stitches that may show.  The hat is secured to the hair with a straight pin.

Miss Lord wears a mustard felt variation trimmed with a delightfully dotted sheer bow.  Jacket and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Brooch from Mattel.  Cigarette holder from Mystyna.  Hat, scarf, fur muff, and earrings are from The Couture Touch.

Credits:

Siren in the Night Madra Lord, enhanced with an Integrity articulated body, is from Ashton Drake.

Fashion illustration from 1940's Fashion: The Definitive Sourcebook by Charlotte Fiell and Emmanuelle Dirix.  Published by Goodman Book Co., UK.

A Wardrobe Pick-Me Up

An Easy DIY Hat for Gene Marshall & Friends

When your favorite Hollywood star's wardrobe is in need of a pick-me up, here is an idea for a simply chic hat that makes use of a style of hat you just might already have in your collection.  The half-hat [or sometimes referred to as a headband or bandeau hat] was a popular design beginning in the mid-1940's and continued throughout the 1950's.  Several costumes from the wardrobe department at Monolithic Studios included this hat style such as Ashton Drake's Embassy Luncheon and Spotted in the Park.

Violet Waters

This stylish tilt topper pairs the petal half-hat from Embassy Luncheon with a circle of wool felt.  Because wool felt retains its shape, you can easily adjust it to the desired look.  Continue reading for complete instructions for making this hat.   Costume Credits:  Jacket is from JamieShow's J'Adore Gene Marshall.  Scarf, bow, and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Brooch is from Mattel.  Belt from Integrity.  Umbrella is from Fashion Royalty.  Skirt and styling are from The Couture Touch.

Gene Marshall

For this variation 1/4" black trim was formed into a spiral shape and paired with the hat from Spotted in the Park.  Costume Credits:   Dyed dress is from Ashton Drake's Croquet, Anyone?.  Train case from D.A.E. Originals.  Jacket, gloves, and styling are from The Couture Touch.

Madra Lord

Consider alternative shapes such as a triangle with rounded corners.  The half-hat utilized for this style is from Integrity's Adele Makeda Suited Luxury ensemble.  Costume Credits:  Blouse is from Bogue's Vogues.  Bow and gloves are from Ashton Drake.  Handbag from Mark Middendorf.  Skirt from Sandra Stillwell.  Jacket, earrings, and styling are from The Couture Touch.

To make Violet's hat, here's what you will need:

Half-hats.  Shown above from top to bottom:  Adele Makeda Suited Luxury from Integrity, Embassy Luncheon and Spotted in the Park both from Ashton Drake.
Wool Felt.
Scissors.
Dressmaker chalk or other marking tool.
Emery board.
Ruler or tape measure.
A glass or other round object for tracing a circle.
Saran Wrap.
Needle-nose pliers found in the jewelry-making section of your local craft store (Optional).

1. Trace a 2-1/2" diameter circle on wool felt and cut out.  Soften the cut edge by lightly sanding with the fine side of an emery board.
2. In the center of the circle, mark position for two small slits with chalk.  Fold the circle in half and carefully cut open with scissors.  The length of the slits and how far apart they are will depend on which half-hat you are using.  For Violet's hat, the slits measure 1/2" apart and 1/2" in length (fig.3).
3. You are now ready to insert your half-hat through the cut slits.  Tip:  Cover the ends with Saran wrap to protect any embellishment.  It can easily be removed from the underside.  Tip:  A needle-nose plier will make it easier to adjust the ends of your half-hat. 
4. For Madra's hat, first make a template from paper of the desired shape.  Place the template on the felt.  Trace around it with chalk and cut out.  Finish in the same manner as for Violet's version.  (fig.1 shows the underside of the completed hat.)
5. For Gene's hat, 1/4" black trim was formed into a spiral shape leaving room between stitches for Spotted in the Park's hat (fig.2).  Click HERE for a tutorial on making a spiral hat base.

The Couture Touch thanks the following stars for graciously appearing in this tutorial:

Sunset Serenade Violet Waters from Integrity.
Fashion Plot Gene Marshall from Ashton Drake.
Careless Kisses Madra Lord from Integrity.

Say It with Pearls

Who wouldn't love a gift of an elegant strand of genuine cultured pearls.  However faux pearls have long been popular as an affordable alternative.  One of the premier manufacturers of faux pearls during the early part of the Twentieth Century was Richelieu.

From the October 1942 issue of Harper's Bazaar, this Richelieu ad shows three chic choker styles referred to as a duchess collar.  And by the way....LOVE the hats!

Film star Gene Marshall endorses the look with a twist on the stylish duchess collar.  Two separate pearl necklaces are combined to create her 4-strand choker perfect for the jewel neckline of the top from A Lady Knows, all from Ashton Drake.  Hat, gloves, cabochon pearl earrings, and fur muff are from The Couture Touch.  White Orchid Gene Marshall is from JamieShow.

Vintage Friedmont Pink Wool Suit

This soft pink circa 1940's wool suit (labeled Friedmont) is complemented with black accessories including a dramatic tilt accented with pink feathers (no label), a black crochet handbag, and black gloves. A vintage tulip brooch and my mom's dragonfly pins complete the look.

Here is a close-up of the beautiful collar detailing.

Suit and accessories are all from my vintage closet.

Happy Easter!

Ann Miller in her Easter bonnet, circa 1947.
Photo courtesy theeternalheadonist.com

Good-Bye New York

Photo courtesy Gene Marshall Wiki.com

In 1941, a beautiful young blonde (along with her childhood teddy bear) boarded a train to Hollywood wearing a smart two-piece, fur-trimmed suit. The original "Good-Bye New York" costume was designed by Doug James for Ashton Drake's 1995 Gene Marshall Collection. It included a matching fur-trimmed hat and muff, red jersey top and gloves, jewelry, hosiery, shoes, signature hat box, and teddy bear.

Monolithic Studios' Director Ivy Jordan

Different accessories transform the iconic travel suit in dramatic fashion. The original red jersey top was replaced with the scarf from Sandra Stillwell's "Lunch with Luciano" costume. OOAK topper and coordinating gloves are from The Couture Touch. Shoes are from Integrity.

Miss Ivy Jordan

More than any other fashion accessory, the hat has the ability to completely change the appearance of a garment.

Miss Gene Marshall

Miss Madra Lord

So what else was in style for 1941?

Photo courtesy commons.wikimedia.org

This vintage Finneys' Department Store ad that appeared in The Telegraph, an Australian newspaper, shows the wide variety of styles available in 1941. Illustrated from top to bottom: A navy felt with pheasant feather, a large-brimmed brown felt accented with white bows and bandeau, a jaunty black with leopard brim, a two-tone felt in black & kasha with veiling, a black halo, and a moss green felt with brown chenille veiling.

Gene Marshall

Credits:  
The models in order of appearance: 

Pearls and Pink Ivy Jordan courtesy Integrity.
Destiny Gene Marshall courtesy Ashton Drake.
Night Memories Madra Lord and Blue Belle Gene Marshall, both enhanced with Integrity articulated bodies, appear courtesy Ashton Drake.

OOAK hats and gloves are from The Couture Touch.