If I Had My Own Blue Box:

This is one of the hardest questions to answer.

Why?

Because there is no single, easy answer.

Ideally, I would have a big pool of billheads(receipts), an assortment of ledgers from many different milliners, and a few dozen diary entries to create a database of prices based on year, region, area, time of year, type of piece, etc..

Then, I would feel like I had a hint of an answer.

But, I don’t have that. I don’t think anyone has that.

Bonnets varied in materials. Even when looking at straw bonnets, there was a vast variety of quality. Then came trims. The ribbons, feathers, flowers, bobbinette,  lace, etc all varied in price. Year, season, and location were all factors.

For years, I saved every 19th century bill/receipt that came up for sale. I have purchased several within a particular focus and my budget. I have a collection of wholesale billheads for every purchase a smaller milliner made for a year.

Even with this slowly developing pool, it is impossible to answer “a bonnet cost __this___ much.”

A single billhead can show the price of items from particular stores in a particular region in a particular year. When billheads are gathered together, for a milliner, for a region, for a year, a picture begins to develop.

Sometimes (a rare accurace) a single billhead can give us a little more. This bill from 1849 lists several items purchased.

One trimmed bonnet cost $4.50 in May. A pink silk bonnet cost $3.50 in December. Two bonnets and trimmings “last spring” cost $6.35. (This bill also tells us the products and services this shop in Springfield provides, the frequency in which this family of an unknown number of women purchases bonnets, and the delay in payment from “last spring” to April, 1849 for this bill to January, 1850 for the payment.)
….

Diary entries like these from Caroline Richards of Canandaigua, NY give us a look at the prices she paid for her millinery:

Wednesday, 1854 – Ann Eliza is going down street with us this afternoon to buy us some new summer bonnets;. They are to be trimmed with blue and white and are to come to five dollars. We are going to Mr Stannard’s store also, to buy us some stockings.

April 12, 1856 — We went down town this morning and bought us some shaker bonnets; to wear to school. They cost $1 apiece and we got some green silk for capes to put on them. We fixed them ourselves and wore them to school and some of the girls liked them and some did not, but it makes no difference to me what they like, for I shall wear mine till it is worn out. …

Saturday, 1854 – We got our new summer hats; from Mrs Freshour’s millinery and we wore them over to show to Aunt Ann and she said they were the very handsomest bonnets she had seen this year.

If I have to give a price, I can give a window for the mid century of as low as $1 for Shaker bonnets for school to $4.50 for a decorated silk bonnet. But, my answer has holes in that these examples span two different geographic regions and come from two different size cities.

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This hat had quite the July adventure. 

I finished this hat just barely in time for the release of Little House on the Prairie.  I shipped it on July 6th, thinking it would arrive July 8th, in time for the owner to have it in the 9th.

It seemed to be moving as expected, arriving in the destination state’s distribution center the morning of the 8th. Then it just stopped. For the next 3 weeks, there was no movement on tracking.

Nothing.

This morning, while dropping off other packages, my Post Master had a very sad looking box for me. Somehow, the shipping/postage sticker printed at the PO fell off at some point.

I had purposefully switched from Priority Mail boxes to these brown cardboard boxes for many if my hats & bonnets because I had issues with the free PO boxes getting damaged, particularly in one region. This was the first time I had one of these brown boxes get damaged like this.

I surmise a heavy box, or multiple heavy boxes were placed on top of this box, crushing nearly directly down.

Seeing how crushed the box was, I was hesitant yet still hopeful.

I opened the box right at the Post Office, just in case. I was pleased to see the straw hat inside withstood the box being crushed around it.

No straw was broken.

No stitches were broken.

There was minimal misshaping, all of which could be fixed with re-blocking. Re-blocking happens to be a common practice in the 19th-century.

The front right of the brim pushed down, creating a small concave.

The whole brim flattened bit. I suspect the box was crushed somewhere where it was humid, which allowed the straw to soften while crushed.

All in all, I am glad the hat wasn’t completely lost or destroyed. This goes to show just how durable well-made straw hats can be.

When Little House on the Prairie premiered, I intended to write a post introducing the hats and bonnets I made. Instead, I found myself swept into the conversations surrounding the bonnets. Questions about their shapes, styles, and historical accuracy filled my inbox and social media, and before I knew it, I had written several posts explaining nineteenth-century bonnets. In all of that excitement, I realized I had never actually shared the two hats that also made it to the screen.

2 of my hat styles appeared in season 1 of Little House on the Prairie. One is worn by Caroline Ingalls and the other is worn by Emily Henderson.

Emily first appears wearing her hat during the day of the church yard social. Her hat is a style very popular in the 1860s. This style is possibly the most commonly illustrated in the decade. The crown is shallow and tapered, while the flat brim dips in the front and the back. A band of vining straw circles the brim in the middle. This hat is a nice balance of determination and sweetness.

Caroline wears her hat to the ladies’ social at Jemma James home. Her hat is an 1860’s fashionable hat with a shallow, tapered crown and shaped brim curving down all around while dipping in the front and back. This style hat is seen in fashion illustrations of the 1860s and in carte de vistas of the era.

Caroline’s hat is made special with bands of vining straw wrapping around the crown top and brim. This vining straw is hand shaped by curving two lengths of plait as it is sewn in place while building the crown and brim. This vining moves the eye around her hat while adding texture for the camera to capture.

Although Emily’s and Caroline’s hats are different styles, they were made using the same traditional hand-sewn techniques I use for all of my nineteenth-century straw millinery. Each hat begins as a hank of straw plait, which I hand-sew coaxing the straw into shape. Every step, from sewing to shaping to the final finishing, is done by hand, much as it would have been in a nineteenth-century millinery workroom. I just have the luxury of modern lighting, a softer couch, and Netflix.

One of the things I appreciate most about nineteenth-century millinery is that a well-designed hat complements the wearer rather than competing for attention. It frames the face, balances the figure, and supports the overall impression.

At the same time. ensuring a person feels pretty, beautiful, powerful, and/or their best-selves while wearing of my hats of bonnets is important to me. Admittedly, sending my millinery out into the world to be trimmed by someone else can be a little nerve-wracking, whether it is a single piece to an individual or a half dozen to a costume department. As my coworkers can tell you, I am working on letting go.

In watching season 1, I found I didn’t need to worry. I was delighted to see how my hats contributed to the vision for each character as well as how the costume department trimmed the hats. Each hat was trimmed in a way that suited both the historical style and the character wearing it, allowing the hats to become part of the storytelling rather than the center of attention.

Much of the recent discussion about the bonnets has centered on whether they are “correct.” Before we can answer that question, it helps to understand that not all bonnets served the same purpose. A fashionable straw bonnet and a cotton sun bonnet were different garments, designed for different occasions. Comparing one to the other is a bit like comparing a evening gown to a work apron.

Types of Bonnets in the Mid-19th Century

This is a generalized diagram of how I classify types of bonnets worn during the Mid-19th century, ca 1840 through 1870. This diagram does not include specialized bonnets such as those worn by religious groups, organizations, or mourning attire. This diagram also does not include caps, which are a different type of accessory in the case of decorative caps or personal garment in the case of sleeping our house caps. Hats are noted but not elaborated on. I placed hats off to the side in this explanation to keep thing simple.

Bonnets of the mid-19th century can be broadly grouped into two categories: Fashion Bonnets and Functional Bonnets. Fashion bonnets were worn as fashionable accessories, while functional bonnets were designed for practical purposes such as protection from the sun or cold weather. This is a simplified overview intended to help explain the basic differences. (Pardon the creative variation of an outline—WordPress doesn’t have an outline format.)

A. Fashion Bonnets – Worn as fashionable accessories. Provided little to no sun protection. Styles changed seasonally. Typically trimmed with a combination of ribbons, flowers, feathers, etc.. Typically made by milliners and purchased.

A1. Straw Bonnets – Bonnets made from plant fibers such as wheat, rye, and oat. Can incorporate additional fibers such as horsehair and spun glass.

A1a. Straw Plait Bonnets – Created from straw braided into lengths called plait which are hand sewn into shape.

A1b. Woven Straw Bonnets – Created from straw woven into the shape of a bonnet. Can be a closed or open weave.

A1c. Fancy Straw Bonnets – Created with a combination of braiding, weaving, and crocheting straw and twisted straw threads. Often open designs that can look lace-like

A2. Foundation Bonnets – Bonnets made with foundation of a stiffened or firmly taut material such as buckram, willow, or net over wire.

A2a. Silk Bonnets – Exterior material, most commonly silk, is arranged smoothly over the foundation. Can also include other materials such as velvet and lace.

A2b. Drawn Bonnets – Exterior material is arranged over the foundation gathered on canes or cords.

B. Functional Bonnets – Worn for a functional portion of the wardrobe. Styles and construction change slowly. Often made at home. Could be made from reclaimed materials such as an old dress.

B1. Sun Bonnets – Bonnets with the primary purpose of sun protection. The brim keeps the sun off the face while the curtain keeps the sun off the neck and shoulders. Most commonly made from cotton or wool.

B1a. Slat Sun Bonnets – The brim is supported by pasteboard, chipboard, or thin wood strips inserted in the brim between the exterior and interior layers. This brim can not be turned back.

B1b. Corded Sun Bonnets – The brim is supported by rows of cording between the exterior and interior layers. This brim can often be turned back.

B1c. Quilted Sun Bonnets – The brim is supported by rows of quilting stitches, often but not always with a layer of batting, additional fabric, or stiffened fabric inside. Some of these brims can be turned back.

B2. Winter Hoods – Type of usually soft bonnets worn during the winter to protect the wearer from the cold and weather.

B2a. Wadded Winter Hoods – Loose wool roving, down (feathers), or reclaimed wool is stuffed into channels creating a pillow-effect. Warmest of the winter hoods. Brim edge hugs the face.

B2b. Quilted Winter Hoods – Layers of batting are placed between the exterior and interior fabrics, then quilted in place. Brim is often turned back to reveal the lining and improve peripheral vision.

B2bi. Lappet Style Winter Hoods – A style of quilted hood with long extended portions to the brim.

B2c. Draped Winter Hoods – Structureless winter hood that drapes over the head. Includes novelty hoods from lady’s magazines.

This is only an introduction to the wide variety of nineteenth-century bonnets. Each branch of this diagram has its own history, construction, and changing fashions. Of course, there are many variations and exceptions, but recognizing the difference between fashion bonnets and functional bonnets makes it much easier to understand the styles and variations.

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Text only version of the diagram:

I have had a myriad of questions about the straw bonnets Caroline, Mary, and Laura are wearing as they enter Independence for the first time. Questions in post comments, private messages, text messages, in-person, and on the live watch party. Questions ranging from what “are they?” to “how accurate are they?” to “did you make these.”

The shortest, easiest question/answer is: No, these bonnets are not my work. I primarily work with straw plait. Initially, I thought these bonnets were made from fancy straw loosely shaped forms called capelines and blocked to shape. I’ve since learned Caroline’s and Laura’s are both a fancy straw braid, Caroline’s being antique straw and horsehair. I am in awe of these materials and would love to see how one would come out blocked on one of my original bonnet blocks.

Moving on, I will start with what are they.

These are fashion bonnets from the 1860s. Fashion bonnets differ from sunbonnets.

Sunbonnets being the type of bonnet many associate with Little House on the Prairie. Sunbonnets were made of cloth with the purpose of protecting the face, head, and shoulders from the sun. The brims were supported with either cording, quilting, pasteboard, or a combination.

Fashion bonnets were for fashion. They provided no sun protection in the later 1850s through the 1860s, as the edge of the brim barely reached the hairline. Fashion bonnets could be made of straw or made with a buckram/willow/wire foundation and covered in silk. (I will focus on straw.)

The most common straw bonnets, those worn by the vast majority of women of the era, were made using straw plait sewn into fashionable shapes for bonnets and hats. Straw plait is wheat or rye straw braided into long lengths. Little House on the Prairie fans may recall a passage where Laura describes Ma/Caroline braiding oat straw and sewing it into hats for the family. This is essentially the same process used to make straw hats and bonnets in this era. Straw bonnets had advantages over silk bonnets. First, during the summer they breathed well, helping keep the head cooler. Second, straw bonnets could be redecorated, reblocked, and to some extant recut to reflect changing fashions.

Straw was also used to create fancy braids and weaves with beautiful open designs. At times, other fibers including wool, silk, horsehair, and grasses were also worked together to create intricate designs. This fancy straw made fancy straw bonnets. These fancy bonnets were more costly than plain straw plait. Below, are two examples of this type of straw bonnet from the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection.

I believe this is the type of bonnet Caroline, Mary, and Laura are wearing.

To me, these bonnets are a nod to the life they left behind, their “old life” as Jemma James puts it. Symbolically, these are bonnets of comfortable income, bonnets of “back east.” As the season progresses, these bonnets are left behind by Caroline and Laura as the family shifts into their new life. Mary continues to wear her’s, which I suspect signifies her holding on to that part of herself and longing for her family and friends.

Historical Accuracy vs On-Screen

You will notice similarities and differences between the MET examples and the Ingalls’ bonnets. Both have beautiful open work straw. Both sit on the back of the head. Both have round/circular bonnet tips. Both have bavolets, the curtain of fabric on the back of the bonnet over the neck.

I was Very pleased to see the circular bonnet tips and bavolets. These are two areas often portrayed incorrectly both in living history and on-screen millinery.

Two distinct differences are the shaping of the brim and the lack of long, defined cheektabs. The brims on the show flare up and out away from the face. While I do not know for sure, I suspect this was to ensure a clear view of the face without any shadows. We can see such shadowing when Jemma James comes to visit (right). See how the edge of this brim casts a shadow on her face? While this works with this scene, it would have distracted from entering Independence scene.

I find this to be a good balance between history and cinema. 

And….

I happen to love the opportunity for discussion.

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For More Information….

on the author, who made other millinery for the show, read: Reintroducing Myself

on historically accurate sunbonnets, see Marna Davis

on the Straw Cottage Industry, read my booklet From Field to Fashion

on making straw bonnets read my Straw Bonnet Workbook

on an in depth look at the history of the straw industry read Straw Plait

on silk fashion bonnets, look to Timely Tresses.

As the first season of Netflix’s new Little House on the Prairie reaches audiences, I want to say thank you to everyone who brought this beloved story to life for the 21st century audience. Bringing a cherished story to the screen requires the talents of countless people: writers, actors, directors, craftspeople, costumers, and so many others whose work is often unseen but deeply felt. I am especially thankful to the costume department for inviting my hand-sewn straw millinery to become a small part of that collaborative effort. It has been a privilege to see historically inspired craftsmanship woven into a production created with such care, and I am honored that my hats found a place in telling this new version of the Ingalls family’s story.

Straw Hats

I have already had many questions about which hats are mine, including some incorrect assumptions about bonnets being mine. To make it easier, I’m sharing some notes.

I sent 4 hat styles for season 1. The top left is the style Emily is wearing. The top right is the style Caroline is wearing. The bottom two I did not see in the show on the first viewing. (I think I may have seen the top of the bottom right in the audience during Founders Day. ) The many other bonnets and hats in the season were not created by me.

Emily’s hat is a tapered crown style made specially for Barrett Doss. The brim is stylishly shaped with a dip in front and back. A ring of vining straw circles mid-brim.

I am thrilled with how amazing this hat looks on Emily.  She is wearing it perfectly!!!! If anyone is ever looking for an example of how to wear this style hat, this is how.

Caroline’s hat is a perfect pairing in my mind. The curves of the straw vining in the crown & brim work so well with her curly red hair. But, it is more than that. I love the way Caroline and this hat compliment each other, bringing out each other’s beauty and personality.  

I will have a post coming up that takes a closer look at how I made Caroline’s hat.

First Thoughts

Warning: Potential Spoilers ⚠️

I watched the whole of season 1 as the sun rose on premiere day. More precisely, I started at 3:02 am, after fussing with Netflix to refresh, and finished at 10:20 am. There were several points in the show I felt personal connection with and details I appreciated.

Something that stood out for me was a sense of texture. Texture in materials selected. Texture in finishing details. Texture in natural elements. I do not know if this was intentional or purely my interpretation.  It may have started with seeing the vining in Caroline’s hat on screen. It continued with seeing the carving in the backboard of the wagon, the bark on the assorted trees used for the cabin, the placement of items in the general store, the choice of lace for collars. I look forward to hearing if others saw this.

The opening scene of the first episode was on the edge of kinesthetic memory for me. I’ve had the privilege of being able to camp under the open stars in both 19th and 20th century comfort. This time around a campfire with family and friends is something I cherish.  I found myself wondering how many people watching have had this opportunity and how many never will as time moves forward.

Caroline and Charlie building the cabin also triggered physical memory for me. Caroline picking up logs for the cabin, literally flashed me to picking up rails for building a fence. I can only imagine how much heavier the fresh cut full logs were. I cringed at the sound of the crack, with pain shooting through my own foot where a wood pole with metal spike came down one summer. Very well done!

I have so many thoughts on ‘a way out’ and ‘follow you anywhere’ but I am not ready to share those personal feelings publicly.

There were several pieces of material culture I appreciated.  Among them: the workbox or writing slope behind Caroline & Charles in the tent, the dolls in the general store, the many pieces of dark flow-blue, the well selected folding chair. I was giddy over the dolls on the chairs in the window on Founders Day.

That’s all for now. I need a nap.

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If you’ve been following me for a while, Thank you!

If you’ve found your way here recently, Welcome!

Some of you may have discovered my work through social media or because of the upcoming Little House on the Prairie series, for which I had the privilege of creating hand-sewn straw hats and bonnets. However you arrived, I’m glad you’re here.

I’m Anna Worden, a historical milliner, researcher, writer, and lifelong student of nineteenth-century women’s work.

This blog has been my online workshop since 2009, when my original website became obsolete. Over the years it has grown into a place where I share research, projects, discoveries, and occasionally the winding path of life. Those who have been reading since the beginning know it has been quite the path. With so many new faces stopping by, it seems like the perfect time to reintroduce myself.

My journey into history began long before I ever picked up a straw braid.

I grew up in surrounded by antiques. When I was eleven years old, I began volunteering at Genesee Country Village & Museum, where my Grandmother worked for 27 years. While many children spent their weekends elsewhere, I was happiest wandering museums, exploring antique shops with my grandparents, and wondering about the people who had made and used the objects I found. Looking back, the seeds of what I do today were already there. During college, I worked at the John L. Wehle Gallery of Wildlife & Sporting Art while becoming involved in living history and reenacting. Like many reenactors, I quickly discovered that building a period wardrobe could be expensive.

So, I learned to sew…. the 19th-century way.

What began as a practicality soon became a passion.

I became comfortable in creating the layers of clothing, but knew it wasn’t quite my niche. I began to explore accessories including millinery and soon discovered a reverence for straw. Straw fascinated me. Each piece was built by layers of straw building beautiful lines and curves. Working with it, straw just felt right in-hand with the rhythm of the stitch and the smell calming me… and connecting me.

The more original bonnets I studied, the more determined I became to understand how nineteenth-century milliners achieved those  curves and proportions. I wanted my work to reflect not only the appearance of the originals but also the methods behind them.

That desire has shaped my work ever since.

Today I continue to work primarily with historically appropriate wheat and rye straw plait whenever possible. I study surviving hats and bonnets, antique millinery blocks, trade publications, women’s magazines, photographs, and original tools, always looking for another clue about how these pieces were designed and made. Every original object teaches me something new.

Around the same time that I discovered straw millinery, I also found a pair of Victorian sewing cases at a yard sale. These pieces became the foundation for my book Fanciful Utility years later. I couldn’t have known then that those humble objects would spark another decades-long fascination.

What began with those sewing cases grew into a love of Victorian fancy work—the small, often overlooked pieces that women stitched for beauty, usefulness, and pleasure. Whether it’s a sewing case, a pincushion, a fabric fruit, or another fanciful creation, I enjoy recreating these objects using original techniques while learning from the women who first made them.

Along the way, I’ve also developed a particular fondness for nineteenth-century winter hoods, a corner of millinery history that is often forgotten due to its utilitarian nature.

People sometimes ask why historical accuracy matters so much to me.

The answer is simple: because the objects themselves tell only part of the story.

A straw bonnet is far more than fashion. It represents fields of wheat and rye, women and children braiding straw, workers bleaching and dyeing it, milliners shaping it into the latest style, and the woman who finally wore it. Every bonnet carries the work of countless hands.

Victorian fancy work tells similar stories. Behind every carefully stitched sewing case or decorative ornament is a woman making something with her own hands—sometimes from scraps, sometimes for necessity, sometimes to share a part of themselves with a loved one.

Those women are why I do this work.

Research and making have never been separate pursuits for me. Every object I recreate helps me better understand an original, and every original object inspires another question to investigate. I don’t think I’ll ever run out of questions, and I hope I never do.

If you’ve been reading this blog for years, thank you for continuing this journey with me. If you’re new, I hope you’ll find something here that sparks your own curiosity.

You’ll find historically accurate straw hats and bonnets, Victorian fancy work, original research, museum visits, antique tools and artifacts, behind-the-scenes projects, and plenty of historical rabbit holes along the way.

Most of all, I hope you’ll come to see these objects not simply as beautiful things from the past, but as evidence of remarkable skill, creativity, and lives well lived. Every braid of straw and every careful stitch is a connection to the women who came before us, and it is a privilege to continue learning from them.

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Highlights in Pictures

More

Last month, I was excited to share one of my straw hats appeared in the new Little House on the Prairie teaser.

Well……. Little House on the Prairie premieres on next week……. and I am still excited! 😊 🤗

I do not know if one of my pieces will appear or if more will be seen. I hope you will join me in watching on Thursday,  July 9th on Netflix to find out.

Beyond looking for my hats, I hope you watch to see the hard work the entire team has put into the show. I anticipate a strong nod to historical accuracy with the multiple vendors and artisans they resourced. With the photos released, I am hoping for a beautiful love story.

2 Special Ways to Celebrate 🎉

Watch Party hosted by Laura Ingalls Gunn

Laura Ingalls Gunn is hosting a Little House on the Prairie watch party at 7 pm CST (8 pm EST) on July 9th. Special guests will include cast members from the original show, Sara from Ensembles of the Past, as well as myself. To participate, email Laura at decortoadore@hotmail.com. You will need Zoom and/or Teleparty as well as Netflix to participate.  For details, please read Laura’s page.

Anna Hat Watch

While you watch, take a photo of you watching and wearing one of my hats. Share the photo on Facebook or Instagram with the hashtag AnnaHatWatch.

My adrenaline officially crashed at 4 pm today as I walked through the door following the close of school for my 21st year.

While I still have 2 days to wrap up the year, I can officially switch gears to my summer plan, both mentally and physically. 

As you recall from my previous post about summer, my original plans fell apart when I lost my summer position due to contractual verbiage.

I’ve done my best to make lemonade out of lemons. Or, well, maybe I’m making a combination of lemon cookies, lemon cake, and lemonade.  I have pieced together an assortment of paid projects that I hope will get me through the summer. Here is a rundown of my summer plans, including both the paid projects and a few unpaid for fun:

• I am devoting the next 2 weeks to making hats similar to the hats I hope will be on season 1 of Little House on the Prairie, including 2 special requests. I am hoping to make 6 to 10 hats for people to choose from.
• July 9th is the premiere of Little House on the Prairie on Netflix. I will be joining Laura Ingalls Gunn for her Watch Party that evening (8pm Eastern, 7pm Central) along with Sara from Ensembles of the Past.
• I plan to spend July focused on a special project I can not share yet. I will say it is one I am very excited about because it allows me to share another one of my research passions with a wide audience. 
• Also, in July, I finally get to attend a training focused on research out of Cornell. I am hoping it pulls from or is at least parallel to my FDC training from the late 90s. That program was an intensive 3 months of indepth instruction that I feel is the foundation of how I work with people. (This is a paid training that will work out to about $500)
• In August, I want to hold a doll tea sale. I have this fun idea of selling an assortment of doll scale tea sets, teacups, and tea miscellany. Much of this will be from my personal collection. Some may be what I find at estate sales between now and then. I really hope it is well received. 
• The second weekend of August, I am scheduled to demonstrate (volunteer) at a new Heritage Crafts Fair. I am very excited to see this type of event in this region. I’ve wanted one for a long time. (I am a bit concerned about having enough money for the gas even though it is only an hour away.)
• In the middle of August, I will be back at school doing an abbreviated version of my past summer assignment.  This will give me just under $2,000 (the full summer would have been $6,000).

I think that is a pretty solid pieced together plan bringing me to somewhere around $5,000 of the $8,400 I initially budgeted for the summer. Somewhere in there, I also want to make items to put in my Etsy shop and get some writing time.. Somewhere in there, I also want to make items to put in my Etsy shop and get some writing time.

As I said in my other post, I hate asking, but I would greatly appreciate anyone who joins my Patreon or drops tip in my Ko-Fi.