Ask the Milliner

Where do my ties and ribbons go?

There are a few different placements of utility ties and fashion ribbons. For bonnets of the later 40s through mid 60s, most commonly we see:

Utility ties on the inside of the cheektab with the decorative ribbons on the outside.
Utility ties on the very end of the outside of the cheektab with decorative ribbon over it.
Utility ties on the very end of the inside of the cheektab with the decorative ribbon above it.

This 1840s/1850s example shows the utility ties on the inside cheek tab with the decorative ribbon on the outside. In this arrangement, the utility ties position varies along the cheektab. This example has the utility ties placed higher inside the cheektab. The wider decorative ribbon is neatly folded and attached further down on the outside of the cheektab. Please click on the thumbnail to link to the original posting and additional photos.

This example from the Henry Ford Museum shows the utility tie on the very end of the cheektab on the outside with the decorative ribbon over it. Please click on the image thumbnail to link to the Henry Ford Museum and additional photos. Zoom in on the right cheektab to see the remnants of the original utility tie.

This example of Pam Robles shows the utility tie on the very end of the cheektab with the decorative ribbon over it. The remains of the utility tie can be seen at the very end of the tip on the inside with the decorative ribbon folded and attached over top of it. This would put the stress of holding the bonnet on the utility ties while minimizing the wear on the decorative ribbon.