VEILED BEAUTY

Veiling, especially on hats, has always been one of those touches that add fascination to women's dress. If the use of women's hats has declined over the decades, then veiling itself has become even more rare. Pity, since there is nothing like a veiled hat to project an air of mystery and beguilement to a woman's face.

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The photo of actress Hanna Schygulla in The Marriage of Maria Braun says it all. This 1979 film directed by Rainer Werner Fassbinder is set in Germany during the aftermath of World War II, when veiled hats were very much in fashion. Here Ms. Schygulla wears a broad-brimmed hat with Russian veiling. The costumes were designed by Barbara Baum.

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French actress Isabelle Huppert wears a veiled hat in Gabrielle (2005), set in turn of the 19th century Paris. Here the veil is made of lace. The costumes were designed by Caroline de Vivaise.

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Annette Bening in Being Julia, 2004.           

Veiling has been used by women since ancient times. But its purpose has been paradoxical. It was used in religious and pious dress, and for mourning clothes or for virgin brides. But so has it been used by courtesans, and women seeking obscurity in secret rendez-vous with their lovers. Although the sheer veiling used on hats  does not conceal a woman's face - it nonetheless presents the golden moment of lifting the veil or "unveiling" the person behind it. 

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Veiling can of course cover more than the face, and it has traditionally been used to cover  head, hair and shoulders. Here Jessica Lange is shown in a covering veil as she plays Angelique, Bob Fosse's/Roy Scheider's hallucinatory angel of death in the fabulous All That Jazz, 1979. The costumes were designed by Albert Wolsky.

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Veiling can help mature women keep their allure, as shown here by Magali Noel in Jonathan Demme's The Truth About Charlie, 2002. She plays "The Mysterious Woman in Black."   The film is largely an unsuccessful remake of Charade.

Photofest

There's nothing quite like the allure of Marlene Dietrich in feathers and veils. Here costume designer Travis Banton captured the killer look for Marlene in Shanghai Express, 1932.

And then there's Adrian. Here's a wonderful Adrian suit  from his 1943 collection, worn with a veiled top hat.  Fabulous!

In case you want to add veiling to your own hat, check out the Russian veiling carried by

the Online Fabric Store