The Irresistible Charm of the 1920s Cloche

There is something wonderfully irresistible about the Roaring Twenties.

Picture the glow of chandeliers, the lively rhythm of jazz, shimmering dresses moving across a crowded dance floor, and women discovering exciting new ways to express themselves through fashion. It was an era that celebrated change, confidence, and a little bit of daring.

And perhaps no fashion accessory captured that spirit quite like the cloche hat.

With its graceful bell-shaped silhouette and close-fitting brim, the cloche became one of the most recognizable fashions of the 1920s. Nearly a century later, it still has the ability to make a woman feel as though she has stepped into another time.

The Little Hat That Made a Big Fashion Statement

The word cloche comes from the French word for “bell,” a perfect description of the hat’s distinctive shape.

Worn low on the head and often framing the eyes, the cloche beautifully complemented the fashionable bobbed hairstyles of the Jazz Age. Some were elegantly simple. Others were embellished with ribbons, flowers, feathers, beads, or other decorative details.

But the cloche was more than a pretty hat.

Its sleek new shape belonged to a changing world. Women were embracing shorter hairstyles, freer silhouettes, and fashions that looked very different from what their mothers and grandmothers wore.

Putting on a cloche could make a woman look—and perhaps feel—thoroughly modern.

The Enduring Romance of The Great Gatsby

Few stories have kept our fascination with the Jazz Age alive quite like F. Scott Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby.

Published in 1925 and set during the summer of 1922, the novel transports us into a world of enormous parties, beautiful clothes, wealth, ambition, romance, and excess.

It is not a complete portrait of life in the 1920s, of course, but Fitzgerald created such a vivid picture of his particular corner of the Jazz Age that generations of readers have continued to imagine themselves there.

Perhaps that is part of the fun.

Who hasn’t wondered what it would be like to arrive at an elegant garden party or glittering evening celebration dressed as though you had just stepped out of Gatsby’s world?

And naturally, you would need the right hat.

When Hollywood Brought the Jazz Age to Life Again

Baz Luhrmann’s 2013 film adaptation of The Great Gatsby introduced the glamour of the era to a whole new generation.

The lavish sets, Art Deco details, sparkling gowns, jewelry, headpieces, and hats turned the film into a feast for anyone who loves vintage fashion. Suddenly, Gatsby-inspired weddings, parties, teas, and special events were everywhere. And the cloche was ready for its encore.

There is something especially appealing about seeing a beautiful historical fashion rediscovered. A style created nearly a century ago can suddenly feel fresh again—not because we are trying to recreate the past perfectly, but because we are borrowing a little of its beauty.

You Don’t Need a Time Machine—Just the Right Hat

That may be my favorite thing about vintage-inspired fashion. You don't have to dress from head to toe as though it were 1925 to enjoy wearing a cloche. Pair one with a beaded or fringed dress for a Gatsby-themed celebration. Wear one with an elegant dress and gloves for afternoon tea. Choose a romantic design for a wedding, garden party, theatrical event, or vintage gathering. Or do something even more fun. Wear your cloche with contemporary clothing and let the hat be the unexpected touch that makes the outfit memorable. A beautiful hat has always had that kind of power.

A Little Roaring Twenties Glamour from East Angel Harbor

Meet Mademoiselle Amélie

One of the things I love most about designing a cloche is taking that unmistakable 1920s silhouette and imagining how it might be worn by a woman today.

Mademoiselle Amélie is one of my one-of-a-kind designs, created in a fresh aqua shade with softly draped fabric, white flowers, and delicate feathers. Although her inspiration reaches back to the Jazz Age, I designed her for today's special moments—a spring wedding, Easter Sunday, afternoon tea, a garden party, or simply an occasion that calls for a beautiful hat.

Perhaps that's what I love most about the cloche. More than a century after women first fell in love with its graceful silhouette, it doesn't have to feel like a costume or something belonging only to the past. A beautiful cloche can still make a woman feel wonderfully elegant today. When I create a flapper-inspired hat for East Angel Harbor Hats, I’m not interested in simply copying something from the past.

I want to capture the era’s feeling: The romance. The elegance. The confidence. And, perhaps most importantly, the sheer fun of putting on a beautiful hat and seeing yourself differently for a moment. Silks, Ribbons, feathers, flowers, lace, and carefully chosen embellishments can transform the simple cloche silhouette into something wonderfully individual. That is one of the reasons I love creating one-of-a-kind hats: the details give each design its own personality. And eventually, the right hat finds the woman who gives it a story of its own.

Create Your Own Gatsby Moment

Maybe your Roaring Twenties moment will happen at a glamorous themed party. Maybe it will be at a wedding, an afternoon tea, a vintage event, or a special dinner. Or perhaps it will simply happen one afternoon when you put on a beautiful cloche, look in the mirror, smile, and decide that an ordinary day could use a little more glamour. Fashion should sometimes be practical. But every once in a while, it should also be fun. So tilt that cloche just so. Add the gloves if you like. And if you hear a little jazz playing somewhere in your imagination? So be it…enjoy!

If the romance of the Jazz Age has captured your imagination too, you’re invited to browse: 1920s-inspired cloche hats and designs at East Angel Harbor.