Vera Whistler hat with pearl hat pins belonging to Etta Moten Barnett

Source catalog description

This description refers to material held by Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture. Visual details below describe the original material.

This is a woven straw turban style hat (a) with two pearl hat pins (b,c). The hat (a) is made of woven black straw in a turban style. It has a faux wrap-around flap that accented with two identical hat pins. Each hat pin (b,c) is topped off by a large white faux pearl finial. Under the large pearl is a band of small rhinestones, followed by a smaller pearl. On the inside of the hat is a black grosgrain sweatband. Sewn into the sweatband is a white fabric label with black text that reads “VERA WHISTLER / ORIGINAL.” The interior of the hat is lined in black netting.

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