A bergère (French for

shepherdess A shepherd or sheepherder is a person who tends, herds, feeds, or guards flocks of sheep. ''Shepherd'' derives from Old English ''sceaphierde (''sceap'' 'sheep' + ''hierde'' 'herder'). ''Shepherding is one of the world's oldest occupations, i ...

) hat is a flat-brimmed straw hat with a shallow crown, usually trimmed with ribbon and flowers. It could be worn in various ways with the brim folded back or turned up or down at whim. It is also sometimes called a milkmaid hat. It was widely worn in the mid-18th century, and versions may be seen in many

British British may refer to: Peoples, culture, and language * British people, nationals or natives of the United Kingdom, British Overseas Territories, and Crown Dependencies. ** Britishness, the British identity and common culture * British English, ...

and French paintings of the period, such as ''The Swing'' by Fragonard, and in portraits by

Thomas Gainsborough Thomas Gainsborough (14 May 1727 (baptised) – 2 August 1788) was an English portrait and landscape painter, draughtsman, and printmaker. Along with his rival Sir Joshua Reynolds, he is considered one of the most important British artists of ...

and Johann Zoffany, amongst others. It has been suggested that the hat was named after Madame Bergeret, who is holding a shepherdess-style hat in a Boucher portrait painted c.1766. A nineteenth century version of the bergère hat formed part of the Dolly Varden ensembles popular in the early 1870s, as summed up in Alfred Lee's

novelty song A novelty song is a type of song built upon some form of novel concept, such as a gimmick, a piece of humor, or a sample of popular culture. Novelty songs partially overlap with comedy songs, which are more explicitly based on humor, and wit ...

''Dolly Varden'' (published

Cleveland Cleveland ( ), officially the City of Cleveland, is a city in the U.S. state of Ohio and the county seat of Cuyahoga County. Located in the northeastern part of the state, it is situated along the southern shore of Lake Erie, across the U.S. ...

, 1872) which contains the lyrics: ''Have you seen my little girl? She doesn’t wear a bonnet/ She’s got a monstrous flip-flop hat with cherry ribbons on it.''Scans of two 1872 Dolly Varden themed music sheets
. dickensandshowbiz.com Retrieved 26 November 2011. File:Boucher - Bergeret NGA.jpg, Madame Bergeret holding a bergère hat, c.1766. Painted by François Boucher File:Detail of bergere hat from Boucher - Bergeret NGA.jpg, Detail of the bergère hat from Boucher's portrait of Madame Bergeret File:Woman's Bergere LACMA M.82.8.8 (1 of 2).jpg, Bergère hat, embroidered tulle over silk and straw. Aerial view of outside. 1750s. File:Woman's Bergere LACMA M.82.8.8 (2 of 2).jpg, Bergère hat, embroidered tulle over silk and straw. Aerial view of underside. 1750s.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Bergere hat 18th-century fashion Hats History of clothing (Western fashion)

See also

References