I had so much fun taking a thrifted straw hat and turning it into a Regency bonnet, and today i’m going to show you how I did it! When Birdie was explaining to me what elements she wanted for her Elizabeth Bennet costume, one of the key items she was keen on was a Regency bonnet. After a lot of research I decided that a straw bonnet was going to be a least work and easiest for me to replicate – plus I just think they are the prettiest.
As per usual with my Birdie, she decided on her Bookweek costume well in advance which gave me plenty of time to prep. I had been on a hunt for the perfect straw hat from an Op shop/Thrift store, but just hadn’t found what I wanted. So when my eldest Bunny told me her and her friends had planned a full day of Op shopping/Thrifting, complete with multiple stores being hit, I asked her to please keep an eye out for me.
Bunny really came through with this straw hat with the perfect shape, and for only $4 which really sweetened the deal. I cut down the brim, used some premade bias binding for the raw edges, and finished with some floral ribbon. For a full details on how to make a bonnet like this from a straw hat, check out my video on Youtube:
I had so much fun making this Regency bonnet for Birdie! It was challenging in a satisfying way, but also really achievable. I’m glad I got give to give it try and that she loves it so much! Any questions on how I made this bonnet let me know in the comments.
