The cloche is the hat of the 1920s. Invented in Paris in 1908 by the milliner Caroline Reboux — cloche is simply the French word for bell — it went on to dominate women's fashion from roughly 1922 to 1933, and it's still what you picture when you picture the decade. The defining detail was how low it was worn: pulled down to the brow, almost grazing the eyebrows.
The Luster Velvet Cloche Hat is that shape, in velvet.
Why You'll Love It:
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A True Cloche Silhouette: Six panels form a bell crown that narrows toward the top, finished with a brim rolled upward rather than hanging flat. It sits low and close to the head, so your face is framed by the brim rather than shaded by it.
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Set It Once, Adjustable Fit: Reboux blocked each cloche directly onto her customer's head, and most cloches sold today are still a single fixed size — which is why they tend to either pinch or slide down over your eyes. A hook-and-loop strap hidden inside the sweatband sets the fit anywhere from 54 to 57 cm (21.3"–22.4") and holds it there.
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Velvet Outside, Satin-Finish Lining Inside: High-density luster velvet catches light on the surface. Inside, a smooth satin-finish lining glides over hair instead of gripping it — and because the crown is a structured bell rather than stretch fabric, it rests around your hair rather than compressing it the way a beanie does.
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Folds and Recovers: The 14% spandex in the face fabric is a high proportion for a hat. It's what lets the crown fold into a bag and come back out with its shape intact.
Specifications
| Head circumference |
54–57 cm (21.3"–22.4"), adjustable |
| Adjustment |
Internal hook-and-loop strap, set once and holds |
| Crown height |
10 cm (3.9") |
| Brim |
7 cm of fabric, rolled upward — about 5.5 cm (2.2") effective |
| Overall diameter |
29 cm (11.4") |
| Weight |
103 g (3.6 oz) |
| Construction |
6-panel bell crown, rolled brim |
| Main fabric |
86% polyester, 14% spandex |
| Lining |
100% polyester, satin finish |
| Sweatband |
100% polyester |
| Colors |
Black, Gray, Brown |
| Care |
Spot clean only |
Cloche, Bucket Hat or Beanie?
You may have found this searching for a velvet bucket hat, and it will show up there. It isn't one — the shapes are genuinely different, and which one you want depends on the look you're after.
| Feature |
Hikesity Velvet Cloche |
Bucket Hat |
Beanie |
| Crown |
Bell-shaped, narrows upward |
Straight-sided, flares down |
No structure, follows the head |
| Brim |
Rolled upward, about 5.5 cm |
Flat, even width all round |
None |
| How it's worn |
Low, close to the brow |
Level, casual |
Pulled down over the ears |
| Dress code |
Smart-casual to dressy |
Casual |
Casual |
| Hair |
Satin-finish lining, doesn't grip |
Varies by lining |
Compresses and flattens |
| Fit |
Hook-and-loop, 54–57 cm |
Usually fixed or drawstring |
Stretch, one tension |
| Reference point |
1920s Art Deco |
1960s fishing, 1990s streetwear |
Workwear |
Short version: if you want the relaxed streetwear shape, this is the wrong hat. If you want something closer to Art Deco than to a festival, it's the right one.
Product FAQ
Q: Is this a cloche hat or a bucket hat?
A: A cloche. The two get confused because both have a full crown and a downward brim, but the shapes differ: a bucket hat has straight sides and a flat brim of even width all the way round, while a cloche has a bell-shaped crown that narrows toward the top and, here, a brim rolled upward. The cloche is the 1920s silhouette; the bucket hat comes from 1960s fishing gear by way of 1990s streetwear. If you want the relaxed streetwear shape, this isn't it.
Q: What size is it and will it fit me?
A: It adjusts from 54 to 57 cm (21.3"–22.4") using a hook-and-loop strap inside the sweatband. To measure, run a soft tape around your head just above the eyebrows and ears. Worth knowing: this runs slightly smaller than our Luster Velvet Sculptural Beret, which goes to 58 cm — so if you measure 57 or above, the beret is the safer choice of the two.
Q: How is a cloche supposed to be worn?
A: Low. That was the whole point of it in the 1920s — pulled down to the brow, close to the head, near enough to graze the eyebrows. Worn high and level it loses the silhouette and just looks like a hat that doesn't fit. Set the inner band snug, seat it on the forehead first, then settle it back.
Q: Does it cover my ears?
A: It sits low enough to come down over the tops of the ears. It's a fashion hat rather than an insulated one, so it isn't a substitute for proper cold-weather gear, but it covers considerably more of the head than a beret does.
Q: Is velvet warm enough for winter?
A: For cool city conditions, yes — the dense velvet pile blocks wind, and the crown is 10 cm deep so it covers more than a beret. It has no insulation or padding, so in genuinely cold weather layer it over ear warmers.
Q: Will it flatten my hair?
A: The lining is a smooth satin-finish polyester rather than a rough interior seam, so it glides over hair instead of gripping it. And because the crown is a structured bell rather than stretch fabric, it rests around your hair rather than compressing it the way a beanie does.
Q: How wide is the brim?
A: About 5.5 cm (2.2") of visible brim. It's cut from 7 cm of fabric and rolled upward, which is what gives the edge its curl and its body. It's a short brim by design — the cloche is a close silhouette, not a sun hat.
Q: Why does the black look different in different photos?
A: That's the velvet pile. Brushed one way it reads deep matte black; brushed the other it catches light and looks almost satin. It's the same fabric and the same dye, and you'll see both on your own hat depending on the light. Brushing the pile in one direction evens it out.
Q: How do I clean a velvet hat?
A: Spot clean only. A lint roller handles everyday lint and pet hair — dense dark velvet does show lint. For a mark, dab rather than rub with a barely damp cloth and air dry away from direct heat. If the pile looks flattened, brush gently in one direction with a soft clothes brush. Don't machine wash or wring it; that breaks the rolled brim and the crown shape.
Prefer Something Lighter?
The Luster Velvet Sculptural Beret uses the same velvet in the same three colors. The beret sits on top of the head and leaves the ears and hairline open; the cloche comes down over them. Together they make the Luster Velvet set.
