A fascinator is a formal headpiece and a style of millinery. It is a type of formal headwear worn as an alternative to a hat, usually a large decorative design. The term "fascinator" emerged towards the end of the late 20th century, possibly as a term for 1990s designs inspired by the small 1960s cocktail hats, which were designed to perch upon the highly coiffed hairstyles of the period. Today, a fascinator is worn on occasions where hats are customary, sometimes serving as an evening accessory, when it may be called a cocktail hat. Fascinators are frequently worn by women as a Christian headcovering during church services, especially weddings.
Fascinators are smaller and more decorated than hats, and they dont have a brim or a crown. They are generally attached to the head with a comb, wire, or clip. Fascinators are becoming very popular, especially among the younger population. Some people in the fashion industry even say that if a fascinator is over 4 inches wide, it is technically classified as a hat.
In the past, fascinators were lightweight hoods or scarves worn about the head and tied under the chin, typically knitted or crocheted. In the 18th and 19th centuries, a fascinator was an oblong head covering made of silk, lace, or net, or of fine yarn knitted or crocheted. The Irish hat designer Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones, another award-winning milliner, have popularized fascinator hats in the 80s, inspiring even royals to use them to top their outfits.
