1805-1815 ca. Bonnet. Olive brown stiffened, peaked brim, and lined with ivory satin to protect pale skin from sun.

Regency bonnets were made in a wide variety of shapes and sizes, and with elaborate decorations. This was a practical way of offsetting the minimalism popular in Regency Era fashions. During the early 1800s, most young ladies, and some older ones, wore white dresses in the relaxed styles of ancient Greece. This neoclassical movement saw women wearing Empire style, or high-waisted, gowns that were either straight sheaths or flowed from under the bust. The stiffened brim shielded the lady’s face from harmful sun rays, because it was considered essential for an upper class lady to have a pale white skin. The crown of this bonnet is lined with stiffened ivory linen and the brim is lined with ivory satin. For more about this gorgeous bonnet, see Vintage Textile :-  vintagetextile.com