Definition

1. Noun:
   • A woman's dressy hat with a wide brim: A "picture hat" is a type of elegant, often elaborate, women's hat characterized by a very wide brim. It is typically worn for formal or special occasions.

Usage

• The term is used to describe a specific, fashionable style of headwear. It is a compound noun where "picture" suggests the hat is striking or picturesque, suitable for being in a portrait or formal photograph.

Examples

• Noun:
  • She looked stunning in her white dress and matching picture hat.
  • For the garden party, many of the guests wore beautiful picture hats decorated with flowers and ribbons.

Advanced Usage

• The term often evokes imagery of historical fashion, particularly from the late 19th and early 20th centuries, or of formal events like weddings, horse races, or high-society gatherings.
  • Her attire, complete with a lace picture hat, was reminiscent of Edwardian style.

Variants and Related Words

• Sun hat: A hat with a brim designed primarily for sun protection, often less dressy than a picture hat.
• Fascinator: A formal headpiece, often decorative and smaller than a hat, sometimes worn as an alternative.
• Wide-brimmed hat: A more general term for any hat with a broad brim.

Synonyms

• Cartwheel hat: A synonym emphasizing the hat's wide, flat, circular brim.
• Garden party hat: A descriptive term highlighting a typical occasion for wearing such a hat.

Antonyms / Contrasting Terms

• Cloche hat: A fitted, bell-shaped hat popular in the 1920s, with a very small brim.
• Beret: A soft, round, flat cap without a brim.
• Beanie: A close-fitting knitted cap.

Notes

• "Picture hat" is a fixed compound noun. Its meaning is specific and not deducible from simply combining the meanings of "picture" and "hat" independently. It refers exclusively to the style of hat described.

Noun

1. a woman's dressy hat with a wide brim