Poke bonnet

An item at Metropolitan Museum of Art

Because of its inherent fragility, the intricate fancy weave worked on this bonnet is rare, as examples like this usually do not survive. The striking color and design of the straw added an additional decorative touch to the bows, corsages, and ruffles that would have originally decorated the bonnet.

The Costume Institute

An exhibit at Metropolitan Museum of Art

The Costume Institute's collection of more than thirty-three thousand objects represents seven centuries of fashionable dress and accessories for men, women, and children, from the fifteenth century to the present.

Metropolitan Museum of Art