I always felt I was an international milliner, not British, not European, not American, but if I had to put myself in an ideal place, it would be somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic. That's why this book for me is so extraordinarily attractive and informative. If you want detail, if you want accuracy, read this book. Nadine Stewart tells the story of American millinery and its relationship to the rest of the world with extraordinary flair, insight and knowledge.

Stephen Jones, Chairman of the British Hat Guild, UK

Hats have long been a glamorous fashion necessity; yet, the history of the American milliner remains woefully understudied. Nadine Stewart's rich, sweeping publication fills this void by illuminating the hatmaker's world, and the tumultuous cultural, sociological, and economic influences that shaped their struggles and their products.

Patricia Mears, The Museum at FIT, USA

This highly informative book provides a detailed delve into the social history behind the millinery industry and milliners in the United States from the eighteenth to the twentieth century ... this book is an excellent read for either an academic or keen amateur with an interest in millinery and social history during the nineteenth and twentieth century in America.

The Journal of Dress History

This absorbing social history delves into the feminine world of milliners - notoriously underpaid and exploited - and the ambitious entrepreneurs, immigrants, retailers, and reformers who shaped the industry. 'Hats tell stories,' asserted milliner Sally Victor; Stewart aptly ensures the colorful story of their makers is also told.

Kristina Haugland, Philadelphia Museum of Art, USA