Black in winter fashions probably meant that, hat or coat, it was your one good one. Fifty years later, Henry Ford capitalized on this tendency when he sold millions of American families their one good car. Black in summer fashions does indicate mourning. Don t use flowers or ribbons with glitter on them. Make the hat go with the dress or jacket.
Hats are fun to make.
And if you re the costumer, someone else has to wear them. Based on the experience of this report, my sincere advice for getting attractive Victorian hats is to make them. They should conform to the style expressed in paintings of the period showing people of the class and taste of the character intended. There are lots of pictures available, not just the three sampled here.