As many of you know we have been exhibiting at various wedding fairs recently and quite a few times now I have been asked a question which I haven’t known the answer to – being “why are fascinators called fascinators..?” So I decided I should really know the answer and looked into it. For all you ladies who asked- here’s what I found!
The noun fascinator has long had an association with headgear and in the 19th and early 20th centuries a fascinator referred to a lightweight knitted or crocheted headscarf as evidenced in various novels of that time. It seems that the word comes from the latin “fascinatus” meaning “to bewitch, or cast a spell on”. The English language verb “to fascinate” means “to attract and hold attentively by a unique power, personal charm, unusual nature, or some other special quality; enthrall”, “to arouse the interest or curiosity of; allure. “ or “ to transfix or deprive of the power of resistance, as through terror”.
As this was chosen to be appropriate for the headpieces worn by ladies, clearly we cannot fail to impress when we do wear one – so what are you waiting for? Whether you have a wedding to attend as a bride, a wedding guest, mother of the bride, bridesmaid, perhaps you have a day at the races coming up, a hen weekend, a dinner dance, a ball, a party – whatever the occasion, a fascinator will complete your outfit and “enthrall, allure and transfix” those around you!!
Remember that we make many bespoke pieces so just get in touch, send us details and photos of your outfit and we can create a piece to suit you perfectly.
Below you’ll find some examples of our bridal fascinators, non-bridal fascinators and non-bridal birdcage veils that you can choose from or to inspire your own design.
We look forward to hearing from you and creating something for you!
Araballa Bridal x
