Victorian Hats of 19th-century Women in Science

There are few photographs of Mary Elizabeth Banning, the 19th-century lady naturalist "mother of Maryland mycology," and my #cosplay Victorian natural history muse for the month of September. I was excited to wear a hat (such as the one above) on a mushroom foray.

But in the only photograph I have of her, Banning is hatless, which is a surprise given her dates 1822 to 1903 -- the high years of Victorian hats!  [The history of women's hats.]

My hair will not do (whatever crimping middle-part her hair is doing) so I need a 19th-century hat or a linen or lace cap. Something. A doily.

I can boss neckerchief tho.

I'm researching 1860s Hats and Head Ware images on Pinterest. There are a lot of people at the hats party. You'd think the Victorian hat and 19th-century bonnet would have already made a comeback based on how many people are pinning hats. Let's bring hats back.

Some favorites include:

By sheer force of will is this hat not falling off.

It's a ca. 1865, straw, silk, and cotton problem solver.

I can totally Mary Elizabeth Banning in this. Okay, fine, this.
As far as white lace head-coverings go for mushroom foraging it's sensible.

Maybe in her dotage Mary Elizabeth kicked up her heels and went Gibson girl? Let's say yes.

P.S. There's that 19th-century naturalist shawl again! 

Photo credits:

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/169914?rpp=20&pg=2&rndkey=20140414&ao=on&ft=*&what=Bonnets&pos=32

https://my.apsnet.org/ItemDetail?iProductCode=43597

http://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/156141