ela ▁hat ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁" half - gi ps y ▁hat " ▁being ▁made ▁of ▁co arse ▁st raw ▁with ▁rib bon ▁trim ming , ▁while ▁the ▁Pam ela ▁bon net ▁s loped ▁backwards ▁to ▁reve al ▁the ▁wear er ' s ▁ring lets . ▁The ▁Pam ela ▁bon net , ▁which ▁was ▁narrow - br im med ▁with ▁a ▁flat ▁back ▁and ▁trim med ▁with ▁rib b ons ▁and ▁flowers , ▁was ▁fashion able ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 8 4 0 s ▁and ▁ 1 8 5 0 s . ▁By ▁ 1 8 4 7 ▁C unning ton ▁noted ▁that ▁the ▁Pam ela ▁shape ▁was ▁falling ▁out ▁of ▁favour . ▁ ▁In ▁May ▁ 1 8 5 6 ▁G ode y ' s ▁Lady ' s ▁Book ▁described ▁the ▁Pam ela ▁hat ▁as ▁a ▁wide - br im med , ▁flat ▁hat ▁of ▁st raw ▁tied ▁under ▁the ▁ch in ▁and ▁trim med ▁with ▁flowers . ▁It ▁was ▁described ▁as ▁a ▁suitable ▁hat ▁for ▁little ▁girls . ▁In ▁March ▁that ▁same ▁year , ▁G ode y ▁described ▁the ▁Pam ela ▁bon net ▁as ▁the ▁latest ▁Paris ▁fashion , ▁made ▁popular ▁by ▁a ▁mill iner ▁called ▁Alex anche , ▁and ▁published ▁a ▁fashion ▁plate ▁showing ▁how ▁the ▁br im ▁rounded ▁off ▁at ▁the ▁ear ▁like ▁a ▁gi ps y ▁hat . ▁By ▁ 1 8 5 8 , ▁G ode y ' s ▁were ▁advis ing ▁readers ▁that ▁the ▁Pam ela ▁hat ▁was ▁appropriate ▁only ▁for ▁children , ▁or ▁for