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Worn for occasions such as teas or church, this dramatic faux-fur zebra hat was worn low in the back and accentuated by a rolled brim with scalloped edges bound in black. Throughout the 1950s, the hat was an essential element of women's fashion - it often dictated accompanying apparel and influenced clothing styles. As the decade progressed, however, hats and other accessories started to follow, not set, fashion trends. The source of inspiration for clothing design shifted dramatically at the end of the 1950s, marked by a growing influence of casual styles and the changing values of a young generation.