Blog Hey Wicker Girl: A Collector’s Guide to Vintage Hair Accessories

The phrase "Hey Wicker Girl" might sound like a forgotten line from a 1960s folk song, or perhaps a nickname for a woman clutching a picnic basket on a train platform. But in the small, passionate world of vintage hair accessory collectors, it refers to something far more specific: the woven, sculptural, often surprisingly modern-looking hairpieces made from natural wicker, rattan, and straw that emerged in British fashion between the late 1930s and the early 1960s. These are not the stiff, scratchy souvenirs sold at seaside gift shops. The true wicker hair comb or barrette from this era is a feat of lightweight engineering, a piece of wearable basketry that holds hair securely while looking like a delicate artifact from a sun-drenched summer that never quite ends.

I first encountered a genuine wicker hair comb at a small antiques fair in Suffolk. It was pinned to a piece of faded velvet on a dealer's table, unassuming among glittering celluloid and Bakelite pieces. The comb was a warm honey colour, its weave so fine that light passed through the gaps like light through a cane chair. The dealer, a woman in her eighties who had inherited the stock from her mother's haberdashery in Ipswich, called it a "garden party comb." She explained that women would buy these for summer weddings and race days, pairing them with straw hats or wearing them alone in updos that showed off the intricate pattern. That comb cost me twelve pounds. It remains one of the most structurally perfect pieces in my collection.

What Exactly Is a Wicker Hair Accessory?

Let us be precise: wicker in the context of hair accessories is not a single material but a technique. True wicker hairpieces are made by weaving pliable organic materials—usually willow, rattan core, or carefully prepared straw—around a rigid frame, often a metal or horn comb base. The result is a structure that is simultaneously flexible and strong. Unlike carved wood or moulded plastic, wicker breathes. It does not trap heat against the scalp, which made it especially popular for summer events and warmer climates within the British Isles.

There were three main types of wicker hair accessories produced in Britain during the mid-twentieth century:

• The full wicker comb — A comb where the entire decorative top is woven from wicker, often in geometric or floral patterns. The teeth are usually cut from the same piece of horn or early plastic, with the wickerwork glued and stitched onto the top edge.
• The wicker barrette — A hinged clip covered in woven wicker, sometimes with a small decorative element like a dried flower or a tiny velvet bow sewn into the weave. These were marketed as "country casual" accessories.
• The wicker hair slide — A flat, elongated piece of woven wicker with a metal or tortoiseshell clip on the back. These were designed to be slid horizontally into a French roll or chignon, and they are notoriously difficult to find intact because the wicker frays where it meets the metal.

The golden age for these accessories was roughly 1937 to 1962. Before the war, wicker was considered a novelty material, often seen at garden parties and charity fetes. During the war years, when metal and plastic were rationed, wicker experienced a quiet renaissance. Cottage industries in rural counties like Somerset and Norfolk began producing hand-woven hair combs from locally sourced willow, selling them through village markets and small advertisements in women's magazines. After the war, the style persisted into the early 1960s, when it was gradually displaced by the shiny, sculptural plastics of the Pop era.

Why Wicker Matters in British Fashion History

The story of wicker hair accessories is not merely a footnote in the larger narrative of British millinery and hair ornament. It represents a distinct moment when rural craft traditions intersected with mainstream fashion. The women who wore wicker combs were not necessarily bohemians or eccentrics. They were secretaries, teachers, housewives, and shop assistants who wanted something pretty and practical for a summer outing. Wicker offered a way to participate in the trend for natural, textured accessories without the expense of real tortoiseshell or the fragility of early plastics.

There is also a quiet environmental story here, one that resonates strongly with contemporary readers. Wicker accessories were biodegradable, made from renewable materials, and often produced by local craftspeople. They were not designed to be disposable. A well-made wicker comb could last decades if stored properly—and many have. This is a far cry from the fast-fashion hair accessories of today, where a plastic claw clip might break after three uses and end up in a landfill for centuries.

How to Identify a Genuine Vintage Wicker Piece

If you are new to collecting wicker hair accessories, the market is small but rewarding. Here are the key markers to look for:

• Weight. Genuine wicker is surprisingly light. If a piece feels heavy or clunky, it may be a modern imitation made from resin or painted plastic.
• Smell. Old wicker has a faint, sweet, hay-like scent. It is subtle but unmistakable once you know it. Avoid pieces that smell musty or of chemical preservatives.
• Weave consistency. Hand-woven pieces will have slight irregularities—a gap here, a slightly thicker strand there. Machine-made modern versions are unnaturally uniform.
• The base. Look for a comb or clip made of horn, early cellulose acetate, or metal. If the base is shiny modern plastic, the wicker top is likely a reproduction.

One of the best ways to train your eye is to spend time with museum collections and well-documented archives. I often return to the visual records in Today in Pictures: A Visual Journey Through Vintage Hair Accessories, which includes several clear photographs of wicker pieces from the late 1940s. Seeing the way light falls on the woven surface in those images taught me more than any written description could.

Caring for Wicker Hair Accessories

Wicker is durable but not indestructible. The greatest enemies are moisture, direct sunlight, and rough handling. Here is a practical care routine that has served my collection well:

• Dust regularly. Use a soft, dry paintbrush or a gentle stream of compressed air to remove dust from the crevices of the weave. Never use water or cleaning solutions.
• Store flat. Wicker combs should be stored lying flat in a drawer or box, not hanging. Gravity can slowly distort the weave over decades.
• Control humidity. Aim for a stable environment around 50% relative humidity. Too dry, and the wicker becomes brittle; too damp, and it can mould. A small silica gel pack in the storage box helps.
• Handle by the base. When picking up a wicker comb, hold it by the solid base or the teeth, not by the woven top. The weave is strong but can be pulled loose if stressed.

If a piece of wicker does break, resist the urge to glue it immediately. The repair of wicker is a specialised skill. A poor glue job can ruin the value and appearance of a piece far more than a small missing strand. Instead, consult a conservator who works with natural fibres. There are still a handful of craftspeople in the UK who understand traditional wicker techniques.

Styling a Wicker Comb Today

The beauty of wicker hair accessories is that they do not look costume-like. They read as texture, not as a period costume. A honey-coloured wicker comb worn in a low bun with a cream linen dress and leather sandals looks entirely contemporary. The key is to let the accessory breathe—do not overwhelm it with competing patterns or shiny jewellery. Wicker pairs beautifully with matte textures: cotton, linen, wool, suede. It also works surprisingly well with modern minimalist clothing, providing a single organic focal point in an otherwise clean outfit.

For those who want to explore the broader context of how such pieces fit into a wardrobe, the article The Quiet Elegance of a 1950s Dress Comb: History, Styling, and Care offers thoughtful guidance on integrating mid-century hair accessories into daily dressing without looking like you are wearing a costume.

Where to Find Wicker Hair Accessories

These pieces are not common, but they are not impossible to find. The best hunting grounds are:

• Vintage haberdashery stock. Look for old shop stock that never sold. These are often still in original packaging, which also protects the wicker.
• Rural antiques fairs. Particularly in East Anglia, the West Country, and the Scottish Borders, where local craft traditions were strongest.
• Estate sales. When the contents of an older home are sold, dresser drawers sometimes yield forgotten hair accessories wrapped in tissue paper.
• Online auctions. Search for terms like "wicker hair comb," "straw hair slide," and "woven hair ornament." Be patient and study the photographs carefully.

Prices vary widely. A common 1950s wicker barrette in good condition might sell for £15 to £30. A rare, hand-woven piece with an unusual pattern or a known maker's mark can reach £80 or more. Condition is everything: intact weave, no major fraying, and a functional clip or comb base command the highest prices.

The quiet, unflashy nature of wicker hair accessories means they often go unnoticed by casual collectors. That is precisely their charm. They reward the patient eye, the person who stops to look closely at a small woven thing on a dusty table. When you find one, you are not just buying an accessory. You are holding a piece of a slower, more careful kind of making—a strand of willow that someone twisted into beauty on a summer afternoon decades ago, expecting nothing more than that it might make someone's hair look lovely for an afternoon.