Women had battleships built into their hair.

Illustration of the Belle Poule ship hairstyle
Credit: © Patrick Guenette/Alamy
Author Nicole Villeneuve
October 6, 2026

Love it?

What do you do when your country wins a naval battle? In 18th-century France, you apparently wore a ship on your head. In 1778, the French warship Belle Poule battled the British Arethusa, and the French victory inspired the rather unusual fashion statement of constructing a miniature version of the victorious vessel atop one’s head. 

The coiffure à la Belle Poule, or Belle Poule hairstyle, featured ship designs complete with masts and sails placed on top of the towering, powdered hairstyle that was popular among the French court and elite. French Queen Marie Antoinette reportedly had her hairdresser Léonard Autié and headdress maker Rose Bertin create an elaborate version of the warship in her hair; after the queen appeared with the statement piece at a ball, the style was reportedly copied more widely. 

The nautical theme also extended to more conventional fashion, with French women wearing maritime-inspired hats and clothing. Hairstyles, meanwhile, were inspired not only by naval victories, but also by other current events such as the Montgolfier brothers’ 1783 hot-air balloon experiments. The most elaborate styles remained largely upper-class attire, but fashion plates and etchings helped preserve a record of these increasingly outrageous creations and trends.

By the Numbers

Did you know?

The queen of England was once called the “talking hat.”

For a few minutes in May 1991, Queen Elizabeth II appeared as little more than a hat on television. During a ceremony hosted by U.S. President George H.W. Bush, a lectern had been prepared for the (considerably taller) president. When Elizabeth, who stood about 5 feet, 4 inches, stepped up to speak, the microphones blocked most of her face, leaving her large purple hat bobbing above the podium. The press quickly dubbed her the “talking hat.” The next day, the queen quipped to Congress, “I do hope you can see me today.” Protocol chief Joseph Verner Reed, who was responsible for the mix-up, later joked that “talking hat” would someday be in his obituary.

x