In 1832 a machine was invented in America which could mass-produce the pins, and they became much more affordable. During the 1880s, bonnets gave way to hats, and the popularity of hatpins soared. They remained a standard women's accessory through the 1910s and were produced in a vast range of materials and types.

When were long hat pins used?

Collectors Weekly: Where did hatpins originate? Lenocker: They think around the 1850s. Women, especially in the summertime, would wear those straw hats, and they started using pins to help secure the hat. As styles changed and the hats changed, the pins became longer and more ornate.

Are hatpins illegal?

The uniquely feminine weapon did not sit too well with men used to submissive ladies, so beginning in 1908, they began passing laws limiting the length of hatpins, usually to no more than 7-9 inches. ... Yes, policemen would actually stop women to inspect their hats for illegal hatpins.