In the 21st century, self-defense classes and products make up a multi-billion-dollar industry. But what tools have American women used to defend themselves from potential harassers or robbers? This exhibit chronicles some accessories that were more than a fashion statement. For hundreds of years, American women have used hat pins, hair pins, and umbrellas for self-defense. While many fashion designers did not have been originally design these accessories for self-defense, some women purposely selected hair and hat pins with sharp ends that they could use as makeshift daggers. Other women sought out umbrellas or parasols that had thick, baton-like handles made of bone, wood, or metal. The specific items in this exhibit may or may not have been used for these self-defense purposes. However, their sturdy construction and fashionable aesthetics demonstrate the form and function that many women sought for their self-defense fashions.