National Hat Day January 15

Get your (vintage) hat on for National Hat Day

(By Norma Shephard the Hat Lady)

Norma has an extensive hat collection that she shares with the world. She maintains the mobile millinery museum and costume archive. Thank you Norma for this lovely post.

If there’s anything better for the winter blahs than a new hat, it’s a new-to-you vintage chapeau. And what better way to spend National Hat Day (Jan 15th) than browsing flea markets, thrift stores, and antique stalls for that perfect, albeit dusty perhaps, millinery specimen.

Whether you’re looking for something to wear —– the sky is the limit here, just look at all of the wild and crazy new hats people are sporting these days—or a collectible with designer caché, your search will be worth the effort. While second hand shops may not be exactly brimming with old hats, there are bound to be some interesting toppers stacked, tucked, or stashed in a corner somewhere. Be sure to use your imagination when flipping through these piles. A discarded hat that needs steaming or blocking, may not at first give away its Old Hollywood charm or 1960s chic, so try to imagine the piece in its former glory.

And whether your taste for texture runs to soft and sturdy beaver felt, or rough, nubby straw, enjoy the look and feel of materials that were used to produce the millinery treasures of long ago. Linger over the labels as well, enjoying the period graphics. Examine them closely for clues as to the history of the hats.  Is the piece in your hand a Paris Original?  Does the label bear the maker’s address or contact information? Some can be found with 5-digit phone numbers. Others have managed to retain their price tag and/or original hatbox.

If you are blessed with any psychic abilities, try to discern what type of person owned the hat. Where did she go in it? What did she wear it with? You’ll soon find yourself buried in nostalgia.

Most importantly, buy the hat. Bring it home, wear it, display it on your bureau, or in some way pay tribute to the imaginative and skilled milliners of long ago. That’s what National Hat Day is for.

Lastly, if you’re in the area on January 15th, I invite you to attend my Open House Millinery Exhibit  from 2 – 4 P.M. at Heritage Place, 4151 Kilmer Drive, Burlington, Ontario. This is a free event with ample free parking. Happy Hat Day,

Norma Shephard
www.thehatmuseum.org
nshephard@cogeco.ca

Tagged as: January 15, National Hat Day, Norma Shephard