The Poster for the Upcoming Show

Hollywood Legacy

Millinery Guild of Southern California

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

At the Milliners by Degas

From Dover Publications

Degas Paintings and Drawings Platinum DVD and Book

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Spring 2011 Fashion Show

“Hollywood Legacy”

sponsored by Subaru

On October 15, 2010 The Millinery Guild of Southern California will present their Spring 2011 millinery collections titled “Hollywood Legacy” in conjunction with LA’s Fashion Week. The event will take place in the Millennium Biltmore’s Crystal Ballroom, site of the 1942 Oscars, starting at 7:00 PM.

“Hollywood Legacy” will feature members of the guild including Mondo Guerra who is a current contestant on Project Runway. Additional members showing include established Millinery designers Anita Hopkins, Louise Green, Ignatius Creegan,and up and coming designer Gladys Tamez. In addition, Sheryl Lee Ralph Tony award winning star of stage and screen will have a video tribute to honor Mrs. Eloise King – a master milliner who has been teaching designers the art of Couture Millinery for over 40 years in and around Los Angeles. She is also a valued teacher within the Los Angeles School District.

There will be a Silent Auction Prize of a Designer Gold Jewelry Piece by Antonella Pellegrini to support The Diva Foundation.  In addition, All guests will be encouraged to test drive a Subaru Legacy at a participating Southern California Subaru Dealer with a $50 donation for each test drive going to The Diva Foundation (up to a maximum of $5,000). In addition, a $500 donation will be made for any guest that purchases a new Subaru. Test drive and purchase donation program runs from October 15 through November 15. Special offer forms will be provided at the fashion show to all attendees.

The Millinery Guild of Southern California (http://millineryguildsocal.com) was founded in January of 2010 by S. “Montez” Murphy, who has designed hats for 20 years. The mission of the guild is to foster interest in hats, millinery and hat wearing. This is achieved through lectures, instructional workshops and a variety of classes in all aspects of traditional and contemporary millinery. The guild also sponsors charity events, sales and demonstrations that enable our members to enhance their skills and share their expertise through public sales and exhibits.

The Millinery Guild is proud to have Subaru as the presenting sponsor for this season’s show.  Subaru has a commitment to fostering strong relationships with local communities by recognizing non-profit organizations working to better their communities. The guild is honored to have Subaru as a partner as we look forward to featuring the 2011 Legacy during the show. The Legacy holds the highest crash test rating from the NHTSA (five out of five stars). Hats By Leko is another sponsor we are also very proud to have. Leko has been providing millinery businesses around the world with exceptional supplies and service.

Attendance is free but reservations are required at http://millineryguildsocal.com. There will be a Cash Bar. Parking is available at the hotel valet, hotel self parking or at Pershing Square.

For more information contact: Colleen Stanton, Austin Gray
Email: millineryguildsocal@gmail.com
Site: http://millineryguildsocal.com
Blog: http://themillineryguild.blogspot.com

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

How to Make a Smart Hat

Yesterday I went shopping at the Antique Market in Toronto. I am always looking for interesting material related to hats, albeit even remotely related. I found the September 1923 edition of Good Housekeeping on sale. What a joy for $5 Canadian!

There are great articles and advertisements in the Magazine. It takes one back to the Flapper Age and Prohibition Time in the USA. It is a great time capsule. One of the gems in this particular issue is an article on how to make your own hat:

Millinery Lesson: Making a Smart Hat of Velvet or Duvetyn
By Gaynell Ardell

I looked up the author on the Internet. It looks like this was a one time Millinery Lesson from this person – although there may be articles under another nom de plume. The good news is that the article is easily obtainable by you. Cornell University has scanned this Magazine and you can see it on line at this link. The article is on page 62 and continues on page 154. You can enlarge the size of print using the + sign. You can also print the article for your personal use using the “Print” button top left – you will have to print the two pages separately.

It is an interesting article and very reflective of its time.

Reuse and recycle were very in in those days. Despite our talk we are a wasteful disposable society. Instructions are even included on how to use the velvet from last year’s hat. It all starts from sprinkling magnesia on the velvet material!

The design is built around a buckram frame. If you cannot source one in your local Yellow Pages you can do an internet search for a mail order supplier. It looks like these frames are not expensive and are under $10.

Enjoy the article you will also find some other great Flapper Fashion in its pages – great stuff to browse.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Check out the Clothing Show

Image from Oh Dina

Will you be in Toronto next weekend? If you are in Toronto this weekend you might want to check out the Clothing Show.

The Clothing Show is Canada’s largest vintage and  independent designer show and has been in business for 30 years .

There will be over 300 booths to look at and there will be Runway Events over the course of the Show.

There will be a number of exhibitors with hats or other head wear for sale and display. These include:

Oh Dina (above)Late breaking UPDATE Oh Dina will not be at the show but please check out her site I will be profiling it some time in the future.

Ophelie Hats

Dialogue Headwear

Feathered

Headmistress Accessories

You will also be able to discover vendors offering vintage hats and I have found hat boxes there too in the past.

The Show is at the Better Living Centre, Exhibition Place, Toronto.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

The Pork Pie Hat and Buster Keaton

The Pork Pie Hat or Porkpie takes its name from a resemblance to a pie,  pork pie. Although the style is most known as a men’s hat it has also been worn by women as a basic shape. It is most often made with felt but can be made with straw. The crown is flat with an indentation all the way around as illustrated in the pictures of Buster Keaton above. The style is said to have originated in the Victorian Period.

The silent screen movie star Buster Keaton popularized the style and he made his own pork pie hats. He cut down Stetson Hats and modified them Find out how.

While you are on the Buster Keaton site find out more about him. If you are a fan you can watch many of his old silent movies for free on the Internet Archive Website. He wears his hats well but mostly porkpie hats. You can find an example here in his 1922 movie “Daydreams” . Look for more.

Here is a cartoon of Buster Keaton from Wikimedia Commons user RailRoadGun.

Pork Pie Hats in the British Navy

The lower ranks in British Navy wear a form of Pork pie hat.

The top of the crown is enlarged for effect and the brim is not as wide as the pork pie design. It has been referred to as a pork pie style but is also referred to as a square rigger. It seems like an inverted pork pie hat to me.

Here is a poster with an earlier version of the hat.

Wearers of Pork Pie Hats past and present

Jimmy “Popeye” Doyle (played by Gene Hackman) in the French Connection

Robert Oppenheimer father of the atomic bomb

Dean Martin was said to be partial to this style of hat.

Jazz Musicians are very fond of the style.

Pork Pie Hat Music

Charles Mingus “Goodbye Pork Pie Hat”

Check You Tube for various renditions of this music originally written for the saxaphone

Laurel Aitken “Give me back my porkpie hat”.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

A Love Story featuring two hats

Johnnie Fedora and Alice Bluebonnet is a Walt Disney Cartoon about two hats that fall in love in the window of a department store. It’s all set in the 1890s or early twentieth century. They dream of a hat box made for two and promise lifelong love.

Disaster strikes when Alice is bought for $23.94 (quite a lot of money circa 1900).

Johnnie becomes “gay” once more when he is bought (price unknown). When he is out he looks for Alice far and wide and briefly encounters her singing their song.

One day Johnnie is lost by his owner and gets into some seedy adventures. At one point he is picked up by a shady character and worn during a brawl in a bar. At this point he is desperately seeking Alice and goes back to the old department store haunt. Then ……………….

hey, nonny, nonny, a nice man found Johnnie
And he cut him to fit on his horse’s ears
‘Twas done without malice
For beside him was Alice
And they lived on for years and years

The moral of the story:

You Johnnie Fedoras, you Alice Bluebonnets
Whenever you find yourself blue
You’ll find it’s June in December
If you just remember that true love will come smiling through

Hats on horses were popular at one time here is a picture of one (you can buy reproductions of it on my Cafe Press store)

There are a number of bootleg posts of this cartoon on You Tube (apparently without sanction from Disney). You can get your own copy of the cartoon in the Make Mine Music 1946 movie and reissued in 1954 (it’s on DVD and a great item for kids today although a bit dated perhaps?). There were some very cute cartoons in this compilation.

The song was written by Ray Gilbert and Allie Wribel (copyright MCA). You can find the lyrics here.

The song was sung by the Andrews sisters in the Cartoon, they were very popular then. You can download the song from iTunes as well as a couple of other versions.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Hat Therapy from Chrissie King

I met a great British Milliner from Yorkshire England through Twitter. I make a lot of hatty contacts through Twitter and have a twitter list called Hat Fanatics. Please tweet me @darlasycamore if you are on twitter and want to be added to the list. I would of course appreciate if you follow me on twitter.

Chrissie has a shop in Hebden Bridge Yorkshire and has a website called Hat Therapy. She makes a variety of hats for all occasions. Some of her hats are in the photo gallery below. I also made a slide show of the photos and put them on my You Tube channel see below.

Although Chrissie is based in the UK she ships worldwide and hats can be made to order. Just look at the hats on her website for inspiration and give her a call to discuss your order.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfXPrfkpSdY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bfXPrfkpSdY

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Check out the Headwear Association (THA)

The Headwear Association in the USA is located in New York City and has been around since 1908, over one hundred years. Originally it was an industry fraternity association but the objectives have been broadened.

The mission today is to promote hat wearing and the headwear industry throughout the world and foster goodwill and fellowship among those engaged in the headwear industry.

Each year THA has a dinner that all can attend. The dinner is a great way to meet and greet your headwear comrades and learn some new things. .. everyone will be there – retailers, wholesalers, hat lovers, hat makers and anyone else who enjoys hat talk. It will be held in New York City this year on March 18.

There will be an awards ceremony,  Annual Hat Retailer of the Year will go to Martin Mann of Hats Plus in Chicago and the Ben Rosenthal Award will be awarded to S. H. Baik of Young An. The outgoing president of the THA, David Goldman will also be honored.

Recently THA started a Headwear Hall of Fame™ to recognize the positive influence of famous hat wearers – who routinely wear (wore)a hat in their daily life for fashion, fun or function (not in a role or performance). This year Brad Pitt was singled out as Hat Person of the Year. The inductees were Humphrey Bogart, Brad Pitt, Frank Sinatra, Sarah Jessica Parker, Audrey Hepburn, and Jennifer Lopez. More people will be added each year.

The Association is a leader in the promotion of hat wearing to protect against the harmful effects of the sun. THA also has Charity Event to distribute hats for the homeless. Last year 6,000 cold weather hats were donated.

An individual can join the Association for an annual fee of $25.

Read more about The Headwear Association on their website.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Urban Hat by Rene Falcon

www.youtube.com/watch?v=brOOvWkVOKA

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=brOOvWkVOKA

This video was filmed by me just before Christmas. I am learning how to do editing and this is an early production.

Please visit my friend Rene’s site at http://www.urbanhat.com

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

This post is a rebroadcast of an interview with Milliner Lisa Battaglia. Lisa has a very different (from the usual blocking approach) way of hat making which she describes on her site http://www.lisabattaglia.com as follows:

Lisa uses the traditional technique of free-form draping to create her hats. Using a wooden hat form, she drapes, twists and sculpts the material, and then hand stitches the folds to create her signature looks. Each piece is an intricate, beautiful work of art in and of itself. Most of Lisa’s hats can be worn several different ways to fit the occasion or match your mood.

Enjoy the Broadcast:

Please right click here to download the broadcast

(Choose the “Save Link As” option)

I continue to rebroadcast the interviews from last year to faciliate readers to hear them through iTunes on their iPods.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

This is a rebroadcast of my interview with Maria Curcic last November.

You can find out about Maria at her website Noimitation.com.

Please listen to the broadcast:

Right click to download the broadcast

I am very pleased to announce that my broadcasts have been accepted on iTunes so that people can download them on to their iPods. These rebroadcasts should add the old episodes to the playlist (with any luck). I will be rebroadcasting over the next few weeks and I also hope to add some brand new interviews over the same period.

Please be patient the broadcasts may take a day or so to appear at iTunes. I will shortly add a widget here so that you can subscribe to the Podcast (you will have to download iTunes first but it is a free application from Apple) but I will be testing first.

Please let me know if you want to be interviewed by sending me a note through the contact box. I may have been corresponding with you about a future interview and I will get back to you shortly. I fell behind over Christmas as I was not well at that time. Please enjoy.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

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

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Headwear industry is alive and well

Each year Hat Life recognizes a number of people and organizations who have made significant contributions to the world of hats during the year.

A website, blog, headwear designer, importer, supplier, manufacturer or retailer who made a worthwhile contribution to the headwear industry in 2009.

The process involved submitting a nomination of an individual to Hat Life and each nomination was carefully reviewed by volunteer judges.

The Award recipients are  included in Hat Life’s media campaign and profiled in the Hat Life Directory.

And, the Awards for 2009 went to…

Here is a list of the 2009 award recipients. You can click on the names to see the Hat Life blurb on each individual.

Alisa Horth

Cynthia Lee Surette

Denise Bromley

Ellen Christine

Felicity Faichney and Fenella Kerr

Jasmine Zorlu

Jenny Gerst-Pfanenstiel

Joy Scott

Kat Toronto

Marie Galvin

Marta Glazen

Nancee Jelsema

Owen and Catherine Morse Brown

Sheila Nobles

Suzanne O’brien

Oska Truffaux

Yvette Jelfs

Mark Meja

Carol Bader

David Dunkley

Erin Saboe

Jan Wutkowski

Kimberly D’Auria

Mary Ann Koch

Rose Monzyk

Sherry Hrycay

Tony Merenda

Wendy White

Mademoiselle Slassi

Ciomi McCabe

Congratulations to everyone. I am happy that David Dunkley from my home city of Toronto was presented with an Award. He is very creative and I personally own one of his creations. Hey Kat Toronto from San Francisco I love your work and you have such a great name.

Subscribe to the Hat Life Newsletter

Are you subscribed to the Hat Life Newsletter and are you getting your copy of the Hat life annual directory? This has been published for nearly 140 years so they must be doing something right. It is full of useful reference information. Among the many uses are to:

• Find potential buyers for your products and services
• Find fabric, trimming, manufacturers, suppliers, knitters, domestic and overseas production and importers in the headwear industry
• Get contact information of hat retailers around the world

It is an indispensable resource for all players in the hat business worldwide.

Get your free subscription to the Hat Life Newsletter and stay current on happenings in the hat industry. Click below

Yes FTC this is an affiliate link and I will receive a percentage of the price to support my efforts here.

Get your copy of the Hat Life Directory

You can support this blog by purchasing the directory through the link. I would really appreciate the support and it is a useful resource. I am doing a review of the Directory for a future post here.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fsld2s6zNQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7fsld2s6zNQ

This video is a look back at some of the highlights in this blog over the last year. A special thank you to Lisa Shaub, Lisa Battaglia, Maria Curcic and Jolie of Red Dusk Jewellery.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=75EyGfK-Nnc

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=75EyGfK-Nnc

Thanks to HM again. I love watching her hats that are so carefully matched with the rest of her clothes. I see she seems to favour the slopping Crown or at least some emphasis on the Crown -- there’s a message here LOL. Thank you again. Happy New Year Your Majesty!

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Rc3VXvDFM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j4Rc3VXvDFM

I found this video on You Tube from the Threadbanger site. According to the site ThreadBanger is a multi-media network for people who want to share their passion for DIY, fashion and crafting with each other. It was interesting to note that the original description in the video referred to a Barret. Actually there is a form of cap with that name, also a flat cap worn in Italy and France. It is compared with the cap worn by Roman Catholic clergy called the Birreta. That particular cap has ridges however. Threadbanger has changed the description to beret a very simple hat, compared with the Birreta or Barret. Who really cares though it’s a great way to make a simple hat and it looks great. Oh I wish I had studio space so I could try it myself. Let Threadbanger know how you got on and comment here as well.

Can you answer their question about the care of a cap like this.

I found the demonstration of the wet felting process very interesting. You can find out more about how to do projects using the technique on Terri Pike’s site Feltinglessons.com. You will find a lot of how to videos on that site. Enjoy -- very interesting. The site was referenced by Threadbanger.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

I recently found this lovely picture on a Cabinet Card. She appears to be with child. From the clothing and hat style the picture is from the late Victorian period I believe. It could also be from the early Edwardian period also. In any case it is very unusual to find a picture of a woman with child from this period. It would not have been considered appropriate in many circles. I would be interested in your comments on this photograph and any observations relative to the dress and the hat in particular.

The large feather is quite a statement is it not?

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIeudBmWg90

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OIeudBmWg90

My review of the Etsy website through the eyes of a hat lover. It’s a place for crafters to buy and sell.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

An Antique Market Find.

The caption on this photograph says:

Mother with no wrinkles 20 ish

It is a photo postcard popular around 1918 to the 1920s. (The original is quite brownish and does not have the feel of a 1930s piece). Mother would have been born around the turn of the century. A delightful hat and a great image. Does anyone have any further thoughts on the age of the photo and the hat style?

Is this your Mother or Grandmother?

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=BGx6FQfg3Is

You can also view the video on the following link that has additional comments.

http://www.threadbanger.com/tb-projects/episode/THR_20090417

You can visit the Threadbanger site on You Tube for more how to videos including hats. The site is very interesting I must confess though that I have not actually learned to do all of this stuff myself I am a not really clever with my hands like that. I can admire the process though.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

http://www.flickr.com/groups/classic-scenes-bold-hats/pool/show/with/3946335124/

Goorin Brothers are holding a photo contest Classic Scenes and Bold Hats please check it out. Entry deadline is October 18.

Think a very hatty vintage scene.

In a single photo they are looking for creativity showing:

* Historic Settings
* Antique Fashions
* Boldness of character
* One or more people wearing Goorin hats
* Creative use of historical reference
* Creating a complete world we can believe in
* Elegant and beautiful photography
* Involve your family and friends

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wHHzBHv9pk

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0wHHzBHv9pk

This is a fashion video from the VICAT channel on You Tube.

Please go over there and look at their other wonderful fashion videos both vintage and current -- you will not be disappointed.

VIDCAT is a New York based Video Producer and Director specializing in fashion and beauty videos.

You can buy fashion videos and watch more videos on www.vidcat.tv and www.vidcat.com.

Happening in Toronto C 1964 …….

1960s hat style

This is a scene from 1964 Toronto. Ladies having tea or maybe lunch in the dining room of the old EATON’s store. That store is no longer standing and has been replaced by a shopping mall -- the Toronto Eaton Centre.

Please note the wearing of fashionable hats was common place!

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

The business of Millinery in Victorian times

A few months ago I was browsing around the Toronto Antique Market and I came across an 1895 bound volume of the Girl’s Own Paper a now defunct magazine. It is chock full of very interesting articles advising young women and girls on various girl stuff. You know the type of thing – how to dress properly and mind your manners. There was an article by a man who essentially felt that women should not bother their heads with politics. At the time women did not have the vote but votes for women was a movement that was gaining some traction around that time. I was able to buy the bound volume for the really low price of $20 Canadian and it is proving to be a valuable source of material. As you probably know Millinery was big business at that time and there are many articles on hat styles and the hat business. There are also some lovely engravings illustrating the styles of hat then current.

I thought that you would enjoy extracts from this publication (essentially I believe that it is out of copyright at least in North America from my research – let me know if I am mistaken).(I am not a lawyer please check your local copyright laws they differ by country). Rather than put it all in a written piece I will be selecting some extracts to include in a Podcast. I believe that it is a valuable insight from the past.

The following is an article ( no author identified) on how four Milliners set up a Millinery Business in London England in 1895.

Please right click here to download the mp3

Notes from the broadcast

It is very interesting to see the observations about the need to have money savvy  not just millinery skills. This was a point brought up by Lisa Shaub in part 1 of my interview with her. Another point made in this article is that it takes seven years to become a skilled Milliner – the same point was also made by Lisa. Somethings never change 114 years on wow.

There is a comment that one of the young women volunteered that it would take 1,000 pounds sterling in 1895 to set up a proper Millinery business. This would have been equivalent to $5,000 American Dollars at the time. I was surprised how much this was. If you want to get a sense for the equivalent value today you can go to Measuringworth.com. You will find the answer there and you will be astounded. If you just use the index of retail prices from 1895 to 2008 you will find the equivalent value of over 86,000 pounds. Using an index related to average wage comparisons you get to an astounding value of nearly 481,000 pounds. Well designer Millinery was highly prized at that time but still?

By the way the article stated that the business was named after a flower but I could not find the name of the flower/business anywhere in the article – lost in time?

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Above pictures are Lisa Shaub in her creations

All rights reserved by Lisa

This is part 2 of an interview with New York Milliner Lisa Shaub. Part one was posted last week – please be sure to check it out.

In this part Lisa tells about when Britney Spears came to her store you wont want to miss it!

Please right click to download the mp3 file.

You can find more information about Lisa at her Website. You can also go on a virtual tour of her store on this link.

Lisa mentioned the Milliners Guild. This is a group of Milliners concerned with the sustainability of the practice of Millinery. Their mission:

The Milliners Guild is an organization of small millinery business owners and milliners who specialize in the design, production and promotion of handmade headwear.

The group is committed to increasing the public profile of millinery as well as the public’s awareness and interest in millinery products.

The Guild is dedicated to working together to maintain and expand resources in order to ensure a steady flow of raw materials.

Through a collective website, special events and educational seminars,the guild will provide consistent communication about this thriving and contemporary industry to the public, press and students of the craft

Need I say it, you can check out Britney Spears at her Website.

Thanks to Lisa and calling others to participate

Thanks to Lisa for being my first interview. I am new to this and I plan on doing more broadcasting.

Would you like to be interviewed?

Are you a hat designer?

Do you have a hat business?

Are you are supplier to the hat trade?

Do you have a skill such as crochet that can be applied to Millinery?

Are you a performer that uses hats as a part of establishing your profile/branding?

Are you a power hat wearer and want to talk about it?

Do you have a friend or relative past or present that wears (wore) hats proudly?

Do you have an interesting hat story to tell?

Please help me get the hat wearing story out there so we can encourage more to participate in the growing hat revolution.

Please Contact me on the Contact box on this blog and start the discussion on how you can be involved.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

This is the first podcast interview in what I hope will be a continuing series. Lisa Shaub a New York Milliner was kind enough to give me her time and discuss some aspects of the hat business and her background and business in particular.

The interview is presented in two parts and here is the first part.

Please right click here to download the mp3 file to your computer

Part 2 of the interview can be found in a later post here

The introduction and exit music is called Mornington Crescent and is Royalty Free Music purchased from Shockwave Sound. You can purchase a variety of music for you projects at their website.

In the first part of the interview goes into what it takes to be a successful milliner and how she got into the business. Also find out the craziest hat she ever made.

You can find more information about Lisa at her Website. You can also go on a virtual tour of her store on this link.

Here is a picture of the storefront of her New York Store, Lisa Shaub Fine Millinery.

Notes and references made during this part.

The Fashion Institute of Technology New York New York (FIT)

This is where Lisa received some of her Millinery training.

Ann Albrizio was one of Lisa’s instructors at FIT. This lady recently passed away earlier this year at a ripe old age. Albrizio co-authored a book on Millinery (now appears to be out of print but can be obtained second hand) entitled Classic Millinery Techniques: A guide to Making & Designing Today’s Hats (December 2001).

According to the description:

Take basic sewing skills, add half a yard of fabric, and make one of 15 custom hats designed by an award-winning milliner. More than 250 illustrations guide you from drafting patterns to creating classic, head-turning hats. Start with a shirred beret, move on to a cloche, pillbox, or sailor hat.

A couple of other Designers were referenced in the discussion.

More information about Stephen Jones can be found on his website. Here is information on where you can find Gabriella Ligenza. Examples of Ligenza’s work can be found on Pebbles Hats site.

Part 2 of this interview will be published here very shortly – please check in and stay tuned.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

A video on the making of floppy felt hats from Barons Hats in Burbank California

www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXW2RKOxyco

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lXW2RKOxyco

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

A few weeks ago a reader of this blog brought her You Tube video site to my attention. Lisa has a hat business in New York, New York. Here is Lisa’s latest summer cocktail hat video. Enjoy!

www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw-Azs1Ak1Q

Here is the link

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kw-Azs1Ak1Q

Check out her You Tube Channel

Let me know your favorite. I am very fond of the “Folies” hat with all the feathers. These Fascinator styles are becoming very popular with the younger set. Of course they cause the minimum disruption to a hair style.

Lisa is a very creative milliner and boasts hats of all kinds for all shapes of heads. This is important as many people tell me that it’s OK for me after all I look good in hats and they do not. I believe that there is a hat for everyone. You just have to find the right style for the shape of your head. My favorite style is very wide brims and high crowns. I do not feel comfortable in little hats. Really in the end the right hat for you is one YOU are comfortable wearing.

All of Lisa’s hats are hand made in New York New York. Please visit her boutique.

http://www.lisashaub.com

I have not posted much recently I am very busy learning new stuff. My plan in the not too distant future I hope is to post some You Tube videos of my own. I just bought a fancy camera and I am on a steep learning curve. I am also working on a podcast -- yes I gave been for 2 months. I’ll be taking the plunge soon. Please stay tuned for more hat fun.

If you have a millinery business please tell me about it and I can post your videos or pictures of your creations here.

Don’t worry I will be picking up the pace this week with some interesting material.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

I found this picture at our local Toronto Antique Market a few weeks ago. It appears to have been taken in the 1940s I would say either during World War II or shortly after that. It looks Canadian or American. Unfortunately the badge on the Naval Cap is not distinct enough. I love the fur and the fascinator on the woman(Wife?). (Can anyone make out the insignia?).

It is important to be grateful to the men and (increasingly) women who serve their various countries in very dangerous work. Today, in the USA, and November 11 in many other countries(including the USA) we give this special thought. Please spend a few minutes thinking about them wherever you are from.

I was interested in why US fallen service men and women are remembered in May. Memorial Day was first instituted to remember fallen soldiers in the US Civil War. It is held close to the date of reunification of the North and South. It was a brutal war to be sure. Of course, Memorial Day has taken on a broader significance as the US recognize the fallen service women and men, injured service people past and present and their serving men and women in all the Wars since then.

I am a Canadian and a British ex pat and join the Americans in their rememberance. I for one am grateful for their support in both World Wars and their continuing support now. I also recognize the sacrifice of people in armed forces everywhere.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Here are two interviews from You Tube of experienced (over 40 years) Phyllis Ealey of Hats to Hose in Baltimore Maryland.

This Year 2009

www.youtube.com/watch?v=oradC6Sqx4M

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oradC6Sqx4M

There are some very good hints in the above video on choosing a hat.

Last year 2008

www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8t-Fyc9XB8

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E8t-Fyc9XB8

There are some good hints here on sizing a hat. One hat was shown with a draw string on the hat band. There was a plain hat for $20. I like to use scarves matching my outfits to dress up such hats for coordiantion. A very cost effective way to have a smart hat.

I have bought a video camera and plan to do some filming of my own. One of my planned profects is the Queen’s Plate here in Toronto on June 21. Hope I’m ready by then.

I am also working on a Podcast for this site please stay tuned.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Please check out this article on straw braid millinery. Another post from Cristina from Spain – milliner extraordinaire. I highly recommend that you view pictures of her creations on Flicker. You will not be disappointed. She is a very creative young lady.

On another note I had to change my Twitter user ID (due to harassment) I changed it to @IFRS_Exorcist.

The user name relates to my accounting business.

Please stay tuned for more stuff here.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

As usual I went to the Antique Market yesterday. I have been really under the weather and slowed down on posting. I will get back to it soon. I have been learning how to put sound on my blogs and I will post some items here very soon with sound. I hope that you will enjoy them.

I have also been playing with Twitter  as I was a shut in for a few days.(UPDATE now at Twitter on @IFRS_Exorcist

I have a lot of ideas for posting this week so please stay tuned and thanks for your patience.

Here is an attractive young lady with a fantastic hat. It was marked 1904 in pencil.. Enjoy! What an inspiration for future designs!

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

The new edition of the Hat Life Newsletter is just out. There is a very good article in the newsletter about the John B. Stetson Company. The Stetson Company has been getting into various promotions to jazz up their image. (See Stetson’s Hat tricks by Laurie Burkett)

There have been many new initiatives from the new chief executive of the company, Pamela Fields,who was brought on board in January 2008.

According to the article:

Fields, who worked as a consultant specializing in brand revamps before she joined Stetson full time, is pushing Stetson as “Made of America,” something that it plays up on in-store ads, logos and hanging tags. This consistency is new for licensees.

One promotion is with the military. Stetson products will be on offer in many military bases across the USA.

A military calendar is in the works as is a contest for submission of videos by the military to enter a contest to win Stetson products.

Other promotions were directed to the younger set on Face book. Actually a 50 year old won the contest. Well 5o IS the younger set when compared with an 80 year old or even a 60 year old.

Another promotion was the “Hat for Obama”. You can access the videos at my previous post here. I did not know that the people were hired by the Stetson Company but hey anything that gets Obama to wear a hat is fair ball. By the way they did get through the Obama security net (or so it appeared in the last video of the series) – no hat wearing by Obama then! I have also featured the Goorin hat promotion of a hat for Obama.

There have also been promotions directed to the Latino population.

The final note in the article was:

From head to toe, singer Jon Wolfe is already decked out in his Stetson gear. He’s been meeting with designers, picking out jean jackets and shirts that he says look like Ralph Lauren at a rodeo. His album will be out this fall, and although he won’t reveal any song titles or lyrics, he says fans can expect a tune or two about his hat.

Woow Jon Wolfe is one heck of a handsome young cowboy.

I wish Stetson all the best in their promotion of hat wearing!! You can see an old piece of letterhead from Stetson here in this blog.

I have spoken about Hat Life before. It’s a great site for resources in the Millinery Industry.

They Publish a very useful Annual Directory:
“Commonly called the Encyclopedia of the Headwear Industry, The Hat Life Directory is the world’s most popular headwear reference. This full color directory lists thousands of wholesalers, suppliers and retailers. For over 137 years it has been the must-have resource offering complete information on hat wholesaling, manufacturing, retailing, supplying, emerging trends, upcoming events and new product releases. Directory purchasers receive the printed directory PLUS online access.

I take my hat off to them for being in business for 137 years. That’s a compliment from me who rarely goes without a hat, at least when outside of the home.

You can find out more about the Hat Life Directory and its great resources by clicking on the banner at the end of this post. You will be able to sign up for a free newsletter. Please check it out. (Yes its an affiliate link but hey I have to eat LOL)

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

I was doing some research on some articles and I came accross the Wikimedia site where you can find wonderful images to use. Be sure you respect the copyright limitations. This particular image is in the Public Domain.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Happy Saint Patricks Day to you all!

Oh well yes in two days time on March 17

More information on the grand day can be found here. The parades are often held on other days on the nearest weekend. For instance the Saint Patrick’s Day Parade in Toronto is TODAY March 15.

Here is a selection of very hatty St Patricks cards. Top of the Mornin’to you all.

They are produced for fun and not for further reproduction. Nothing to stop you forwarding this post to others as a kind of Saint Patrick’s Day Card.  (You can click on the image for a better view and right click on the resulting image to enable you to read the words on the cards).

Although I am actually from England originally I find St Paddy’s day very fun. One year I dressed in Costume and went to a bar with my face painted green. On the train going home a kid remarked “Look Mommy – a leprechaun! ”

Not really funny to be a girl leprechaun – but they are fairies that like to do mischief so the moniker sort of fits (it’s a really good disguise!!!) (Leprechauns are generally portrayed as very small (dwarf) wrinkly old men – not the look I really want to have for every day – all in good fun though).

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Today I have a post about Catherine Povey the owner of Pebbles Hats.

Check out Catherine’s page on the right and the wrong way to wear a hat. Sometimes people just give up on hat wearing simply because they do not know how to fit a hat on their head and play with it to suit them from all angles. Catherine says:

Wearing a hat, as with many things in life, can be done in a right or wrong way. Although there are no hard and fast rules you should be aware of the best way for you to wear your hat. You should really have a good look in the mirror from all angles, what may look great from the front may look dreadful from the side. You need to check!

Catherine has a page on her site illustrating this point.

First of all Catherine is a wonderful designer in her own right and a gallery of her designs is included in this post. She will make you a custom order hat to kill.

An important part of her business is the hire (rental) of designer hats from big name designers. Although her business is located in the UK (hence the British English – hey I’m from Britain originally so I am able to translate to American English) she will rent out to customers in all the far corners of the UK and abroad. She has rented to customers in the USA. Yes the hats she has for hire are that special. She is located in the seaside town of Penarth South Wales – quite romantic.

Her for hire collection includes a who’s who of fabulous designer hats by top milliners such as Philip Treacy. Check out Treacy’s wonderful site.

Here is a Gallery of Designs by Catherine Povey. Please click on the picture for a better view in a new page. Reproduced by permission of Catherine Povey – All Rights Reserved by her.

Thank you Catherine for letting me post these images and being an active reader of this blog.

If you are a milliner and want your designs featured in this blog please send me a selection of photographs of your designs and I will feature them as I have done in this post. If there is anything that you want me to say in particular please let me know. Please Contact me to make arrangements. I will give you instructions on forwarding your images. I am working on putting sound on the blog. It’s possible that I can be able to interview you by Podcast in a month or two. Please let me know if you are interested.

Of course there is no charge for this. I just want to get the word out about hats and the fabulous designers we have working today. We don’t always have to look to the past but we can definitely do that for inspiration.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

I have been looking at what would be the best day to have as International Hat Wearing Day. One place to start was the list of Patron Saints. In the Catholic Encyclopedia there are more Saints than days of the year. Many of them have multiple patronage for one reason or another. I found it difficult to research the reasons for this patronage. I suppose if I had a long time to research – say pay a personal visit to the Vatican, learn Latin and so on I would get to the bottom of it. It would be interesting but I do not have the time for this right at the moment. I was able to do some research, however.

Many Saints have claim to Patronage of Milliners (hat makers). Here is a list. I will end with my thoughts on the Saint who has come to have the greatest claim on the franchise of support to hat makers through a custom that has developed in France.

And the Nominees are…………….

Saint Barbara

Date December 4

Beheaded by her father C 235 AD

Saint Barbara seems to have more  of a military connection than a hat connection. She is listed as the patron saint of hat makers but a bunch of other people such as prisoners, architects, gunners and dying people. However, the military has adopted her and named her in many military honors. There seems to be only a loose connection to hat making here, except for military hats. A good person but a weak candidate to represent Hatters I think.

James THE Apostle

Date July 25

Died C 44 AD

Listed as patronizing hat makers as well as arthritis and rheumatic sufferers. I could find no hat anecdotes. A great man – one of the original 12 – but not a representative to stand out for hats.

Saint James the Lesser

Date May 4

Died in C 62 AD, stoned and beaten by clubs.

Since he was martyred by club beating he has become associated with professions using clubs or club like instruments in their work. There is an association with fullers (wool makers) – they have to do some beating. There is also an association with druggists who use an instrument , a pestle, to mix ingredients – like a club?

Although he is listed as a patron saint of hat makers it is only a loose connection through wool making. Again a good man, but….

Saint Severus of Avranches

Date February 1

Died 690 AD (Natural Causes)

He is listed as a patron of hat makers among other trades such as weavers and wool makers. Not really a strong connection.

Michael the Archangel

Date September 29 (or May 8 in some places)

(He was not born and did not die – an Angel)

A lot of people want a piece of him and there is a very long list (two pages) of patronage. It’s great to be in the good books of an Angel but I hope he does not take it the wrong way  for suggesting he is not our best candidate when it comes to hat makers.

Saint Clement of Ireland

Date November 23

Died C 818 AD (March 20)

According to legend when Clement was a monk and on a Pilgrimage he used some carded wool in his sandals. The friction matted the wool to produce an early form of felt. Hatters in Ireland and some other countries have celebrated Saint Clements as a Patron. He is therefore a good candidate. I read somewhere though that other monks laid claim to this discovery. It makes sense that it might have been common to slip wool in your sandals to prevent or alleviate rubbing. There seems to be doubt as to the provenance of this claim.

Saint Catherine of Alexandria

Date November 25

Died C 44 AD (Beheaded by the Emperor she refused to wed. Originally sentenced to die on the Wheel (Don’t read the link if you have a bad stomach – it may be distressing to some but I know there are curious people out there). It was  a cruel instrument of torture and execution. When the wheel broke after she touched it she was beheaded instead. Charming people eh – a punishment for promoting Christianity. Well I’m not nostalgic for the Middle Ages yuk.

Saint Catherine has frequently been associated with wheels. There is a firework called the Catherine Wheel named after her. There is a strong connection with hats through a tradition in France related to single women of 25 especially.

Here is a discussion of St Catherine’s Day from Fisheaters.com (a site covering Catholic traditions).

On St. Catherine’s Day, it is customary for unmarried women to pray for husbands, and to honor women who’ve reached 25 years of age but haven’t married — called “Catherinettes” in France. Catherinettes send postcards to each other, and friends of the Catherinettes make hats for them — traditionally using the colors yellow (faith) and green (wisdom), often outrageous — and crown them for the day. Pilgrimage is made to St. Catherine’s statue, and she is asked to intercede in finding husbands for the unmarried lest they “don St. Catherine’s bonnet” and become spinsters. The Catherinettes are supposed to wear the hat all day long, and they are usually feted with a meal among friends. Because of this hat-wearing custom, French milliners have big parades to show off their wares on this day.

The custom of hat parades has spilled over to New York.

It seems that St Catherine visited Joan of Arc (burned at the stake in1431). She has been especially revered in France and the Catherinette tradition has grown over the years.

You can find some more information on Milliner Polly Singer’s blog.

Saint Catherine is the best candidate to represent Milliners I believe. Does anybody else have any other information?

We can all certainly join the Catherinettes on November 25 and wear our green and yellow hats even if we are not Catholic, Single or 25years old!

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

The new issue of the Hat Life Newsletter is just out.

• Did you know that feathers in hats have been a big thing in the UK and are now coming to North America – well the USA at least? (There is a great picture of a turban design with a huge feather motif  – it’s Poiret Flapper Design meets Edwardian extravagance!). (Did you know that the use of exotic feathers of some species in hats was banned during the Edwardian period – it was a big threat to some species – no joking)?

• Newcomer Molly Yestadt was featured in a Marc Jacobs show. (Her hats look “Pork Pie” inspired to me. Pork Pie Hats were made famous by vintage comedian Buster Keaton)

• Reuters recently reported that hats were heralded as a big deal on fashion runway shows for Fall 2009 clothing (wooooah)

• Hats can be a conversation piece (Would you wear a purse (handbag) on your head as designed by Isaac Mizrachi?  He has taken two of the most coveted female accessories and combined them).

I have spoken about Hat Life before. It’s a great site for resources in the Millinery Industry.

They Publish a very useful Annual Directory:
“Commonly called the Encyclopedia of the Headwear Industry, The Hat Life Directory is the world’s most popular headwear reference. This full color directory lists thousands of wholesalers, suppliers and retailers. For over 137 years it has been the must-have resource offering complete information on hat wholesaling, manufacturing, retailing, supplying, emerging trends, upcoming events and new product releases. Directory purchasers receive the printed directory PLUS online access.

I take my hat off to them for being in business for 137 years. That’s a compliment from me who rarely goes without a hat, at least when outside of the home.

You can find out more about the Hat Life Directory and its great resources by clicking on the banner at the end of this post. You will be able to sign up for a free newsletter. Please check it out. (Yes its an affiliate link but hey I have to eat LOL)

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

In my post yesterday I referred to a Regency bonnet. Here is a video showing you how to make one.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgwWJHzPpr8

Brought to you by the Oregon Regency Society.

For feed readers here is the link:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jgwWJHzPpr8

Do not forget You Tube as a source of hat information.

I plan to speak more about Regency Bonnets in a future post.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Finding your size for any article of clothing is a challenge and there is generally no easy way since manufacturer’s sizes vary. Standards in various countries differ also. For example, I find oriental clothing sizes are understated. A “Medium” size to a Chinese person can easily be a “small” in Canada, The USA and other parts of the world. This may also be true of other parts of the world such as in South America. I have also noticed that there is some “flexibility”in sizing when it comes to stated size for “mature” women. Well you get the idea!

Generally speaking once you have matured you can expect that your head size will stay more or less constant. The skull (cranium) is a very hard part of the skeleton for obvious reasons. All this assumes that you have not been caught by head shrinking natives, in an undiscovered part of the jungle. Of course, if this is the case finding the right hat will be least of your problems!

If you are a regular hat wearer like me you already know your hat size since you have already been in many hat shops and tried on several different hats. This is the best and funnest way to find out your hat size. You will discover that your size may be different in different styles and indeed you may wish to wear them in creative ways. The women of Bolivia wear bowler hats but they wear them too small on the top of their heads!

Very few, if any, people have perfectly circular heads. Harder hats are generally designed to allow for that. The exception would be the bowler hats used in Juggling (you see you never know which way round the hat will land on you head). You can observe varying head shapes by looking at people (don’t stare though). Different races will generally have different shape heads. On most men have larger craniums than most women and they are heavier and have a different shape. This is of course a gross oversimplification! What we seek is the “right”hat for the shape of a person’s head. This will be the subject of a future post. Indeed because people try to wear the wrong shape hat for their head they conclude that they are not hat people and cannot wear hats in general. This is erroneous.

If you really do not know your hat size the procedure is to measure the circumference of your head at its widest point. That is where will the hat sit on your head? If you have an accurate measure of the circumference of your head you should be able to find your hat size. The standard hat size in Canada and the USA is the diameter of the head.

Here is the procedure:

1. Obtain a cloth or paper tape measure (some hat stores may supply this. I was in a Tilley Store near my home and they had paper tape measures there to measure for hat sizes, in different languages yet!).
2. Measure at the largest part of the head. In the end the hat should not sit on the top of your head or over your ears. Unless of course this will be the desired effect. There is no accounting for taste!
3. The standard advice is that the measure should be approximately ½ inch (1.3 cm)  above the ears. People differ so be careful.
4. Start by sitting the tape measure at the middle of the fore head and carefully pass it around your head (you may need your honey to help you with this – or if there is no honey anybody will do!). Take care not to twist the tape measure or wind it too tight. If it is too tight you will have a lifetime of headaches! Just Joking!
5. Measure at least 3 times to make sure. (This is what they did before performing laser eye surgery on me – thank heaven!).
6. Then take down the measurement. An average size woman’s head is 22 ½ inches. Don’t freak if you have a big head – you can brag about your brains.
7. Calculate your hat size and/or look it up in tables on vendor sites.

To find your size you divide the circumference of your head by pi (Π). If you remember from your high school mathematics classes (they were a very long time ago for me) that the circumference of a circle is Πd (it is sometimes expressed as 2 Πr (where r = radius and of course the radius is one half of the diameter of the circle). Too much math already! All the on line hat vendors publish tables for hat sizes. You can find one  on Aaron’s hat site. (Go to their hat size chart on the site).

Be careful in using these tables. Manufacturers sizes do differ. It is best to consult with customer service before ordering your hat.

If this is all too much for you the Village Hat Shop has a video on its site demonstrating the measurement of hat size on a young man. He has no regular hats in his closet. He needs a hat to play in his band.

What if my hat size falls between 2 sizes?

Conventional wisdom is that you go one size up. If necessary Baron’s Hats advises that you stick some foam on the back of the sweat band inside your hat to make it fit snugly.

What if I am in Europe are the hat sizes similar?

In the UK they have their own hat sizes. We Brits do everything differently it seems! Their size is 1/8 inch smaller that the Canada/USA size. A size 7 1/8 will be a size 7 in the UK. Just go figure I do not have an explanation for this.

Elsewhere in Europe (by the way many British people still deny that they are part of “Europe”) the size is expressed in metric. A 7 1/8 would be a 57.

What if my hat is too small, what can I do about it?

If your hat is too small it may be possible to increase the size. You will have to be very careful not to stretch it out of shape. The process might be better done by professionals who have the right tools. If this was your grandmother’s favorite hat do not attempt it yourself, unless you are a milliner. I am not a milliner and I would not attempt it.

The theory is as follows. Felt hats can be stretched. Hard hats such as Derby’s and Top Hats have hard goss that can be melted to adjusted to conformateur (clearly a job for a professional!). Please be careful! Nobody, including myself will take responsibility for damage.

Just return the hat for a replacement with the right size if it is a purchase!

What if the hat is marked small, medium, large or extra large?

Hat suppliers publish useful tables that indicate what they mean by these descriptions. It is frustrating since it is really not standard for any type of clothing – if the truth is known. You have to work closely with your vendor and remember it could be different in different styles of hat. It is frustrating to be sure.

What is the “Punti System”?

The Punti size can be found by dividing the head circumference by pi + 1. This sizing system was used in Italy and England until the mid 20th century (the time when hat wearing went into a nosedive like our recent stock market crash). It was believed that the system was useful in determining the crown size for skull type hats. The mathematics are beyond me. If you know the background to this feel free to leave a comment with further information.

This information may be important if you collect vintage hats.

One manufacturer who was known to use the system was Borsalino in Italy.

……………………………………………………………

Barons Hats have been the supplier of hats to many personalities over the years. You can get the hat sizes of your favorite and not so favorite personality on their site.

Once again be careful and discuss your sizing issues with your on line vendors before ordering. Of course this is especially true for ordering custom hats where many measurements are required and you will have to work very closely with the hat maker!

The following sites were useful in doing this article:

http://baronhats.com/headsize.htm

http://www.thehatsite.com/measuring.html

http://www.hatsuk.com/hatsuk/hatsukhtml/bible/hatsize.htm

http://www.villagehatshop.com/head_size.html

http://www.hatlife.com/headsize.php

(All rights reserved)

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Here is a list of the parts of a hat for reference. It is my first attempt and as you know I do not make hats, although my mother did make hats. Here we go The Anotomy of a Hat.

Bill

See Peak

Binding

A narrow ribbon sewn around the edge of the brim of a hat

Brim

The projection of material around the crown, often stiffened and usually horizontally around the circumference of the hat.

Crease

The indentation at the top of the crown in a hat like a fedora or cowboy hat

Crown

The portion of a hat covering the top of the head

Dent

Generally at both sides of a crown of a hat such as a fedora or cowboy hat (see the RCMP Hat)

Downturn Brim

A brim that is turned slightly down front and back while remaining straight on the sides

Eyelets

Small reinforced holes placed at the side crown of a hat (generally a stiff hat) for ventilation

Hat Band

A ribbon running around the bottom of the body of a hat around the crown

Peak

(British eng.) A stiff projection at the front of a hat to shade the wear from sun or rain

Pugaree

Used to refer to the band around a military hat (such as an Australian Slouch and the Pith Helmet)

Roll

The curature at the front of the brim of a cowboy hat

Veil

A netting (sometimes attached to a hat) used to cover the face or head of a woman (it can also be in cloth)

Visor

See also Bill, Peak

Please leave a comment if there is any other information you wish to add.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Recently I acquired a bound volume of the Girl’s Own Paper from 1895 – 1896. It contains a lot of reference to young women’s fashions in that period and is an inspiration to us as we suffer from “hat envy”and wish hat wearing will return. The graphic above comes from one of the articles.

The accompanying description states that these hats “take in all the principal styles we are wearing”.

The large hat is of beaver, with a velvet lining. It is white in colour, with black velvet, and black feathers, and black satin ribbon bows. Interestingly, ribbons and bows are all the rage right now.

The French “sailor hat”at the back is of dark blue felt with trimmings of white lace, blue feathers and blue velvet.

The hat with the waved brim has fur or jet to line the fronts and black and white feathers white lace being used for the band around the crown.

The article goes on to note that there are some very pretty felt hats  with high crowns , and two or three quill feathers at the side, which are displayed in some of the larger West End Shops. From our current fashions as exhibited on the runways high crowns are in style now except they might be a bit exaggerated in our current fashions. What does everyone think? What have you observed?

Elsewhere the article notes that for travelling, cycling and ordinary rough wear there is the “Tam o’ Shanter”. I discussed this type of hat in a previous post.

The Girls Own Paper was published from 1880 to 1956. It was originally published by the Religious Tract Society. It has interesting articles about the society and culture relating to women over the period The articles are written as advice to young women and girls. You can pretty much guess at the type of advice and the attitude to women in general during that period. I will be posting some interesting articles related to hats and millinery. They are very interesting and throw a lot of light on the life of young women in the 1895 period. I love learning history from contemporary writings.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Want to make a smoking cap but you were afraid to ask?

I just discovered a great blog by a person who describes herself as a Mad Hatter Wannabe.

My link is to an article on making a smoking hat.

The author’s name is Cristina and she lives in Barcelona.  She thought it would be a good idea to share  hat making frustrations by posting her projects and their progress. They are very lovely Cristina. Well done!

Cristina has a brother, Jose, who works at home. She thought it a great idea for Jose to wear a smoking cap when he is working. How grand and European!  Wonderful! You all know I am a history buff – it is all shades of Victorian times when many men wore smoking caps. Well there was a lot of smoking going on – usually pipes and cigars. I did hear tell of other types of “smoking” but that is of course a different story. You know that in Victorian times the sleeping cap was also popular. It’s kind of a light weight toque for indoors. Well you get the picture. You can see illustrations of Ebeneezer Scrooge of Christmas Carol fame wearing one. Homes were very drafty then – no central heating. Well there are some homes like that today and smoking caps and sleeping caps could come in handy.

Cristina referenced a site with some pictures of old smoking caps.

I just love hat lovers and admire hat makers. Cristina’s site is well worth bookmarking. If you are interested in hat making she has a lot of projects to share – thanks for sharing!

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.

Hat Life magazine has just announced its first annual hatty awards. How great is that. Check out their latest newsletter. It is very worthwhile signing up for the newsletter – it covers all the leading edge trends in the hat industry. I think the annual awards should be a gala affair held in different locations in the world and televised. Minimum there should be a video featuring the winners of the awards.

According to the Newsletter:

There aren’t many places where headwear brilliance is celebrated. For that reason we chose to honor headwear professionals with the inaugural Hatty Awards. This award honors those who show talent, perseverance and innovation to take headwear to the next level. We often see hats mentioned in magazines, newspapers and occasionally on TV, but rarely do we read about the man or woman behind the hat.

Applications will be accepted for the 2010 Hatty Awards by September 2, 2009.  If you are active in the industry you should ” throw your hat into the ring” so to speak.

The goal of Hat Life is to:

At Hat Life our goal is to bring hat making (and hat selling) out of the closet and shine a light on the great talent that exists.

Obviously We support that most worthy goal. We wish to bring hat wearing back into style. Now is the time ladies and gentlemen – a hat renaissance!

Elsewhere in their Newsletter there is a short piece from a few very well known hat suppliers who are speaking about trends and a hat resurgence. This is true even in this credit crisis we are in. One thing I liked was that the high rollers in Vegas are now more inclined to spend their money on a custom high quality hat than throw it away on the gaming tables. Way to go.

At Hat Life our goal is to bring hat making (and hat selling) out of the closet and shine a light on the great talent that exists.

Hat Life is well known for its industry newsletter. Here is the commercial for the Directory:

Commonly called the Encyclopedia of the Headwear Industry, The Hat Life Directory is the world’s most popular headwear reference. This full color directory lists thousands of wholesalers, suppliers and retailers. For over 137 years it has been the must-have resource offering complete information on hat wholesaling, manufacturing, retailing, supplying, emerging trends, upcoming events and new product releases. Directory purchasers receive the printed directory PLUS online access.

The Directory costs $84 in the USA and $94 internationally.

The Hatty Award winners will be featured in the upcoming January 2009 issue. It’s quite impressive that they have been in business for 137 years and are still hip to current trends and technology. Well done. A very hatty worthy site indeed.

By the way, I agree that there are not many places where headwear brilliance is celebrated. The goal of this blog is to change all of that. If you are a milliner and feel a need to spread the word this blog is for you. Please let us know and we can do an interview for a future posting.

©2012 Many Hatty Returns. All Rights Reserved.