OK, so I’m finally trying out “The Blog Post” to see how I get on!! I’ll warn you now, I have a tendancy to ramble on a bit, and as this is not something I’ve done before………watch this space!!!
I’m sitting here in my office (kitchen table between me and you!), thinking that I’m gonna be like a Carrie Bradshaw from Sex in the City days, and type lots of fun stuff!!
So, a little about me to begin with, as I head more closer to my 50’s than I’d like (and no, I don’t look my age!!), my fashion sense can be kinda quirky. Long gone are the days of my goth DM boots, long black skirts, pale face and dyed black hair. I have always liked anything that is not the “NORM”, I was one of the very few kids that wore converse trainers at my school, and, in fact I still do as I love them so much!! Don’t get me wrong I love clothes and fashions, colours and of course hats! I just like to mix things up a bit and mix and match. I am originally from Melbourne, Australia, came to Northern Ireland in the very late 80s with my family and have basically been here on and off ever since!
Art, crafts and sewing have been in my mothers side of the family for many many years and when my mum taught me how to sew when I was 4 years of age. I have done courses on sewing, also studied fashion many moons ago and when I look back now, I should kept it going but things weren’t meant to be at the time. So 8 years ago my creative side decided it was her time, and I didn’t think it would bring me to here creating headpieces for clients!!
So, it brings me neatly to chatting about hats and fascinators…….. I wear beanies, or woolly hats, fedoras and a cowboy hat when gardening!! My hubby says I have a head for any hat! How many of you say “oh I don’t have a head for hats”, I heard this quote many times but my feeling on this is that you haven’t found the right one that suits you yet. When it comes to an occasion like a wedding, do you want to try wearing a headpiece but a little scared to stand out too much, or have you worn them before and love any excuse to dress up? Are you wanting to wear a hat or fascinator – do you know what you’re looking for? Do you buy the outfit first? I know when I’m buying for a wedding or day at the races, I tend to buy my outfit first, then shoes, then jewellery and hat is always last for me. Ok, some like to have a hat made first then buy everything to with it, but you can do it any way you wish.
Some say a hat is a creation of art work, which I think it is in a way. I have a small bug-bear about mass produced hats stuck with loads of glue, and you can’t guarantee that not everyone is wearing the same thing and they are sold cheaply which does make it difficult for us milliners. We are creating something from a flat piece of material, taking time to sculpt or mould it into a wearable shape then adorning it with beautiful embellishments that, as I said earlier, takes time and patience to handstitch on. I feel that each headpiece has a piece of me in it – whether it is literally my blood from stitching my fingers too many times to my energy creating a piece for someone who loves what I’ve made them.
When you go to your event, dressed up and feeling fabulous, your headpiece will also make you feel that same fabulous feeling.
So the next time you have an event and are wanting a hat or fascinator, maybe consider getting a customised piece made, stand out from the crowd and look fabulous, but just remember cheap and cheerful doesn’t always mean eyecatching!