A Poll: the Modern Corset

Designing fall/winter hats, which leads to thinking about clothing in general. Specifically at the moment: the corset. Not as a costume, but reviving it as part of the modern wardrobe. Corsets were the foundation (literally & figuratively) of ladies clothing for hundreds of years, until fairly recently. This is a poll: ideas, anyone? What would you want a modern daywear corset to be like? What would you wear it with?

Fall / Winter 2010 / 2011

Last fall / winter, I approached each hat I made as its own piece of art, but without much thought to an overall plan for design for the season. I'm shifting gears now, planning a themed collection for F/W 2010/11.

I'm in the final planning stages now, I've got my shapes lined up, and am now choosing colors and trims.

Also starting to think about putting together a hat and fashion show for the collection.

New Photos of Vintage Hats

For your viewing pleasure, I just added 475 new photos of vintage hats to my Flickr page.

Here are some of my favorites.

A little boy's straw sailor cap, circa 1890.


A classic silk plush top hat with box, circa 1900.



A fluffy puffy ostrich thingy from the late 1930s.



A draped hat from the 1940s, with a corseted back surprise.



The ingenious Dobbs 'Pocket Hat' trilby in red fabric. Looks like cotton. I assume that this is a packable hat that won't crush if flattened.


A crazy pop-over shaped hat. From the 1960s? Satin fabric, sewn construction.

Vintage Hat of the Week: 1940s Checkerboard Boater

For this week's vintage hat, I've chosen a fantastic 1940s 'doll' hat in black and white plastic straw.