New Special Hats at Dark Garden

I just delivered a passel of new hats to Dark Garden in San Francisco today. Perfect for holiday gifts or the Edwardian Ball! In addition to several of the new styles available also in our Etsy shop, I've been brewing up some special styles, many of them one-of-a-kind. Here are some quick snapshots of the latest batch.

Ah, nostalgia. This is a 'Kit Kat', one of my earliest styles, a petite mini bowler. Tweedy chocolate brown fur felt, trimmed with a cockade in vintage ribbon and distressed veiling. This one and the red one that follows will probably be the *last* 'Kit Kats' I make (I'm moving to a slightly larger mini bowler soon), unless they're requested, so grab them while you can or contact me about a custom order. 

A tweedy red 'Kit Kat' with a classic cockade and big spray of red feathers.

The following are all a preview of some new styles that will be released in my Etsy shop by mid-2014- if you'd like to order any of these before that, contact me for a custom order.
 
Here's the 'Mattie'. Made with long-nap felt on our short, John Bull style mini top hat block, trimmed with super fancy feathers and an antique Victorian buckle brooch. More similar to this are coming soon, but only *two* of these brooches are available, so if you like the look, better snatch one up while they last. FYI some of the feathers on this hat come from our cruelty-free exotic feather supplier and unfortunately are not available for shipment outside the US, due to trade restrictions. But, if you like the look I can put together something equally awesome that will pass customs for international customers, just ask.

Here's the 'Marlene'. It's a taller mini top hat in long-nap felt with vintage ribbon and a big faceted jet button. I might change it a bit, so consider this a one-of-a-kind piece. I'll be making this one next year with different ribbon and possibly other changes- there was only enough of this extra-wide antique ribbon for one hat!

Another preview style- 'Mrs. Belzoni' will officially launch in 2014 in four colors- black, and also in hunter green, navy and cherry red, all with black trim. The long, hand-curled pheasant feathers are gorgeous- they're dyed to match the felt, but with their natural markings showing through the color and have amazing iridescence that doesn't show in these photos. Be an early adopter and get one now before they're all over the place.

And, one last little beauty. This is 'Therese', a petite mini top hat in gorgeous medium gray velvet-finish felt with a cockade in silver, black and white striped ribbon, delicate black silk veiling, and a big spray of black rooster hackle feathers. Stripes + cockades = fantastic. I'll also be making these in other striped combinations for 2014. 

If any of these strike your fancy, head on over to Dark Garden or contact me by email at (tricia @ house of nines design. com) - with no spaces in the address- for mail order. Dark Garden is also carrying House of Nines Design hats in a special display each weekend of Dickens Fair, so be sure to look for it!