Customer Photos: Megan

The good stuff just keeps rolling in.

Here's another super customer, Megan, who has I-don't-even-know-how-many House of Nines Design hats at this point. She has an eye for one-of-a-kind and custom pieces, and uses them to accessorize her wardrobe in a way that's really fun. And she's been buying hats of mine since the beginning of my business, so looking through her collection is fun for me, like seeing old friends from years ago.

Here's Megan in a one-of-a-kind 'Belle Epoch' mini top hat in black fur felt with black and white striped ribbon trim and a big cockade. She was using this one as her Facebook profile photo for a while, and I was very flattered.

 

 

Photo: 2011 Oscar Cwajbaum http://oscarc.net/

 

Photo: 2011 Oscar Cwajbaum http://oscarc.net/

Top hats at the Aquarium? I'm all for it.  I think these were taken at San Francisco's Aquarium of the Bay, where I recently did some research for aquatic-inspired hats for Spring / Summer 2013 (stay tuned).

 

Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

 

Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

Here's another 'Belle Epoch' from Megan's collection. This was a one-of-kind item as well, because I only had two of these antique mother of pearl buckles used to provide a knot for the bow, and I plan to use the other one on a totally different hat. (But, I still have just a few pieces left of this vintage, very limited vibrant purple long-nap fur felt if anyone is interested.) She's further customized it on her own by swapping in feathers from a red 'Una' top hat. 

 

Photo: 2011 Oscar Cwajbaum http://oscarc.net/

A close-up of Megan in her 'Una'.

 Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

 

 Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

Ok. So, in the following photo, Megan is not wearing one of my hats. It was mixed in with the photos she sent me, and when I realized it was her, I was so humored that I had to share it. This is Megan in Wesley Crusher drag, standing proudly in front of Our Fair City, the future home of the United Federation of Planets. It made my day.

 Photo: Robert Bradshaw robertbradshawphotography.com 

When I let Megan know how happy the last photo made my inner geek, she sent me the following photo of Wesley Crusher meeting Wil Wheaton, and it made my MONTH. Judging by Wil's reaction, it did the same for him. Assuming that this face of Wil's means "Brilliant!" (what else?) I'm feeling the same way about her.

Many thanks to Megan for sharing these super great photos. Have some of your own? Send them in!

Customer Photos: More Jo

Love these great photos recently received from Joanna in Australia.

Joanna is a fantastic regular customer of House of Nines, I've literally lost count of how many custom hats she has commissioned over the years.  This custom 'Wellington' is her most recent purchase.

The style may be more familiar to you in its animal print form, which looks like this:

Jo requested black long-nap felt instead of the animal print, but the ribbon trim is the same. As you can see in the photo below, instead of stripped hackle feathers, we went with curled peacock swords. Jo said the photos were taken on a windy day so the feathers were being blown around a bit. And we added a birdcage veiling over the eyes. I have hundreds and hundreds of bolts of rare antique silk veiling in stock, and this is one of my personal favorites, it's got a geometric pattern but is so delicate.

Jo usually prefers to go with custom designs instead of choosing a ready-to-wear style, and it's always a lot of fun working on something special for her.

Thanks again for all your amazing customer photos! Keep 'em coming!

Mens Fall / Winter 2012

Photos of the first wave of new House of Nines Design men's line for 2012 are done! The second (smaller) batch of styles will be released in a few weeks, but here is the main event:

Combining a handsome front pinch and long center-dent crown with a stingy curled brim, the 'Clive' is a jaunty hybrid of a classic homburg and the ever-popular fedora. It doesn't get any sharper than this! Trimmed in a graphic bow finished with silk stitching and a ribbon-bound edge. Available in black or taupe.

 

 

The 'Blake' is House of Nines Design's take on a classic fedora. The deep tear-drop shaped dent and hand-shaped pinch at the front makes for a substantial, organic look.  Trimmed with fancy turkey feathers and hand-folded ribbon arrow motifs. Available in charcoal gray with steel blue trim, or black with copper brown trim.

 

 

   

 

The 'Kingston' was inspired by styles popular with Brazilian Bossa Nova and Jamaican Ska musicians of the early 1960s, and again during the Mod revival of the 1980s. Ever classic, the mod look has seen a resurgence in popularity again in high fashion during the last decade. The 'Kingston' is a stylized fedora with a slightly conical profile, high rounded front pinches, and a tight teardrop-shaped dent. It has a stingy, sanded-edge brim and is trimmed with a graphic, folded bow. Available in black, or navy blue with a steel blue band.

 

All House of Nines Design hats are lovingly made by hand to order, one at a time, at our studio in San Francisco, California. We use only the best quality materials. Mens hats are silk-lined and fitted with full-grain Roan leather sweatbands. Custom sizing and styles available. Additional colors and trim options upon request.

Google Mail Fail

I have just discovered that, unbeknownst to me, for almost a year I have been having a problem with my Google account which was sending email received through my blog to a weird, hidden email that wasn't being forwarded to my email browser. What a mess. I have since fixed the problem, so this 'ghost' email address is no longer accessible through my blog. If you still have that address (triciaroushtemp@gmail.com), please discard it as I will not be checking it going forward. The correct address to reach me is tricia@houseofninesdesign.com, please use this to contact me going forward and I should get your messages just fine.

End of Season Clearance

It's time to make some space for brand new styles.

Two dozen House of Nines Design hats are now 25-75% off at Dark Garden in San Francisco. Includes many popular & one-of-a-kind styles.

I've also put a number of things on sale on my Etsy shop.

Get them while you can! Each style I've put on sale is down to just one or sometimes two items left, and when they're gone, they're gone.

Shop the Final Days at ADS Hats

One of my San Francisco retailers, ADS Hats, will be closing their retail shop by the end of August. I've already removed my stock from their shelves, but they've got lots of hats on sale, along with shelving, fixtures, display cases, etc.

The owner of ADS will still be making and selling her own brand of cut-and-sewn fabric hats at her studio. Her line of recycled cashmere hats is especially popular and they make great holiday gifts, so keep an eye on the ADS website for news and developments about where to continue buying her great products.

Jill Tracy in Hollywood

Here are a batch of photos of chanteuse Jill Tracy, performing in Hollywood.

She's wearing a custom 'Belle Epoch' mini top hat in black long-nap felt. The trim is a gorgeous antique silk ribbon I found just a bit of, it's got a shadow-stripe in the weave.

Photos by Shannon Cottrell for LA Weekly.