Fall / Winter 2013: New Colors for Popular Styles

The photos for our new styles are rolling in now!

Lot of mini top hats are in the mix. Here are some new colors in popular styles from past seasons.

Our 'Una' mini top hat has been a best-seller. It's made with a glossy long-napped fur felt, polished to a high shine, and trimmed with vintage ribbon and veiling. Since we've got the antique lace-edged veiling in chocolate and navy in addition to black, we're branching out this season with more color options.

Camel with chocolate trim.  This trim would also look great with a medium or darker brown felt- just ask, if you'd like to order an alternate felt color. But if you like the brown veiling, better move fast, we only have enough left to make one additional hat!

And another 'Una' in vibrant purple with navy trim. On this one, the purple felt is vintage too, and extremely limited.

The navy trim also looks great with felt in navy or pale blue- available upon request. There is only enough of the veiling in navy (and in black) to make less than 10 more hats. The silk veiling used in this style is a rare antique item, it's unlikely that we'll ever find more, so the 'Una' is a very limited edition.

The 'Una' is made using our 'Belle Epoch' block set, the most petite mini top hat style in our collection. For more information about hat blocks and how hats are made, see this previous post.

There are new colorways for the 'Viola' also. This style also sports hand-curled feathers and vintage ribbon trim, but the blocks used are slightly larger than those for the 'Una', so it's still a mini but closer to a full-size hat in scale.

Cherry with black trim.

 

And bronze with chocolate trim.

Here's our latest addition to the 'Wellington' line, in a luminous raspberry pink long-napped felt with burgundy trim. It's got a hand-pleated band, and a large ribbon bow backed with huge vintage popcorn veiling that gives a bit of peek-a-boo over one eye. As you can see in the photos, the 'Wellington' is very different than the other mini top hats in our range- with straight sides and a slightly rounded top, it has a classic Mad Hatter shape.

Here's our 'Sabrina', previously available only in black, this time in deep sable with trim in brown tones. Natural colored 'badger' rooster hackle feathers ring the crown. Antique bronzed glass beads give a bit of sparkle through the veiling across the front. It's made using the same blocks as the 'Wellington', shown above.

These are all available now in our Etsy shop.  

There are lots more new styles coming up in the next few days, so stay tuned.

More Photos: Mod 'Queenston' Ladies Fedora

Inspired by the cool op-art and mod styles of the early-to-mid 1960s, this ladies fedora is made from a special, extra lush fur felt imported from Germany, self-trimmed with a perforated band and bow. The shape is a sharp, mod-style crown paired with a brim just wide enough for sun protection in the front, and a jaunty flip up at the back. Comes fitted with a ribbon sweatband.

Available in this astounding pale aqua blue.

And in red hot scarlet.

Both of these hats and more are for sale now in our Etsy shop.

Other color combinations are available. Interested in discussing a custom piece? Contact us for more info.

Getting a Jump on Fall: the 'Dobbie'

We just couldn't resist working a little bit of felt into the spring / summer schedule.

Finally, a casual top hat suitable for daywear or an evening out. Our brand new style, the 'Dobbie' is a soft hat made from gorgeous imported felts, simply trimmed with narrow velvet ribbon and a hint of vintage veiling.

Available in classic black, sky blue with navy trim, or hot pink with cerise trim.

It's available as a full-size hat (made to your exact head size), or as a slightly mini hat if you prefer something that perches. Just let us know which you prefer when you place your order.

The 'Dobbie' has all the curves we love in a top hat, but with softer edges and a more modern feel. It adds elegance to your outfit while being easy and comfortable to wear.

Get a jump on your fall new wardrobe. The 'Dobbie' is available for purchase now in our Etsy store.

New Style: 'Talia' in Straw

Our latest summer style, the 'Talia', is made from a finely woven, spiral-sewn Milan straw. It's trimmed with luscious rayon velvet ribbon, graphic crocheted veiling, and a big spray of peacock hurl feathers.

Shown here in navy blue with teal ribbon and veiling, and natural blue/green iridescent peacock feathers.

The size of the crown is rather mini, so the hat is held in place with combs or an elastic under your hair in back. The picture-hat brim is on the wide side, though, offering sun protection and a pretty frame for your pretty face.


I can't pass up an opportunity to cock a hat. I just love the undulating shape of tricorns and bicorns, and there are so many fascinating shapes to be made by flipping a brim up or down.

The Talia's brim has a cocked-up section at one side in the back, creating a graceful curve for the brim and offering a sexy peek at the back of your head and neck. Mini hats are a great way to wear a hat but have a hairstyle at the same time, because your hair is mostly not covered. The Talia would look great with lots of hairstyles, from something elaborate to a simple bun, or even nicely coiffed short hair.

It's also available in classic black.

The 'Talia' is available for purchase now in our Etsy store.

More Colors for 'Maxima'

The 'Maxima' has been such a hit, we've decided to expand the color range.

 This soft ladies cocktail hat is made from velvety velour-finish felt, paired with fluffy ostrich feathers that curve over the top of the hat to frame the face. The feathers are dyed over their natural markings, resulting in a gorgeous multi-toned finish.

Shown here in shocking pink with matching feathers.

This one is in purple with berry colored feathers.

The hat is held in place with an elastic to hide under your hair in back. It mostly just covers the top of the head, leaving you plenty of room for a hairstyle. 

We also have it in classic black.

Each 'Maxima' is hand-draped to shape, and the feathers have some natural variation (some feathers are longer, shorter, fluffier, silkier, etc.), features which add to the one-of-a-kind quality of each hat.

We also offer a special variation, in hunter green with a spray of gorgeous, blue-green iridescent peacock hurl feathers.

 All of these new colors and more are available for purchase now in our Etsy store.

New Style: Straw 'Wellington'

Here's another brand new style for summer: our popular 'Wellington' shape, made up in peanut straw.

Offered in sunny yellow with aqua and teal tones, black with pale green and ivory, and shocking pink with lavender and hot orange. 

 

 

This material has a lustrous shine to it, and a slightly rustic quality to the wide weave. It reminds me of similar cute vintage straws that were popular during the mid-20th century but which are now nearly impossible to find.  

The fluffy, show-girl style ostrich feathers are dyed to match the straw. For contrast, I added delicate distressed silk veiling, and hand-made silk taffeta flowers in complimentary colors. The peps at the center of each flower are also vintage, from my large collection of mid-20th century German flower parts.

Personally, I've never been crazy about pink, to wear for myself. But for some reason lately the brighter the colors, the more I like them. I've been addicted to this tropical color combination- hot pink, orange and purple- since last year when I started looking at tons of books of underwater photography, it's a recurring (and hypnotic) theme in underwater plant and animal coloration. And then we attended Tiki Oasis 2012 last summer, and now I'm hooked on Shocking Pink.

The new straw Wellington' is available for purchase now in our Etsy store.