9/22/2022

Hats, hats, hats

This post is inspired by two things.
One is a blog post about the hats of my friend Michelle from My Bijou Life. I couldn't join in this link party because I don't do selfies, but I thought I could still blog about my very small collection of hats.
The other is that this enabler made me buy a new hat with her post ;-)
I got it for a new project, but don't know yet when I'll be starting working on it - in fact I have a problem at the moment deciding what I want to make next because there are a few things on the list.

Let's get back to my collection.
Although I only wear hats if it's raining, I love especially vintage ones. I love netting, I love sequins, I love velvet and felt.
Unfortunately my long hair doesn't go well with most of the hats I own because it keeps getting caught at the back of collars, pushes the hats up and into my eyes which doesn't work with my glasses. I would probably have to try making a chignon at the nape of my neck, but the best I manage is a wonky braid.
The bigger problem, however, is that I am a t-shirt, jeans, and sneakers woman, partly because it's the easiest outfit for me that I also feel most comfortable with, partly because cute shoes are out of the question for me, I simply can't walk in them anymore. T-shirt and jeans don't go very well with elegant vintage hats which is an absolute shame.

I got most of my hats during antiquing in the USA. My sister went on that particular trip with us and she loves vintage hats just as much as I do. We had so much fun because hats were not in abundance at the German fleamarkets or shops we went to, so this was quite new to us.
Now to the hats, though!
As you can see, I prefer mostly dark colors.






What I love most, however, are bowler or, as they are called in the USA, derby hats. Who knows, maybe it has to do with being a fan of Emma Peel and John Steed at a young age? Actually the show is called "Mit Schirm, Charme und Melone". Yes, in German we call bowlers "melons".
A bowler started it all at a huge fleamarket in the Bay Area our friend took us to. It was love at first sight.



Then I got this ladies' bowler at an antique shop in Santa Rosa. I don't remember the name of the shop, but I still know
that "Man's Favorite Sport?" was running on the small TV there. Isn't it funny which things stick in your mind?


Let's end this with the two hats I'm actually wearing.
One of them is my beloved Harris Tweed Baker Boy cap. It's one of my more colorful items, and by now I wish I had got more than just one when they still had different sizes instead of just one size with an elastic band.
Its best feature is that it fits just perfectly with all my hair stuffed inside.


The other one is a hat that has a bit of a cloche feel to it. I crocheted it myself from a few balls of "wash and felt" yarn that were on sale in a bowl in front of a shop. Felting in a washing machine was a completely new experience for me, so I felt (no pun intended ;-)) very lucky to get the size just right - you've probably guessed it, with all my hair stuffed inside.
Actually it's so perfect that I even refused stubbornly to give it to my mother when she admired it. I'm usually generous with stuff like that, but not only was I out of yarn, I was also sure that there was no chance of performing such a miracle again!


And a P.S. I forgot to add the hat that the cat on the stairs is wearing!

4 comments:

  1. Oh Cat, you have a lovely hat collection! I’m so glad I inspired you to share them with us - and to add to your collection. I love being enabler! That purple Baker Boy is such a luscious shade of purple. I am glad you are wearing that one. And the cloche? I have no idea how you created it. It’s like “hey a miracle occurred” I can’t choose a favorite from among your vintage hats. I love them all! And I am also a fan Emma Peel and Mr. Steed. :D

    Michelle
    https://mybijoulifeonline.com

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  2. Thank you very much, Michelle!
    That's how I really felt about the felted hat, a miracle. I know that people tend to make knit or crochet hats rather short, but that way they just don't stay on my hair, so I had enough left to roll the edge up and attach it. Then I had the idea to use the pearls and seed beads. What else is a stash good for? :-D

    I hope I'll find the mojo for the new project soon ;-)

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