A celebration of the traditional French festival of hat-makers and their patron saint, Catherine of Alexandria is held on the 25th of November. It has been observed since the 14th century in France, as the day for celebration by single young women, under 25 years old. The day has been revived by Fashion Houses and…
I have been getting the question “Do ladies actually wear hats to the Breeder’s Cup?” Some ladies do, others do not. However, over the years, I have seen more ladies wear hats. Depending on where Breeder’s Cup is held, the weather is cold or warm, determines the style of hat. In California, a heavier felt…
Californians have their own Derby Day fashion event of sorts – Del Mar Race Track’s Opening Day on July 21st. Del Mar is located in north San Diego. The hats seen on opening day at Del Mar are legendary. Over the years, I have designed many hats for Opening Day. Below is a sampling of…
Probably my favorite fashion movie clip of all time is the Ascot Gavotte scene from “My Fair Lady”. It’s utterly gorgeous in its simplicity. The starkness of black and white make the clothing and hat designs stand out. In my opinion, there is nothing more classic than black and white. It remains my signature color…
When it comes to picking out a hat, the first step is to pick a silhouette that works well for your face shape, height, and the event you want to wear the hat. A hat for Ascot or the Kentucky Derby (or a black tie event) could be much larger than say a hat for…
Can a hat help a horse? In this instance, yes. I am partnering with the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center in an exciting new project where $30.00 from hat purchases will go to the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center’s horses. When I started researching the Kentucky Equine Adoption Center, I got very excited. This group has placed…
Night and day, you are the one Only you beneath the moon or under the sun Whether near to me, or far Its no matter darling where you are I think of you. Cole Porter How often do we hear “I just can’t make up my mind!” ? Often enough. Once, a customer who just…
Twenty Questions with Kentucky Derby Milliner Polly Singer 1. What is your favorite thing to snack on while you’re blogging? I’m usually drinking jasmine tea, which I am thoroughly addicted to. 2. What is one thing you wouldn’t want to live without? Love and tea 3. Beach, Mountains, or Farm? Where would you live if…
“Buy straw hats in winter. ” (idiomatic) of stocks attributed to financier Russell Sage (1816-1906) Straw Hats in the winter? Well that depends on where they’re worn and, most important, in what colors. As we’ve become convinced of the ill effects of sun exposure, women look for sun protection year round. Sun block is…
“I like good strong words that mean something.” – Louisa May Alcott, Little Women Do you speak Hattish? Do you need a phrase book? We’ve put together a few of the words and terms regularly bandied about the milliner’s studio. I hope you enjoy it. I hope you learn something, I really hope you have…