Men Love Curves

Yes, we know that men love curves. However, that pertains to hats as well. My Simply Elegant hat has been popular with men, as well as women. I recently met with a client to design a Kentucky Derby hat. Her boyfriend was present. His comment on seeing his girlfriend in a black Simply Elegant was…

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Sinatra, Hats and Stamps

The recent postal increases left some people confused. Raising stamp prices for a penny? However, that changed for me when I saw the newest 42 cent stamp. Seeing the magnificent image of Old Blue Eyes made me smile. Frank Sinatra was a musical icon. Very few people have come that close to achieving what he…

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Something Old, Something New

As the old saying goes for any bride she needs “something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue”. We have begun to see a new trend in bridal fashion that incorporates the old and new. Polly has had some recent clients who want to use the material from their mother or grandmother’s wedding veil…

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The Preakness Stakes

The Preakness Stakes, which follows the Kentucky Derby and precedes the Belmont Stakes, is the middle jewel of one of the most honored traditions in thoroughbred racing, The Triple Crown. This year the Preakness will be held on May 17 at Pimlico Race Track in Baltimore, the second oldest race track in the nation. Since…

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Talking Through Your Hat

“Flowers have a language of their own, and it is this bright particular language that we would teach our readers. How charmingly a young gentleman can speak to a young lady, and with what eloquent silence in this delightful language. How delicately she can respond, the beautiful little flowers telling her tale in perfumed words;…

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Extreme Makeover

Can you recall the scene in “The Wizard of Oz”, where the Wicked Witch turned the Tin Man into a “human beehive”; or, can you conjure up Kevin Costner’s performance as the college friend around whose funeral the movie “The Big Chill” revolves? Of course you can’t, because, in both cases, those scenes were deleted…

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Cleaning Straw Hats

Quite often, I’ve purchased white or ivory vintage hats and they have had spots on them. In terms of cleaning them, I would use Johnson’s Baby Shampoo or Ivory Dishwashing Soap. These items worked O.K., but I’ve found an even better cleaner. Bickmore’s Nustraw Straw Hat Cleaner removes most oil and water based stains on…

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