What is the history of the Easter bonnet?  Why do we think of Easter bonnets at Easter?

What is an Easter bonnet?  An Easter bonnet is a hat that is worn on Easter.  The hat usually features flowers and is in the colors of spring.  Pinks, lilacs and other light colors are usually the colors featured.

I remember my first Easter bonnet. It was a pink bonnet completely covered in little white daisies. I was so excited to wear it. But this fond memory makes me wonder, where did Easter bonnets originate?

The history of the Easter bonnet goes back farther than many of us realize. Easter Bonnets even go farther back in time than Easter itself. The first bonnets, usually a circle of leaves and flowers, symbolized the cycle of the seasons and the coming of Spring. The Christian holiday of Easter celebrates new life and rebirth with pure and new clothing.

Later on in history came the “Sunday of Joy,” the Easter after the end of the Civil War. This day allowed mothers and daughters to come out of mourning dawning pastel colors and incorporating the spring flowers. The 1870’s marked the beginning of the Easter Parade in New York. The Easter Parade allowed women to proudly show off their new spring clothing and Easter Bonnets.  For more information about the Easter parade, visit this link. https://www.mcny.org/story/easter-parade

The Easter fashion traditions are still alive today, celebrated among the young and old. Easter bonnets come in all shapes, sizes, colors and designs. Easter bonnets often mark the beginning of many people’s love of hats. Their beauty is well known and admired. They still symbolize new life in the coming of spring, warm weather and religious celebrations.

Polly designs hats for Spring that can be worn as Easter bonnets.  Visit this link to see some of Polly’s hats that could be worn for Easter.   https://pollysinger.com/product-category/couture-hats/

This Easter, sport your very own Easter bonnet. Whether hand made or store bought, old or new, small or large, wear it proudly with your head held high. Celebrate the coming of a new season with a lovely Easter Bonnet.

 

By Anne Kreke

Why do we care about hat etiquette?   Are the rules different for men and women?

The main reason for hat etiquette is being considerate of those around you.

A few things to consider are:

1. Is your hat in the way of their field of vision?  For example, a huge hat worn to the theatre or to a concert could hamper someone’s field of vision of the stage.  No one wants to stare at the back of someone’s hat for the entire performance.
2. Does your hat fit the event?  One would not wear a baseball cap to a more formal event.
3. Are hats worn to the event you are attending?

 

Some rules for women are…

• Ladies may wear their hats indoors as well as outdoors.
• After sundown, hats are generally not worn by ladies.
• Fascinators can be worn after sundown.
• When at a performance, a theatre etc., be aware of people around you. If they cannot see properly over your hat, remove it and place it on your lap.
• Never ask to borrow or touch someone else’s hat. Admire it like the piece of art it is.
• Have a good attitude and confidence when wearing at hat. This allows you to have more fun and it makes that hat look better on you.

Etiquette for men is a little more strict.

• Always remove a hat when indoors, in the presence of an American Flag, in the presence of a place of worship and when you stop to talk.
• Tip a hat when meeting a lady. Remove it when you are conversing with a lady.

For more tips about hat etiquette, visit Southern Lady’s article about Polly to learn more.

https://southernladymagazine.com/meet-polly-singer-kentucky-milliner/

What is a milliner?  

A milliner is someone who makes hats from hand, using the finest materials available.  The word “milliner” comes from the word/phrase “Milaner” since hat straws came from Milan, Italy as well as many other luxury goods.

What is the life of a milliner like?

Many people I talk to think that it is tons of fun, getting to play with colors, feathers and flowers to create wearable works of art. Others think it is merely gluing a flower onto a ready made hat. In my case, it is the first one.

I wouldn’t say the life of a milliner is either difficult or challenging, but sales can vary based on the economy. Since hats are not a necessity, it can be feast or famine.

The actual making of the hats is physical, with lifting heavy hat blocks and also, sewing trim on.  During busy work periods, hands get sore.

Since I am a custom milliner, it is always a gamble on which supplies to order and how much.   I do research each year to check out color trends, but I never truly what people will want!   I usually order feathers and flowers in small quantities.   Black, white, ivory and fuchsia are always popular colors, so I try to have plenty of those colors in stock.

On each hat, there are usually 6 or so items, each of which is often ordered from a different company.  Some of the materials include straw or base, feathers, flowers, ribbons, buttons or crystals, hat label, and headband or comb.  Each material is ordered and then the pieces are all put together by me.

Since I am known as “the hat expert”, I often share my expertise with clients who will be attending the Kentucky Derby for the first time.  I enjoy helping them figure out what to wear and what to expect. Many of my clients are first time hat wearers and admittedly nervous about wearing hats.  I don’t blame them!   They don’t want to look foolish or inappropriate. I never sell or design a hat that I don’t feel great about. I always steer my clients towards elegance.

Being a milliner and small business owner is a difficult balance at times. At times, the business end (accounting, marketing, website, etc.) does threaten to take over. However in any creative business, you must do the “business” end to be able to do the creative part.  And I have become to enjoy the business end of it.

In my lifetime, I have had many jobs.  Some of my jobs included being an administrative assistant, working in the music business, interning on Capitol Hill, running an arts non profit and working in retail.  I must confess that I really love my present vocation best.  I feel immense joy seeing my clients wearing hats that I made for them.

As Margaret G. from Florida said, “Your hats make me feel beautiful and elegant.”

 

Nancy from California wears her custom Polly saucer hat to etiquette events where she teaches others about etiquette, giving them more confidence.

 

When I was a little girl, my Mother read to me often.  One of my favorite books was “Toodles and Her Friends”.  It was about a cat, Toodles, who went through many obstacles but never gave up.  The cat would always say “Perseverance Pays”.  That little phrase has always stuck with me and encouraged me to never give up, both in professional and personal lives.

 

In designing hats, I am always the most proud of the hats that were the most difficult to design. I will generally design whatever the client requests, even though at the beginning of the project, I am not quite sure how it is all going to work out.

 

This hat was designed for Royal Ascot.  It was the very first hat that I designed for this prestigious event.  It had to be perfect!

My client lived on the West Coast and I was in Kentucky.  We emailed numerous photos back and forth.  I did not have the dress, which was a different shade of taupe than what showed up in photos. I found a local boutique that had the same dress in stock.  They graciously loaned me the dress so that I could make sure the feathers matched the dress.

My client was thrilled with the hat and received many compliments that day!

 

Often, the hats that are the most difficult to create are the ones that I fall madly in love with.  Much work goes into designing. I often wake up in the middle of the night with the answer to my design questions.

 

This was a design that I made for Nancy Cox, who was a local news anchor who covered the Kentucky Derby.  Nancy is a former Miss Kentucky and a delight to work with.  Since she was on air much of the day, I wanted something that stood out, was comfortable to wear and looked stunning with her dress.

 

 

The yellow dress was a great base.  I added the blue and white to add a little more color and give it height.  We were both excited with the results. Nancy was a winner on Derby Day.

 

I designed this hat for Margaret Guedes, who is the Founder/CEO of Kids Beating Cancer.  Margaret is a delight to work with. She always sends me a photo of her dress and we go from there. Her style is elegant and timeless.  We both were happy with the result.  Finding the right color flowers was a challenge but it all worked out in the end because “purrseverance pays”!

 

Click here to listen to my interview/podcast, hosted by Polly Alexandre.

Since 2019, I have worked with renowned Master Coach and Healer, Polly Alexandre.  It has been an amazing journey.  The classes and mastermind programs really helped me focus during the worst of the Pandemic.  Through these courses, I was guided to launch my tea line, grow my business and branch out into speaking engagements!

How did I find Polly Alexandre?  Well…one day I was googling my name and came across her.  She is British by birth, but resides in Ibizia.

Here we are recording the show.

Polly and I chatted about how I got started in my business, what drives me, how my family background played a roll in what I do and more.

Give it a listen and let me know what you think!

Saluting a female business owner who inspired others, enriching the lives of many.

Phyliss Hoffman DePiano recently and unexpectedly passed away. It was a shock to me and so many others.

For those of you who didn’t know her, Phyllis Hoffman DePiano was the founder of Hoffman Media Publishing. She entered the world of publishing 40 years ago, in 1983, and built the Hoffman Media empire that now boasts eleven magazines, including Southern Lady, Tea Time, Victoria, and Southern Home.

Even though I never formally met Phyllis, she played a huge role in my career, giving me both confidence and inspiration.

In my personal life, her magazines always brought me joy and provided an escape. The world can be a dark and depressing place, especially when you tune in to the news. I can always count on magazines like, Tea Time, Southern Lady, and Victoria to lift my mood. In fact, these publications are staples on my coffee table for this very reason.

 

When I started designing hats in 1993, I was inspired by the hats and fashions in Victoria Magazine, and I would often dream of being featured in Victoria. You could even say Victoria gave me the “hat bug,” and I still love to thumb through my collection of vintage Victoria Magazines that I’ve collected since the 1980s.

 

As a young designer in 2008, my dream came true when my hats were featured in the Fall issue of Victoria Magazine.

I felt as if I‘d won the lottery, and my friend Caroline knew this and threw a party!  We were all so excited to celebrate the moment!

As a business owner, I appreciate the spotlight that Hoffman Media always shines on small, mostly women owned, businesses. There’s a confidence and camaraderie that comes with knowing you are not alone in this arena.

Along with numerous new friends, I have to give Phyllis credit for connecting me with no less than four amazing ladies with whom I’ve collaborated over this past year! Had it not been for Southern Lady and Tea Time magazines, I probably would not have met these women. The events we did together have literally changed the trajectory of my business.

Phyllis’ magazines became a force to help and empower women while creating a lovely atmosphere. The magazines that Phyllis helped create and publish focus on joy, friendship, gentleness, creating memories with loved ones, and holding community. The mother of twin boys, she valued family and faith.

When I started my tea line, I was excited but nervous, so when both Tea Time and Southern Lady magazines, featured my teas it felt like an affirming confirmation that I was on the right path.

This is my way of honoring the memory of Phyllis Hoffman DePiano.

The courage, persistence, and tenacity she put forth as she embarked on a career in the publishing world, a male dominated field, has and will continue to blaze the paths of many women, and I am one.

The ripples of her positive influence over business owners, artists, and readers of her publications will be felt for years and years to come.

Thank you, Phyllis.