Celebrating Elegance and Joy: The 3rd Annual Hat Tea at Fasig-Tipton, Lexington KY

Welcome to the recap of the highly anticipated and enchanting 3rd Annual Hat Tea, held in April at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington, KY.

I hosted this fabulous day, as always, in collaboration with Holly Hill Events and Chef Ouita Michel.

Once again, this hat tea proved to be an extraordinary celebration of fashion, culinary delights, and connection!

When the doors opened at 11:00 a.m., over 100 guests began to arrive, each greeted with a refreshing cocktail or mocktail as the rich sounds of cello and violin drifted through the air, courtesy of a very talented stringed instrument duo.

The ambiance was immediately set as attendees perused the pop-up hat shop, featuring my 2023 Spring hat line, The Rainbow Queen Collection.

For this collection, I drew inspiration from the late Queen Elizabeth II and her vibrant sense of style.

The hats displayed a kaleidoscope of colors, and I was honored and grateful to receive such a positive response to my new designs.

For this distinguished afternoon tea, and in honor of the Queen, I had specially dyed rainbow flowers made for my hat and they turned out beautifully!

In true Holly Hill Events fashion, every detail was meticulously planned and executed. The tables were dressed in striking rainbow-hued tablecloths, creating a stunning visual tapestry.

The attention to detail extended on to the plates themselves, which were adorned with flowers, handpicked from the property, adding a touch of natural beauty to the culinary artistry that Chef Ouita and her team put together.

Promptly at noon, guests were invited to take their seats and embark on a delectable journey of afternoon tea service, expertly crafted by Chef Ouita Michel and her culinary team.

Chef Ouita’s skillful presentation and culinary prowess brought forth a 5-course afternoon tea that was utterly heavenly and a truly satisfying dining experience.

Tea Sandwiches

Chicken salad gougere

Smoked salmon, cucumber & Benedictine

Kentucky silver dollar hoe cakes with mascarpone and cranberry pepper jelly

Dressed egg salad with shaved radish and caviar

Soup

Asparagus Bisque with creme fraiche, asparagus tips, chive and buttered croutons

Salad

Local spring lettuces, macerated strawberries, Capriole goat cheese, sugared pecans and sorghum vinaigrette

Scones

Mini Betty Ann Scones

Mini Cinnamon Scones

Whipped Sorghum Butter, Blackberry Jam, Apple Butter

Sweets

Chocolate Eclair

Orange & Fennel Shortbread Cookies

Pavlova with Lemon Curd & Blueberries

Hummingbird tea cake with cream cheese icing

Each of these fabulous courses were paired with teas from my Polly Singer Loose Leaf, Artisan Tea collection.

As the Sweets course was beginning, I welcomed my special guest, Suzanne Smith (@crazyblondelifeblog), a North Carolina lifestyle blogger who traveled to Lexington to join us for this very special event.

Suzanne and I sat down together, engaging in a conversation that explored the joys and challenges of middle life, sharing our experiences in starting our businesses later in life, cultivating gratitude practices, and embracing a positive mindset- the idea being to inspire resonance with guests and create an atmosphere of camaraderie and personal empowerment.

As the tea service came to a close, it really felt like something special had just taken place.

My sincere gratitude to Suzanne Smith for coming to Kentucky and helping to bring something extra special to this year’s hat tea.

To Ouita, Teresa, Donna, and the entire Holly Hill Events team- thank you, thank you for your exceptional efforts in bringing this magnificent event to life.

And last, but certainly not least, my gratitude and appreciation to my guests who earmarked a spring Saturday to spend with me and then came dressed in vibrant attire and exquisite hats, contributing to the already festive atmosphere.

The culmination of passion, creativity, and collaboration made this day an extraordinary celebration of elegance, joy, and friendship.

If you missed this year’s Hat Tea, please know that I am already looking ahead to next year!

My mind is always turning as I think of new ways to make this annual Hat Tea a continued unforgettable and cherished tradition.

I hope to see you next year!

Costumes make a film.  With the right costume designer, they can convey much about a character to the audience before they utter a word. It’s not just the clothes that make it, but it comes from the accessories too, hats included! Every little detail of a character’s wardrobe can tell us so much about them and who they are.

Here are 5 of the most iconic hats from movie history:

One of the most fashionable characters in film history is Holly Golightly from Breakfast at Tiffany’s.  We see in the very first moments of the film,  Audrey Hepburn standing outside of Tiffany’s in a long black dress decked out in pearls wistfully looking at the window.  That scene is one of the most iconic scenes in film history and is the definition of the perfect “little black dress”.  While that outfit is stunning, the viewer gets to see the iconic wide brimmed black hat with a cream colored silk bow.

The costumes for the film were designed by French fashion designer Hubert de Givenchy and Audrey looks beautiful in every outfit.  Her elegant wardrobe throughout the film shows how Holly wants to escape her pervious county girl life for the upscale New York life.

Another film from a totally different era features Scarlett O’Hara in Gone With The Wind. The film spans 12 years from 1861 to 1873.  We see Scarlett’s life go through many changes, from privileged young Southern belle, to struggling to feed herself and her family, and finally to wealthy business woman. Her costumes through the film highlight her struggle and changes in life. From the fluffy white dress in beginning showing her childhood and innocence to her calico dress that she wears through a good course of the film because she has no money, and then the beautiful gowns she wears when she has money from the lumber mill and marriage to rich Rhett Butler. With many of her outfits she wears hats or head pieces that perfectly match with her dresses.

There are so many to choose from, but I have to go with the hat she wears with the iconic green curtain dress. While not necessarily the most outrageous of her dresses, it is certainly the most memorable. It was even parodied by comedian Carol Burnett in the 90s on her show. She wears the dress to meet Rhett in jail in Atlanta to get money to save Tara showing how dedicated she is to saving her beloved Tara.

Does Audrey Hepburn make two appearances on this list? Yes she does!   Audrey’s hat from My Fair Lady is probably one of the most famous hats from the silver screen.  The movie came out in 1964 with a budget of $17 million. It was the most expensive film made in the US at the time. Costume designer Cecil Beaton designed more than 1,000 costumes for the film and won the Academy Award for Costume Design.

This hat is worn by Eliza when she attends the Royal Ascot after her makeover from simple flower girl to elegant lady.  The hat, along with the dress, were auctioned off for $3.7 million dollars!

Time to show the fashionable men some attention.  While this is not the most crazy or interesting hat by any means, it certainly has left its mark. Once the first Indiana Jones movie came out many men wanted to sport this iconic brown fedora to be like star Harrison Ford. Indy wears a simple white button down with brown slacks, leather jacket and the hat just makes the look forever memorable. People just see the hat and his whip alone and they will know what character you are talking about even if they haven’t seen the movies. The hat adds to this rugged adventurer look (and it doesn’t hurt that a younger Harrison Ford looks amazing in it).

Designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis designed the costumes for the iconic Steven Spielberg franchise. Though Harrison himself wasn’t in love with the look as he once stated, “whoever decided that Indiana Jones should wear a felt hat and a leather jacket in the jungles should be shot,” While an exaggeration, it’s understandable that the outfit was more than likely not the most comfortable for the actor. But I think designer Deborah Nadoolman Landis knew what she was doing when she designed this iconic wardrobe. The Indiana Jones recently went for $650,000 in a recent auction.

Last, but not least, is what could probably be seen as the most iconic hat in film history. The pointy witch hat worn by the green Wicked Witch of the West in the beloved film, The Wizard of Oz, is world famous. Designed by Adrian Adolph Greenberg, the Wizard of Oz costumes are remembered by people of all ages.

The black pointy witch hat has become the staple for any Halloween witch costume. All you have to do is put on the hat and people atomically know what character you’re trying to be. That says so much about the iconic status of the hat!

In April, I partnered with renowned Holly Hill Inn chef, Quita Michel to host my 2^nd annual Hat Tea event at Fasig-Tipton in Lexington.  We put on a Kentucky Derby hat fashion show and lovely afternoon tea.

This special event was the launching point for my Savannah Spring Hat collection as well my new artisan tea collection, featuring five hand-blended, loose leaf teas.

At the Hat Tea, guests were treated to a shopping experience where they were encouraged to have fun experimenting with all of the elegant and spirited hats in my new collection! 

With so many upcoming Spring events on the calendar, it was a great joy to help ladies find their own personal best look.

We had a tea-tasting station where guests could sample all the hand-blended teas in my new collection. As a native Kentuckian, I’m proud to have partnered with the world-famous Elmwood Inn, located right here in Kentucky, to create this delicious line of artisan teas.

We are all treated to a classic afternoon tea menu, designed, created and thoughtfully presented by Quita Michel and it did not disappoint!

Pimm’s Cups and Peach Bellini’s were available and the mixologists at Fasig-Tipton also created a wonderful mocktail with my Belle’s Butterfly Fascinator tea, lemonade and honey- delicious and so refreshing!

If you think an afternoon tea is not a substantial source of sustenance…think again!

As a certified Afternoon Tea Etiquette trainer, it was my pleasure to present a talk on Tea Etiquette for my guests.

I talked about tea fashion, host gifts and included a presentation with model, Katherine Barr on how to best pair a hat with an outfit that has a print, which is sometimes a challenging endeavor!

During Tea Service models weaved their way through the elegantly appointed dining tables, showcasing different hats to inspire ideas and fashion possibilities for everyone… 

Michaela and the entire Holly Hill Inn / Fasig-Tipton staff exceeded expectations, bringing this already elevated experience to the next level with their service and attention to detail.

It was a successful and absolutely splendid afternoon.

I want to thank everyone who joined me for this beautiful day of elegant hats and gorgeous teas and, still much needed, in-person connection.

It was a joy and I plan to continue this annual Hat Tea tradition every April!

In the meantime… wear your hats with confidence and enjoy a meaningful break from stress with a daily cup of tea in the afternoon!

Lots of love,

Polly

I was thrilled to have my business featured in the September/October 2021 edition of Tea Time Magazine. Having been an avid reader of this magazine that writes all about all things tea, it was indeed an honor.  Tea is such an important part of my life.  My Mother always welcomed me to her home with a cup of tea.

The purpose of the article was to discuss ideas for what hats to wear to tea.  While this might seem an easy topic, there are quite a few tips that I have picked up over the years.  For over 12 years, I have been a member of the Ladies Historical Tea Society in the Central Kentucky. We have had historially themed teas, bridal showers and birthday parties.  Many of us dress up in our Regency finest and attend Louisville’s Jane Austen Festival annually.  Attending all these teas over the years has give me a birds eye view on what millinery is best for teas.

For an outside picnic tea, you can always wear something larger.   A large sun hat provides more sun protection and is also, just plain romantic.  I love a simple oversized hat.  This hat I purchased at a charity auction years ago. It is one of my very favorites as it is simple, yet dramatic at the same time.

The best thing about wearing hats to tea is being surrounded by others in hats!  You don’t feel like you stand out as much. I hear so often, “I love to wear hats but have nowhere to wear them”.  Go out to tea with friends or host a tea and you will have the perfect excuse to wear a hat or fascinator.

During a recent tea at Holly Hill Inn, my friends and I wore hats. As you can see, there is a quite a variety here.

How It All Started

In February 2021, I did an Instagram post where I created a hat contest for my Valentine’s Day Tea. The public could vote and tag someone, then be eligible to win a prize. I had recently started following Martine from Martine’s Pastries, who had done my wedding cake back in 2002. It was wonderful reconnecting with her through Instagram.  Martine’s pastries are utterly delicious and visually stunning.  She had entered to win my hat contest and tagged her friend Ouita Michel, a renowned James Beard Foundation Featured Chef. Ouita is the incredibly talented founder of the Ouita Michel family of restaurants.  Holly Hill Inn, Wallace Station, Midway Bakery and Honeywood are just a few of her restaurants.  Ouita also voted, and reached out to me through direct message, mentioning that she would love to host a tea party with me. I was so excited as I am a big fan of hers, having spent many wonderful times eating at her establishments. After the intensity of the prior year, I could feel the sun starting to shine again after hearing from Ouita!

Planning The Event

Over the following months, Ouita Michel and I planned the tea together. We discussed incorporating tea etiquette into the event as we thought the audience might enjoy this topic.  Last February, I did an online certification process to receive “The Art of Afternoon Tea Etiquette Certification” through Nancy at Daily Etiquette, founder of the Southern California School of Protocol.  It took 10 hours to complete this training, as it was very detailed regarding everything that goes into hosting a tea party and tea etiquette.  For our Tea Party at Holly Hill Inn, we included 10 etiquette tips to share with everyone. People are often surprised about tea etiquette as they think the rules are strict and difficult to follow.  It’s not about making sure you sit up straight and not getting food on yourself; but learning tips  which help make the overall experience more pleasant for everyone. 

Ouita had suggested that we do a hat fashion show with models showing the hats.  In addition, I was given the opportunity to set up a boutique at Holly Hill Inn.  It was incredibly generous of her.  We planned that I would bring 30-40 hats for the millinery fashion show. Having the opportunity to participate in this event was such a blessing due to the confines of the quarantine during the pandemic. It had been very depressing due to being a social person, and not being able to attend or host events.  We were thrilled knowing that this would be the first event for many since the quarantine started and wanted it to be fabulous!

The Event

As the event evolved, we decided to have the models interact with the audience directly. The models went from table to table to introduce the hats.  Since we had the models more involved than just walking into a room and then exiting, it turned out to be one of the highlights for the audience as they enjoyed getting to talk to the models. The models walked around with a chalkboard sign stating the name of the hat that they were wearing and engaged with each table.  The audience loved this!

When Ouita and I planned this back in March, she mentioned there would be space for 50 to 70 people at the event.  I was hoping to get 50.  To our surprise, we sold out a week before the event!  The event was a total success on all levels.  The guests loved being together and making connections while being surrounded by beauty and delicious tea cuisine. People were raving about what a great time they had and how they couldn’t wait for the next one!

Final Results…It was a major success!

The ladies were excited to learn about tea etiquette as well as receive ideas for hosting their own teas in the future.  Many positive memories were created that day at Holly Hill Inn.  New friendships were made and older friendships renewed.  Women loved getting dressed up, being with their friends, trying on hats, and getting a chance to relax.  They all had a blast!  I am looking forward to more events like this.  Women deserve to be pampered and made to feel beautiful.  They left feeling a bit like royalty!