Hat was designed for this dress.

Custom ladies hats for the Kentucky Derby.  About 25% of the ladies hats that I do are custom.  Many Kentucky Derby clients will request this as they want that unique look for Derby Day.   A custom hat can range anywhere from changing out the trim (flower or feather) on one of the existing hats on the website to designing an entirely new hat.  Often times, the client will email or actually mail their dress to me.  I will then design two or three different versions of the hat or fascinator. I will email them the photos.  Depending on the direction that the custom design is going, a decision will be made and the hat/fascinator done. 

Hat for Derby 2014 to match necklace.

Hat was designed to pull in the colors on this dress.

As you can see, there is so much that can be done to pull the dress together with the hat.   I have designed hats around jewelry, shoes, almost anything.

Derby hat done to complement necklace.

Love the colors on this custom hat.

The good thing about my hats is that everything is sewn on by hand.   Often times, I will take the existing trim off and sew on new flowers or feathers, creating an entirely different look.  Buying a hat is an investment, so I like to give my clients many options for later use.

February is Custom Hat month.  Customization fees are $50/hour but this month the fee is waived. 

https://pollysinger.com/custom-hats/

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Del Mar is one of the nation’s loveliest  race tracks in my opinion.  It’s phrase is “where the surf meets the turf”.  Bing Crosby was one of the founders of this racetrack.  Hollywood royalty often frequented this track.  The address is Jimmy Durante Boulevard.

Over the years, I’ve done many hats for Del Mar Opening Day.  Here are few of my favorites.

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I designed and donated three ladies hats to the  Kentucky Equine Humane Center.  This worthy organization captured my heart last year when I went to visit.  Being a long time champion of animal welfare, I was taken by these lovely horses and the mission the of the KYEHC to rescue, rehabilitate and adopt out these horses who had not had the best of lives thus far.

These three hats are available on ebay.  The bidding ends at 6:00 p.m. on Sunday, April 6th. 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/KyEHC-Handmade-One-of-a-Kind-Kentucky-Derby-Hat-Spring-with-Esprit-/161252067625?pt=US_Hats&hash=item258b5f4929

Any of these hats would be great for Easter, the races, an event or even the Oaks or Derby.

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I was excited to be selected to have my work in the Stitching Art exhibit at the Lexington’s Headley-Whitney Museum. The show opens on March 23rd. Featured in the above photo is Simone, a sculpted fur felt fascinator with curved peacock feathers.

The hat above is called Matisse. I designed Matisse in 1996, while studying at F.I.T. in New York. I was given the subject Matisse and asked to design a hat around that theme. In 2003, the hat won best of show at the T.L.D. Design Center in Chicago. I absolutely adore the outfit the hat is paired with. The dress is a very intricate design by Monica Magdangal. All photography by Anna Esposito.

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This hat brought $5,000 at a charity auction.

 

Imagine my surprise to hear that a hat I had designed for a charity auction brought $5,000.00!  I was so shocked upon hearing the price that I almost drove off the road! It was quite an evening.

The event was the AHC Opening Gala at Churchill Downs, in the 4th Floor Suite.  The beneficiary of the evening was Angelheart Arabians in Lexington, Kentucky.  The organization focuses on aiding children with chronic illness by working with horses.  Tracey, the Executive Director, suggested that I do the hat in black, white and silver.  She suggested doing a classic design.  The hat style is one that I call Holly at Churchill, so I guess it was fitting that the hat did so well at Churchill!

Kim Jarvis with the Arabian Horse Celebration was responsible for promoting the hat and also getting the amazing photo of it that you see below.  Her lovely daughter modeled it.  So as you can see, it was a group effort!  The event staff at Churchill was a pleasure to work with, so professional and helpful.

 

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