Millinery Myths

As promised from my post on Monday, I'd like to take the opportunity to dispell a few myths that may make you a little apprehensive about joining the hat wave. Let's just jump right in... head first... pun intended.

MYTH 1: "I'm not a hat person."

Au contraire my friend, EVERYONE can be a hat person, just not everyone can wear every hat. You don't have to be Audrey Hepburn to pull of a great headpiece (though she could rock a hat like no other).

Just like anything else in fashion, there are shapes, sizes, fits, and colors that are meant for you, and a lot that are not- you just have to find your perfect match.  I think of wearing hats much like buying sunglasses. Different proportions, different colors, and different shapes suit different faces. When buying sunglasses, the general rule of thumb is to go for styles that are the opposite of your face shape. The same thing goes for hats. Round and square face shapes are slimmed down by wide brims that add both width and height to the top of the head. Asymmetrical styles also break up the continuity of perfect circles and squares by dipping into the frame of the face.

Longer faces tend to look best in the clean lines of a flat brimmed hat.

Taryn from Life of a Paperdoll

This may sound like I completely contradicted myself, but you'll notice the lines the brim creates when you put the hat on. The wide brim of a floppy hat ends up reading more like a thin wavy line from straight on, while the flat brim of a fedora ends up looking like a wider circle... hence the opposition of the face.

No matter what face shape you have there are some important things to remember when picking out a hat. First, the crown of the hat should never be narrower than your cheek bones. If you're wondering why the picture of Molly Sims below looks a little off- that's why.

Molly Simms at the Kentucky Derby
The crown that is more narrow than her cheekbones
makes for a not so flattering hat.

Secondly, The brim of your hat should be proportionate to your shoulders. Broader shoulders can handle wider brims, tiny petite frames should refrain from getting swallowed by over the top styles. Lastly, it goes without saying- fit is key! It shouldn't be so tight where your head is squished into it (this can damage your hair!) but snug enough so that it won't blow away at the slightest hint of wind.

My best point of advice- You have to try them on! Even if you make a huge joke out of it with your friends at the department store, try on every style (and there are hundreds!) and see what suits you. I'm sure you'll fall in love with one... or several.

MYTH 2: Hats are meant for hiding.

This one, in case you haven't noticed from the previous pictures, debunks itself.  Hats (baseball caps excluded), add mystery to your look. They definitely don't make you disappear. Hats on women in the U.S. have become so far and few between in everyday life that while you may feel incognito beneath the brim of a floppy hat, I guarantee everyone else notices you- but in a good way. The hat, especially now, is making a resurgence as the young fashionista's greatest accessory. It's a piece that says you're not afraid to step outside of the box, and get noticed for it. They can actually make you look more confident, flirty, and polished.  Wearing a hat can be a bold move, but if done right one you won’t regret.  Jeanine Larmoth (former copy editor at Harpers Bazaar) put it best:

"A hat is a shameless flatterer, calling attention to an escaping curl, a tawny braid, a sprinkling of freckles over a pert nose, directing the eye to what is most unique about a face.  Its curves emphasize a shining pair of eyes, a lofty forehead; its deep brim accentuates the pale tint of a cheek, creates an aura of prettiness, and suggests a mystery that awakens curiosity in the onlooker. "

Now, I should point out, that wearing a hat that is fresh, young, and fashion forward does not mean you need a headpiece worthy of Lady Gaga attention. I can't stress enough, that for your everyday trend-setter this couldn't be further from the truth.  While the songstress' works of art are breath taking, they are showpieces, not every day wear. And, while we've all been fascinated by the fascinators that debuted at the Royal Wedding, most of those are best reserved for fanciful fetes (how’s that for alliteration).

Myth 3:  Actual Hats are the only items that can appropriately cover your head.

As you may have noticed, my most favorite accessory actually happens to be the scarf.  One of the many reasons (that is a whole post for a later time) this simple piece of fabric is my fashion best friend is its versatility. Not only does it look great draped around your neck, it also does wonders wrapped around your head. Giorgio Armani's Spring 2011 runway show was a perfect example of just how many ways there are to use a scarf as a head covering, and look totally chic while doing it.

The headscarf has its place beyond the runway as well, and can be the perfect solution to those humid summer days when it's simply too hot to wear a hat, and your hair just cannot be tamed (which is often the case with my uncontrollable lion's mane). Again, if you're face is a perfect circle like mine, wrap the scarf around your head and tie it off to the side with a little bow or knot. Don't forget to add a large pair of dark rectangular sunglasses. Not only will you look like a 1950’s starlet on her way to/from the beach, but the whole look will actually make your jaw line appear narrower than your brow.

A leopard printed scarf to tame my lion's mane

The turban look is a great way to go if you have a longer, narrow, more oblong shaped face. Celebrity stylist Rachel Zoe has often been spotted in this look, as has Sarah Jessica Parker. 

Rachel Zoe in a turban

Sarah Jessica Parker wearing a turban

And for anyone with any face shape, if you're having one of those hair days for which there is absolutely no help, you can always use your scarf to pull off the "old Hollywood Barbie running off to her convertable" look.

Hopefully now I’ve changed your mind about decking out your dome, and you aren't even reading this last part because you're grabbing your purse and car keys (or more likely beginning a rampant online search) to make the hat your newest favorite accessory.

Still not convinced? Let me know, I'll find a way to make a believer of you yet.

A Bit of Millinery on Memorial Day

My summer uniform: floppy hat, cropped top,
high waisted maxi skirt & sandals.
(You'll have to excuse my wrinkly skirt, it was a busy day)

Nothing says it’s the start of summer to me quite like a floppy hat and sandals. With Memorial Day being the unofficial start to summer, it’s time to take those warm weather staples out of hibernation.

Hats on a woman in a America seem to be a thing of the past, they often only make appearances earlier in the month at Churchill Downs (I'm talking about the Kentucky Derby of course). I think it’s high time we took a cue from our friends across the pond and extend our headgear beyond a day with the ponies.

My hat of choice, being wide brimmed and moderately floppy, is a well known favorite of Derby attendees and has actually been around for centuries. It's the perfect accessory for long days in the sun. The material is light weight and breathable, it’s also pliable letting you bend and manipulate the folds and waves of the brim to perfectly shield your brow from the changing angles of the sun’s rays. Not to mention it lets you cover just enough of your face to give that extra bit of coy mysterious-ness.

This hat, just like many of the others you find today is actually made of paper straw, not real straw.  Shantung paper (that is generally made of Manila hemp plant fibers) is rolled into yarn to simulate straw. It is actually more resilient, and easier to manipulate than real straw. It also accepts dyes better, allowing for more vibrant colors. The use of paper straw to make hats became widely popular in the mid 1900's when real Panama straw (used of course to make the most famous of straw hats, the "Panama hat") became scarce. Now, paper straw constitutes 65% of the straw hat market.

Traditional Panama Hats

Straw (or what resembles straw) hats have come a long way over the decades. They have evolved not only in shape and size ranging from traditional to avant garde, but also in the materials used to produce a quality product. Paper straw has cornered the market for so long because of its ready availability, durability, and cost effectiveness... but of course there must be something out there that's a bit more luxurious than paper and a bit more transportable (while fairly pliable paper straw hats can still loose their shape if not handled with care). The ability to pack a hat is an essential quality for the warm weather jet-setter. If you think about it, whether you are a regular globetrotter or a more infrequent traveler most of us only bring out our hats when gearing up for vacation! How had no one thought of this sooner??  One of America's most well known hat designers (or if you really want to sound well-versed, milliner), Eric Javits, saw a niche in the market. He realized a need for a high-end straw sun hat that could be packed for travel without cracking or losing its shape.

Thus, Javits invented what is now coined the "Squishee" hat: a hat that resembles the look of straw but can easily be packed, squished, and crushed and bounce back to its original shape. Squishee is the actual trademarked name of the material used to create the hats (now also a full line of handbags and shoes.) It is a super resilient blend of  manmade fibers that are squished and crushed several times before they are woven (in a braided fashion) together to make the hat, thus increasing its flexibility after final production.  Eric Javits also produced a line of hats made from this material that have a 50+ UPF rating, providing maximum UVA/UVB protection. (A reason why these toppers cost around $325).

Leighton Meester wearing an Eric Javits Squishee hat
on the set of Gossip Girl

It’s no surprise that with his ultra functional materials combined with strong sense of fashion Eric Javits has become a regular name among the hat wearing elite.  His designs can be found adorning the heads of everyone from Britney Spears, Zoe Saldana, to Hillary Clinton...even Kim Kardashian.

I can't help but point out, that Kim reminds me of another of my favorite fedora wearing femme-fatales- Carmen Sandiego... I mean that in the best way possible.  Maybe it’s just me?

While not one of his creations, that's why I love my metallic striped number because reminds me of one of his creations. It will do just nicely until I find the perfect Javits topper of my own.

My striped metallic striped wide brimmed hat

Eric Javits Striped Wide Brim Hat

Until then I can continue in my wardrobe envy of Taryn over at Life of a Paper Doll, who of course does actually have one. 

If you scroll through her earlier posts you might now recognize that little Eric Javits number that pops up every so often, creating the perfect finishing touch on her varying ensembles. One thing to notice is that every outfit is completely different; yet, the hat always fits perfectly in place. That is because calling a hat the "finishing touch" to an outfit is a complete understatement, it often completely dictates the direction of the entire look, and the clothes merely play a supporting role.

Now that you are "Well-Versed" on these terrific toppers, I'm sure you're dying to run out and grab one for yourself. (Insert record scratch here). Ok ok, before I convince you to run off to your local milliner I believe I have some more persuading to do. Tune into the Well-Versed Wardrobe on Wednesday when I debunk a few myths on decking out your dome. It may just change your mind on your next accessory purchase.