So I'm not a hat person...

Today I got out for some child free, ladies only time with the women from my church. We went to a tea house near where I live that is just fantastic. It's in a historic Victorian house. They serve fancy finger sandwiches, scones and soups. Today's version was STRAWBERRY!! I tried an Herbal Roobis (rhoobis?) tea that I cant get again soon enough!

So I get there (I've been there before) and everyone is wearing hats. They have a bunch there for you to try on or you can wear your own. (Feather boas were available too.) But I don't wear hats. I have a big head and they just don't do me any justice.

My unofficial God-mom was there. She's the kind of person even little kids just know not to disobey. I've known her for many years. She has always been that person who was always right even when I really didn't want her to be. So she INSISTED I wear a hat. Everyone was having a great time trying different ones on. But.... really...I'm just not a hat person... But she really INSISTED! Then I spied this little treasure...









Wait for it!.....





Drum roll please....











And I wore it the rest of the afternoon!

That looks like a tiara, not a hat. But you look cute in it!

I absolutely adore hats! I was wearing hats long before Lady Diana came onto the scene and made them vogue. When I go and buy a fancy dress, I have a hat or head band made to match the colour of the dress.

I cleaned out my closet last year and gave away a whole lot of my old clothes, but I kept most of the hats! lol

You look great!!!!!!! I love tiaras. I wear one every year on my birthday, all day long.

You make a great princess! Too cute!

I too love hats, not crazy ones, but cute, stylish hats.

Not a hat person, either. Last one was a man's straw hat I bought to wear while on the riding mower. It fit, unlike hats in the women's department. (Cheaper, too.)

Mom grew up in an era when hats were the norm, but she had little money and made do with netting and a fresh flower from her garden (once she used an okra blossom) and pin the arrangement to her chignon. She often recalled other women admiring her efforts and wishing they could look that good.

On one occasion sis had a friend getting married and needed a hat (Catholic church, mid 1960s) so she and mom hit the local department store. After trying on several and looking more ridiculous and laughing at each other, they looked around and discovered they had acquired an audience of other shoppers watching them.

So, yeah, I come from a line of women who aren't hat people.

That's great! When I was a child, a tiara like that was a favorite present to take to my friends' birthday parties (along with dry ice). Mine is probably still around in a box in the attic or somewhere. Nothing like a tiara to make you feel special.

I love hats and wished I lived in a time when they were in vogue. My mother wore them, mostly the pillbox type, when I was a kid. Men wore them, too, then. They looked wonderful.

But the really great hats, IMO, were the funny ones from the 1920's. I have pictures of my grandmother from then wearing the most hilarious hats.

I think everyone can wear hats well, you just have to find the right ones that suit you. I have some good ones. Only problem is that I feel so conspicuous when I wear them that I have to be in the mood.

Robin

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I absolutely adore hats! I was wearing hats long before Lady Diana came onto the scene and made them vogue.

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Linda, Diana didn't make hats popular, we Brits have been wearing hats for years! I've got three hats and three fascinators, four when l find one for a wedding I'm going to next August

We wear them to weddings all the time unlike most countries. And when we have ' Ladies day' at the races we wear them there as well.

What sort of hats do you wear Linda. Do you mean felt ones in the winter or sun hats?. The hats we wear to weddings aren't the type you wear on a daily basis because their too fancy.

I am not a hat person at all and never was. First of all my head is too small and my hair is baby fine th hats just fall off me. I'll wear a baseball cap tho since I can make it smaller to fit my head. Thank goodness I don't live in England where hats are so popular and some of them totally ridiculous.

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

What sort of hats do you wear Linda. Do you mean felt ones in the winter or sun hats?. The hats we wear to weddings aren't the type you wear on a daily basis because their too fancy.

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I meant ornate fancy hats. I don't wear a hat on a daily basis. Just when I am going out for a fancy occasion that requires me to dress to the nine's, such as a New Years Eve party or a wedding or dinner theater etc.

I don't typically buy hats off of the rack. I go to a local milliner (or a bridal shop if I'm looking for a headband) with the dress I want the hat or head band for.

Most of my hats are made from fine straw. But I do have a couple that are made from felt or satin. Two that have a little bit of lace netting that falls partially over the face. Some have wide brims, some narrower and some have no brims at all. And I really love vintage style hats.

My husband makes fun of me when I wear a hat and it makes me self conscious. I sunburn easier now because a medication I take now makes me more photosensitive so hats serve a practical purpose to me.

The British tradition of women wearing hats to races can be found in the U.S. at the Kentucky Derby. All the women, especially the ladies that lunch, wear ornate hats to the Derby. There is an unspoken contest for the best and most ornate hat.

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

I meant ornate fancy hats. I don't wear a hat on a daily basis. Just when I am going out for a fancy occasion that requires me to dress to the nine's, such as a New Years Eve party

Most of my hats are made from fine straw.

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Really?. We never wear them to parties or the theatre. The straw hats are what we use as sun hats. Have you got any pics of yours?

Originally Posted by Denice

The British tradition of women wearing hats to races can be found in the U.S. at the Kentucky Derby. All the women, especially the ladies that lunch, wear ornate hats to the Derby. There is an unspoken contest for the best and most ornate hat.

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Yes, we've started a tradition

Originally Posted by Rosiemac

Really?. We never wear them to parties or the theatre. The straw hats are what we use as sun hats. Have you got any pics of yours?

Yes, we've started a tradition

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No. My hats are not sun hats.

I'm in the midst of packing and I've already packed non-essentials which included my hats and purses. But here is a link to a hat very similar to one of mine. Mine is navy blue with navy and white flowers to go with a navy and white dress.

http://images.hats.com/images/catego...IEW_IMAGE.jpeg

http://www.nwwone.org/world-war/Vint...519120580.html (Minus the feathers)


The hats I have made run usually between $150 and $200 each. The straw is not heavy/coarse straw: It's very fine straw that looks like cloth once woven. When the girl who made my first hat told me she was using straw, I told her that I didn't want a straw hat. She showed me some fine straw hats and I was gobsmacked. They looked and felt like cloth.

Here is an example of what we refer to as a sun hat. I don't own anything like these.

http://www.sungrubbies.com/Web images/Ginger-Lg.jpg

http://www.beautycent.com/wp-content...at-228x300.jpg

Hehe...that tiara was pretty old. I really liked it! I haven't worn one since I got married.

They had a ton of hats to try on from all different eras. They had men's hats too. My mom took a picture of me in a top hat there. LOL! I like the ones that remind me of my Grandmother's and what I saw them wearing in pictures from when they were in their 20s. But you still won't catch me waring one on a regular basis!

Good choice

I love hats, but I look awful in them, so I've only had three in my whole life: a green "bucket" hat I made myself to wear on a houseboat vacation when I was a kid; a big floppy straw sunhat with a black grosgrain ribbon, which went beautifully with a black floral sundress I wore when I was very young and slim; and a grey felt fedora.

A fedora? Well... remember the old "Remington Steele" series? Stephanie Zimbalist wore a fedora with her long hair, and I thought maybe I could get by with it too. So I bought one, but then I realized... I live in Texas! It's MUCH too hot here for ANY kind of outfit that would go with a grey felt fedora. So I wore it once with my raincoat, noticed people looking at me oddly, and put it away forever.

We need more pictures in this thread! And Linda, I've NEVER seen a picture of you! Pleeeeease?

Originally Posted by Natalie_ca

But here is a link to a hat very similar to one of mine. Mine is navy blue with navy and white flowers to go with a navy and white dress.

http://images.hats.com/images/catego...IEW_IMAGE.jpeg

Click to expand...

Is this what you would wear to the theatre or for dinner?

Oh yeah, you can't go wrong with a tiara!

Yeah, I don't like hats, either. Rarely wear one, except an an umpbrella!

As to the tiara, you know what they say..."It's good being queen!"

Back in the early 60's and before, to be "dressed-up" meant a hat. Women wore white gloves, too, and no pants. Everyone dressed-up for church. Now anything goes. JFK was known for not wearing hats, which was unusual at the time, and considered a sign of his boyishness and vitality.

Hats at the theater?!! I'd hate to have a seat behind that! But maybe you take them off?

Way back, ladies didn't take their hats off. But men did, indoors, unless they were uncouth. I still can't stand the sight of a man wearing a hat indoors - whether it is a cap, cowboy hat, or whatever. To me it is bad manners.

Robin