That's A Pretty Hat

Organize Your Closet in 7 Easy Steps - Hat Organization DIY Project

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Wed, 22 May 2013 10:55:00 +0000

How to Organize Your Hat Wardrobe

Closet Organization Tips and Advice

By Kathleen Lisson

Boston milliner Marie Galvin recently asked me how I keep my hats organized.

I have about 40 hats and I wear a hat almost every day. Several people have asked me this question and I used to think they wanted to know if I kept them in hatboxes or on hooks. Then I read the recent story that reported that women only wear around 20% of their wardrobe regularly.

Now I realize the real question is - How do I remember what dress hats are in my closet?

No More Forgotten Accessories

Has this ever happened to you? I was organizing my purses and "found" two purses that I forgot I owned!

In order for me to take full advantage of my wardrobe, I have to remember every dress or pair of shoes I own, so I actually wear them and don't accidentally end up buying a duplicate.

My DIY Hat Closet Organization Tool

Most of my hats are safely stored in hat boxes. I first thought of putting photos on my hatboxes, but I am only 5 feet tall and my hatboxes are on the top shelf of my closet. I can't see them!

I needed a better solution.

I decided to keep track of my millinery wardrobe by creating a photo collage of all the hats I own and displaying it in a series of photo frames in my closet.

Here is how I created my closet photo collage organization tool:

Step 1. Collect your hats in one place.
This is a great time to select a few hats to donate. Consider giving your unworn hats to a thrift shop, school drama club or a niece or cousin's dress up box.

Step 2. Photograph Your Hats
Any background will do, I used my red bedroom carpet near a sunny window. I took all the photos horizontally.

Step 3. Transfer them to a thumb drive and take them to a photo developing shop.
Walmart, Target and drug stores may have a Instant Print developing machine in their photo department.

Step 4. Print individual photos or use the collage feature to print an 8x10 image of multiple hats.

Use a collage frame if your photo printer does not have a 8x10 collage option.

Step 5. Purchase a frame and frame the prints.

Step 6. Use wall-friendly adhesive to hang your hat collage frames.
You'll want to change the frames twice a year - Spring / Summer for your straw hats and Fall/Winter for your felt hats.

Step 7. Hang a hook by the photos for your outfit.
Hanging your outfit on the wall gives you the opportunity to scan all the hats and choose one or two that would be a good match.

Megan Tatum shares how she uses leftover hat boxes for home organization in this Youtube video: http://youtu.be/eU22n-WRBtw

How do you organize your closet?

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How to Use a Hat to Change a Daytime outfit to an Evening Ensemble

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sun, 19 May 2013 20:21:00 +0000

How to Style a Dress from Day to Night with a Hat and Fascinator

by Kathleen Lisson

My husband and I went on a daytrip to Boston this weekend and I needed a 'desk to cocktails' look for both daytime and evening.

First up, brunch with my family. I wore my Modcloth dress with a Chapeau Chateau hat from The Hat Shop in NYC and gloves from New York Vintage.

We stopped off to spend a few minutes at the beach after dropping my Uncle Harry off at his home in Southie.

A quick hat change for the Dedham Historical Society Spring Soiree! I love the look of this Marie Galvin fascinator. After the party, we stopped by the Town of Norwood. I have never visited there and one of my ancestors is on the town seal for his role in the Battle of Lexington.

Would you use a hat to switch a daytime look into an evening outfit?

Sharing this post with Not Dead Yet Style

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Why Do People Wear Hats? - My 200th Post!

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Wed, 15 May 2013 23:00:00 +0000

What Happens When You Put On The Right Hat?

By Kathleen Lisson

Happy 200th Post!

This is the 200th post on the That's a Pretty Hat blog! I have been sharing tips, expert advice and photos for a little over a year now and I would like to thank all my readers. Ladies interested in learning how to wear hats visited the That's a Pretty Hat blog over 20,000 times last month! The most popular post this month is a DIY post on How to Make a Fascinator.
I wanted to celebrate the occasion by sharing some hat wearing inspiration from NYC Milliner Ellen Christine!

How to Find the Right Hat

RunwayPassportTV recently interviewed my favorite milliner Ellen Christine.

My favorite quote in the video is when Ellen Christine explains that "when a person puts the right hat on their head and looks in the mirror - it happens." She is talking about the 'magic' of revealing the person inside of ourselves that we have never given permission to come out.

When I first put on Ellen Christine's 'Gigi' hat, that magic happened to me. Suddenly, there was a flirty lady in the mirror, one that could smile and laugh, confident in her beauty and ability to charm.

Is there someone inside of you that could come out and play if you had the right hat on your head? What is she like?

The Youtube video is here: http://youtu.be/-yft5gZiSHM

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What Hat to Wear to Royal Ascot 2013 - Videos

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 +0000

What Hat to Wear to Royal Ascot 2013

by Kathleen Lisson

These videos from the official Youtube channel of Royal Ascot include several shots of ladies dressed to attend the races at Ascot - great inspiration for what to wear in the Grandstand, Furlong Club, Pavilion Club, The Bessborough Restaurant, The Parade Ring Restaurant and The Panoramic Restaurant.

View the videos here:

What to Wear in the Grandstand at Royal Ascot 2013

What to Wear in the Furlong Club, Pavilion Club, The Bessborough Restaurant, The Parade Ring Restaurant and The Panoramic Restaurant at Royal Ascot 2013

Find out more about the Royal Ascot 2013 Style Guide here: http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.com/2013/03/what-hat-to-wear-to-royal-ascot-2013.html

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Junior League of Troy Ice Cream Social at Vanderheyden Hall

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sun, 12 May 2013 17:09:00 +0000

Junior League Ice Cream Social

by Kathleen Lisson

I coordinated my first Junior League project!

The Junior League of Troy hosted an Ice Cream Social and over two dozen kids at Vanderheyden Hall participated. We collaborated with the Rensselaer County Dairy Princess and her court, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County, Stewarts Shops and the New York Farm Bureau. It was pouring outside, so we held the event inside.

Junior League of Troy members scooping Ice Cream at Vanderheyden Hall in Troy, NY

There were three rooms full of activities - in the refreshments room the kids could make their own ice cream sundae, try a fruit and vegetable smoothie and make ants on a log.

In the game room, kids interacted with the Rensselaer County Dairy Princess, learning more about dairy through a trivia game and asking her questions about her life on her family's dairy farm.

In the craft room, kids could share stories about women that inspired them. Over a dozen residents created a card to thank a special woman in their life.

Junior League of Troy volunteers

We even gave the children a tomato plant so they could start their own garden!

Founded in 1833 as the Troy Orphan Asylum, Vanderheyden Hall provides residential and community services to youth, individuals and families with educational, developmental, behavioral and emotional challenges.

This video explains the history of Vanderheyden Hall and what the organization does today to provide for the most vulnerable children in our community.

My favorite part of the video? When Zhai said, "No one gave up on me."

Watch the Vanderheyden story here: http://youtu.be/NDPb8CPj0_M

Check out photos from the Junior League Christmas Party at Vanderheyden Hall here: http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.com/2012/12/junior-league-christmas-party-with.html

Linking with NotDeadYetStyle.com

What hat to wear to a wedding - Wedding Guest Etiquette

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Fri, 10 May 2013 02:09:00 +0000

What Hat to Wear to a Wedding

By: Kathleen Lisson

If you are a wedding guest looking for great examples of how to wear a hat and dress to an upcoming wedding, Duchess Catherine provides an excellent example!

The Duchess Kate blog provides an excellent selection of photographs of Duchess Kate at weddings in recent years. Visit the blog post here:
http://hrhduchesskate.blogspot.com/2013/03/kate-loves-weddings.html

Visit my Pinterest board focusing on photos of Duchess Catherine in hats here:
http://pinterest.com/khlisson/duchess-of-cambridge-kate-middleton-hats/

STV brought in a selection of different types of hats that are proper for a wedding, see their picks here:
http://youtu.be/X_hjE67w8yg

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What to Wear to the Horse Races

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Tue, 07 May 2013 10:41:00 +0000

Spring 2013 Racing Fashion - Kentucky Derby 139

by: Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I stopped by the Saratoga Racecourse on our way to the Kentucky Derby party at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, NY hosted by OTTB charity Old Friends at Cabin Creek.

Hat: Abigail Aldridge

Dress: (Modcloth) Ruby Belle Intro to Organza Chemistry Dress

Shoes: Modcloth

Purse: Charming Charlie

Pearls: Ross-Simons
Gloves: Amazon.com Pretty in Pink Nylon Glove with Floral Pearl Cuff

I love how the pink, purple and green look together. My inspiration? Flowers for a spring garden:

Learn more about the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs in this video:
http://youtu.be/o0iU7dKzMmg

Click to see photos from last year's Kentucky Derby 138 party.

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Sunny Day at the Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sat, 04 May 2013 16:56:00 +0000

What Hat to Wear to the Troy Farmers' Market

by Kathleen Lisson

Warm weather means the return of the outdoor Farmers' Market in Troy, NY. Arun and I filled my straw basket to overflowing with organic vegetables, gluten free bread and biscotti and fresh cheese.

Cyber Sam Statue, Troy, NY See more Uncle Sam Statues here.

Then we went to Yonder Farms to pick out some fruit trees, and I found plenty of colorful outfit inspiration in the flower beds!

Hat: Charming Charlie

Dress: (Modcloth) Emily and Fin Brunch With Buds dress in Ferns

Are your outfit choices sometimes inspired by nature?

Shared with Visible Monday, IFB Project # 94 and the upcoming nature-inspired movie EPIC.

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How to Get Effortless Style

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Thu, 02 May 2013 23:30:00 +0000

How to Get Effortless Style

by Kathleen Lisson

I recently received a comment from one of my favorite blog readers - Emalina from Kiki and the Gypsy - praising my "effortless style." I appreciate the compliment, but wanted to set the record straight - putting an outfit together is far from 'effortless' on my part.

Here are the steps I take to put my outfits together:

Choose a 'mood' for my outfit. Am I feeling romantic, ladylike, seductive, elegant?

Play in my closet - what hats, gloves, dresses and shoes can I layer to make an outfit that matches my mood? I am often inspired by the textures and prints in my dresses.

Combine colors - I also love to combine colors - a color wheel is great for discovering new color combinations. Danielle of Fashion Bomb gives a great primer in her article, "The Color Wheel: how to Combine Colors in Your Wardrobe," available here: http://fashionbombdaily.com/2010/04/16/the-color-wheel-how-to-combine-colors-wardrobe-accessories/

Dressing for Evening Events

If I am dressing for an evening event, I listen to my favorite music - I love my Electronic Tango playlist on Pandora. My inspiration? Gotan Project. My Pandora station is here: http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh199926669037680831&shareImp=true

Listen to Gotan Project here: http://youtu.be/as59Id4eHhc

Dressing for Daytime Events

If it is a day event, I consult my That's a Pretty Hat board on Pinterest for inspiration. My pins are here:
http://pinterest.com/khlisson/that-s-a-pretty-hat/

My last step: Look at my completed outfit in a full length mirror. I need to feel two things - a sense of the 'flow' of the outfit, and a feeling of excitement.

A Sense of 'Flow'

I am drawn to photos of elegant ladies because their outfits seem to be more than the sum of their parts - the clothes are beautiful, but they combine to allow the woman to stand out as well. I want someone to say "you look beautiful" instead of "that's a beautiful dress."

A Feeling of Excitement

Most of all, I want to be excited about my outfits - I remember the wonderful feeling of 'YES!' I feel every time I find an amazing dress or hat. I want to be able to feel that 'YES' each time I wear an outfit.

I believe I look stylish when my clothes express who I am, where I am in my life, and what I find beautiful about the experience of being female.

How do you achieve 'effortless' style?

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How to Keep Your Hat on in the Wind - Hat Comb DIY

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Wed, 01 May 2013 02:08:00 +0000

How to Add a Comb to a Hat - Hat DIY Project

By Kathleen Lisson

I recently bought a darling vintage pillbox hat at New York Vintage in NYC. The hat came with two small combs - perfect for the structured hairstyles of the day, but not enough for my short bob haircut.

To make sure my hat stays on in the wind, I will sew a wider hair comb onto the inside of the brim.

See the steps of this easy DIY project on this Hat Hints Video by Hat Academy: http://youtu.be/n_-XeAORWY0

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Uncle Sam in Troy

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 13:23:00 +0000

Uncle Sam Statues in Troy, NY

by Kathleen Lisson

After Arun and I attended a delicious spaghetti dinner fundraiser for Unity House, YWCA and other local charities at Christ Church United Methodist, we walked downtown to see the recently unveiled Uncle Sam statues.

Truly Rhe Uncle Sam Statue

Troy Savings Bank Music Hall Uncle Sam Statue

Rensselaer County Historical Society Uncle Sam Statue

Barker Park Uncle Sam Statue - birds of Oakwood Cemetery

Hat: Goorin Brothers Lonsdale

Dress: Kate Spade

Blazer: H&M

Pearls: Ross-Simons

Shoes: Nine West Austin

Bag: Brooks Brothers

First mentioned in the Revolutionary War song Yankee Doodle, 'Uncle Sam' has become a metaphor for the United States and/or the American government. Coincidentally, a Revolutionary War veteran and meat packer named Samuel Wilson from Troy, NY supplied our soldiers with meat during the War of 1812. Due to the stamp on the meat packaging, the moniker 'Uncle Sam' stuck. The first modern image of the Uncle Sam we all recognize came in 1916.

I like wearing a cloche in the early evening because it keeps the late day sun out of my eyes. I think I look silly wearing sunglasses when the sun is about to set, and this hat is the perfect solution.

Shared with NotDeadYetStyle.com

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Troy YWCA Fashion Forward Fashion show

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sun, 28 Apr 2013 00:34:00 +0000

Fashion Forward - Troy YWCA Fashion Show

I attended the Troy YWCA 'Fashion Forward' fashion show fundraiser at Pat's Barn in Troy to benefit the Troy YWCA's Women in Transition (WIT) program. The program provides 14 units of transitional housing for single women and women with children for up to one year.

Local 'celebrity' models mingled with attendees throughout the evening and Truly Rhe provided the women's clothes. I loved the idea of fascinators paired with fringed dresses.

John Bulmer of John Bulmer Photography donated his photography skills

My best-dressed couple were Vic Christopher and Heather LaVine

from The Charles F. Lucas Confectionery in Troy

The Empire State Youth Orchestra donated their musical talents

A group shot of the celebrity models!

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Anthropologie Headband - What to Wear to a Musical Performance

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Fri, 26 Apr 2013 11:10:00 +0000

What to Wear to a Musical Performance

by Kathleen Lisson

For me, Rule #1 of attending a musical performance is 'Do not obstruct the view of the music lover in the seat behind you.' I wore the Canya Orbit headband from Anthropologie to the Julie Fowlis concert at Troy Savings Bank Music Hall.

Dress: Modcloth

Shoes: Marc Fisher

Fur: Vintage, from Ideal Furs in Albany found at Plato's Closet

Purse: Amazon.com

Julie Fowlis was amazing. I loved that her husband (and bandmate) is Irish and they have such a friendly rivalry. It reminded me of my relationship with my husband, who is from India.

Hear Julie Fowlis sing 'Touch the Sky' here: http://youtu.be/TJFcbHOgXOc

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How to Buy a Hat If You Have a Larger Head

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 10:45:00 +0000

How to Buy a Hat If You Have a Larger Head -

Advice from a Hat Lover

I asked my fellow blogger Lynne from The Good Will Hunting Paralegal to share her experience with buying a hat after she asked me to recommend a place to look for larger size hats. My original blog post 'What is my hat size? How to measure your head and where to find hats for large heads' is here: http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.com/2012/12/what-is-my-hat-size-how-to-measure-your.html

Lynne was kind enough to agree to share her experience with me. Here is her story:

"I have a big head and little arms..." ~ T-Rex, Meet the Robinsons (2007)

That, dear hat lovers, is the story of my life. And yes, I'm going to out myself. I'm that reader that asked Kathleen where I could find hats for ladies with larger heads.

When I was in college, I wore vintage clothes. My besties and I would head out to pop some tags at local secondhand stores. Inevitably, someone would say, "Lynne, you have got to try on this hat! It would look so good on you!" To which I would agree - if it fit. It never did.

For decades, I told myself there was no point in looking at hats, although once in a while I would see a hat so irresistible that I just had to see...if...no.

Then I turned 50 this year, and made a 50+ Style Blogger Wish List. Buying a pretty hat was near the top of the list. Then I became completely hat-obsessed after trying on a beautiful straw cloche hat in Macy's that didn't fit but confirmed my long-held belief that I would look good in cloche and/or flapper hats.

Big head, long but oddly small face, dontcha know.

So I did what I do when I usually get obsessed with a hard-to-obtain item (rather like a purchasing an unicorn) and searched every combination of "large", "big", "hat", "23" on eBay, Etsy, Google Shopping, among others. I will admit that the best hat for me is a 23 1/4" although I can wear stretchy 23" hats (and that helps them stay put on windy days). So that makes me (rolls my eyes) like a 7 3/8 to 7 1/2 hat sizes. (See T-Rex quote above.)

Since the average woman's hat size is 22" or size 7, that places me in an unfortunate group that not many milliners and/or hat shops make hats for, at least not usually for less than hundreds of dollars for a single hat.

But all my obsessive online searching led me to one online purchase of a vintage-style handmade cloche hat at Your Dash of Panache (eBay). Then I stumbled upon an embellished beanie at the Eastern Market in Washington, DC. I have another cloche on the way, and a secret project brewing, involving hats for the larger heads among us hat lovers.

Don't give up on finding a hat if you have a larger head. All it takes is persistence and patience to find the first one. The rest will follow.

_________________________________________

Lynne is an immigration paralegal who blogs at The Good Will Hunting Paralegal, sharing her love of secondhand clothes and budget career dressing...and now, hats! She pins inspiring hats, many for the larger-headed amongst us, at http://pinterest.com/expertparalegal/cloche-hats/

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Where to Buy a Hat in NYC

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 18:52:00 +0000

Best Places To Shop for a Ladies Hat in New York City

The Top Three Places to Buy a Hat in Manhattan

by Kathleen Lisson

1. Best Milliner - Ellen Christine

Ellen Christine is my favorite milliner. Period. The best bet is to pay a visit to her in her studio (see my post on her studio here - http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.com/2012/06/where-to-buy-hat-in-manhattan-visit-to.html) and she also has a range of hats for sale at Paul Mayer Attitudes on the Upper East Side.

My first Ellen Christine hat

Shop here when you are hungry, because Gobo, a delicious Asian fusion restaurant, is just a few blocks away.

2. Best Hat Shop - The Hat Shop

The Hat Shop Owner Linda Pagan was recently quoted in the Back of House article, 'Kentucky Derby, It's All About the Hat' that "It’s not about the hat or the outfit. It’s about the hat and the outfit and the person all coming together with confidence."

Linda will guide you through the process of hat buying at her shop, which supports New York milliners. I met my friend Abigail Aldridge, a NYC-based milliner, because I bought one of her hats at The Hat Shop. If you have a larger head, Linda will measure your head and have the hat you like custom-made and shipped to you.

Abigail Aldridge hat from The Hat Shop

3. Best Vintage Hats- New York Vintage

I am an Upstate New York lady. When I visit New York Vintage I feel like I'm in couture heaven and have access to the same treasure trove of fashion as some of the top stylists in the world. I focus on two things - their selection of vintage hats for sale and their rental / not-for-sale hats. I visit the rental / not-for-sale to get inspired by some of the most iconic millinery from the past. The staff are real gems. My friend M from Belles and Rebelles works there and she grabbed a Chanel dress for me that fit like a glove!

Watch Rachel Zoe visit New York Vintage here: http://youtu.be/oLsnym-Hd3Y

Schiaparelli hat from New York Vintage

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A Lady's Jewelry Box: How to Wear Pearls Four Different Ways

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 01:47:00 +0000

What Pearls to Keep in Your Jewelry Box

By Kathleen Lisson

I find that a simple string of white pearls is the one piece of jewelry that matches most of my hats. In my jewelry box I have a three strand set of smaller pearls, a strand of graduated pearls, a 100 inch strand of pearls and my wedding set - pearls and diamonds that match well with pearl cameo earrings for an upscale evening look. Check out the photos below to see how I styled my pearls.

How to Wear Pearls

A set of small pearls for daytime with a fascinator

Retro glamour - graduated pearl neckalce with a cloche for daytime

Evening pearls - Flapper chic! 100 inch strand of pearls with a headband

Reusing my wedding bridal pearl and diamond necklace with a feather headband for a special date with my husband

I shared this with IFB Project #92 - Show us your jewels!

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How to Wear a Great Gatsby Flapper Headband - Summer 2013 Trend

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sun, 21 Apr 2013 21:03:00 +0000

Great Gatsby Inspiration - How to Wear a Flapper Style Headband

By Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I went to dinner at the Country Club tonight and I decided to wear my Anthropologie headband 1920's flapper style!

Headband: Anthropologie Pearly Laurel

Dress: Modcloth Black Tie Optimal

Pearls: Ross-Simons

Shoes: Marc Fisher

It was just warm enough to take a ride with the top down. Putting the headband on my forehead flapper style kept my hair from flying all over and getting messed up during the car ride.

Linking to NotDeadYetStyle.com

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Great Gatsby Style: Hats and Headpieces

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sat, 20 Apr 2013 22:59:00 +0000

Great Gatsby Style: Hats and Headpieces

by Kathleen Lisson

Vogue magazine has published an article titled 'Great Expectations: The Inimitable Carey Mulligan' by Tom Shone with photographs by Mario Testino and shared this wonderful video of Carey Mulligan reading from The Great Gatsby with visuals of her trying on different art deco inspired outfits for their photo shoot. See the video here: http://bcove.me/ypl3wlvo

Images from the Vogue photo shoot include 'Daisy' in a exquisite dresses, gloves and headpieces.

I love how she is described as a 'Hothouse Flower.' When I traveled to India, I realized exactly how much my life in America is like one of a hothouse flower.

The issue hits newsstands April 23, 2013.

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What pairs with orange?

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 14:30:00 +0000

How to Wear Orange

by Kathleen Lisson

When I was younger, I shied away from orange because it was so ... Halloween. Then I fell in love with this orange dress from Reiss. Now I can wear orange year-round, without looking like a pumpkin.

What Hat to Wear With an Orange Outfit

Hat: Ralph Lauren

Dress: Reiss

Shoes: Nine West Austin

Hosiery: Ann Taylor

Gloves, Vintage, from Dang! That's Cherry in Troy, NY

Purse: Brooks Brothers

Necklace: Ross-Simons

I like how well the orange pairs with my brown accessories. I also paired it with green at a visit to the Saratoga Racecourse last year.

Do you wear orange?

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What to Wear to Attend a Day at the Horse Races - Top Racing Fashion Experts Spill Their Secrets!

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 02:05:00 +0000

What to Wear to Attend a Day at the Horse Races

By Kathleen Lisson

“The day wouldn't be what it is if we didn’t get to go out of our way to dress up in our finest, and that I think is the main reason we attend - the opportunity to wear the most striking outfit you can think of and be sure that it will be noticed!” - Penny Holloway on why she enjoys attending the races.

I asked a few of my fellow racing fans what types of clothes they wear to attend a day at the races and how they choose their outfits. Here are their answers!

Bree Laughlin

Bree Laughlin, the 'Face Of Caulfield' in 2011, said that “racewear is an interesting style to understand as it is day wear that is finished and often tailored.” She usually starts with a piece of clothing and then chooses her accessories.

Milliner Lady Diane of http://www.ladydianehats.com/ said that the primary and most important part of her outfit is the hat. “Go big or go home I always say.” She suggests selecting the clothes first and then having a hat custom made to complement the outfit. “The classier you can look, the better… Ladies Day and the Derby are all about being the center of attention. You are not just going to an event, you are part of the event.”

Trixie Hammer of Lady and the Track always wears a dress. “I'm a mom of a two-year-old. I would never wear sweatpants to watch a horserace!”

Penny Holloway

Penny Holloway chooses her outfit based around classic, traditional race styles and always sticks to those cardinal rules. She does also “mix it up” with the hot trends of the season. To turn a party dress into a racing outfit she “amps it up come race day with more and more accessories, slick hair do's and obviously a hat” and offers a great tip – “You wear things best when you feel like YOU in them.”

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What hat to wear to brunch and shopping

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sun, 14 Apr 2013 14:59:00 +0000

What Hat to Wear to Brunch and Shopping

by Kathleen Lisson

After my Van Rensselaer DAR meeting, Arun and I had a fabulous brunch at X's to O's Vegan Bakery in Troy and did some shopping in downtown Troy.

Hat: Ann Taylor Outlet

Dress: Mrs. Pomeranz Whirled of Possibilities from Modcloth

Gloves: Dang! That's Cherry in Troy, NY

Hose: Berkshire Trend Back Seam Pantyhose Hosiery in beige

Shoes: Modcloth

This simple beige / cream hat has a small brim, which makes it perfect for shopping and grabbing a bite to eat.

I love the feeling of wearing gloves on a cool Spring day. I found these gloves at Dang! That's Cherry vintage shop in Troy. For some great advice on adding gloves to your wardrobe, visit my friend Jessica's Chronically Vintage blog for advice on vintage gloves.
http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2012/10/how-to-size-vintage-gloves.html

Linking to NotDeadYetStyle.com

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How to Wear a Fascinator with a Veil - Cocktail hat DIY tutorial

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Sat, 13 Apr 2013 02:31:00 +0000

How to Combine a Veil with a Fascinator

by Kathleen Lisson

Veiling can add an aura of mystery and allure to an evening outfit.

I love shopping at local craft store Anchor No. 5 Boutique in Troy for hairpieces, but my favorite fascinators sometimes do not have veiling.

Rachel shares her tips and a DIY tutorial on combining a separate birdcage veil and fascinator into an evening headpiece.

I like her idea of using embellished bobby pins to clip the sides of the veil.

The video is here: http://youtu.be/vXRwfc-EL4Y

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Spring dress and cloche hat - Junior League Meeting

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:53:00 +0000

How to Wear a Cloche Hat for Spring

by Kathleen Lisson

I joined my fellow members of the Junior League of Troy to put together cleaning baskets for residents at St. Paul’s Center and Unity House.

St. Paul's Center is a shelter for homeless mothers and their children and Unity House helps disadvantaged people lead productive and healthy lives.

We packed around 50 Junior League bags full of cleaning supplies, then enjoyed appetizers and cocktails.

A floral fit-and-flare dress, pearls, heels and small brimmed hat have become my uniform for Spring - I can go straight from the office to a Junior League after-work meeting feeling confident that I look feminine and pretty.

Hat - Ralph Lauren Cloche
Pearls - Ross-Simons
Dress - Modcloth
Heels - Nine West Austin

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Hats for Hair Loss

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Tue, 09 Apr 2013 23:00:00 +0000

Hats for Hair Loss Due to Medical Treatment

By: Kathleen Lisson

Question from a reader:

Do you have any suggestions for where to find attractive spring and summer headwear, hats and scarves in the Albany, Saratoga, Berkshires area for someone with hair loss due to medical treatments? Scarves are good. Hats that can be laundered, like a light-weight knit cloche would be good. Straws are ok as well, but can’t be cleaned, so they would be worn less often.

Thank you for any suggestions that you may have.

My Answer:

Thank you so much for asking me!

To Life! is a local resource in Delmar and Saratoga - their website is here:
http://www.tolife.org/breast-cancer/fitting-services/
The Abracadabra boutique has wigs and head coverings.

WNYT Health Reporter Benita Zahn recommended St. Mary's in Amsterdam as another resource. Their Look Good...Feel Better is a free program that teaches beauty techniques to women cancer patients in active treatment to help them combat the appearance-related side effects of cancer treatment. For further information, please contact Julie Pierce at (518) 841-7448.

The largest general selection of hats I have found in Albany is at the Colonie Center Macy's. They will have floppy summer hats and wide brim hats as well. They also have plenty of scarves in different patterns.

Another good option for very pretty wide brim straw hats is Fancy Schmancy in Albany.

There are a few hat shops in Saratoga. Upscale hats can be found at Saratoga Trunk on Broadway. A new hat shop, Hatsational, just opened up in Saratoga.

Since I'm not sure whether you are requesting hats for general sun protection due to hair loss or if the hat needs to protect especially sensitive skin, I will also suggest, if you are willing to look online, ETSIS has hats that are designed for sun protection. http://www.etsishats.com/

It may be valuable to look around the website, if just to see how the hats and sun coverage panels are designed and worn.

I have never actually laundered a hat. I have shared that question with a crafter I know and will get back to you with their answers.

and an update...

I haven't found any machine washable cloche hats locally yet, but I did pick up a Kangol cloche at a hat shop in Austin, TX over the weekend that is hand washable. Here is the link: http://www.kangolstore.com/headwear/fabrication/bamboo/bamboo-cloche.html

The reader shared a web site that has an attractive machine-washable cotton cloche: www.Headcovers.com I like their lace night cap: http://www.headcovers.com/315/lace-night-cap/

Tips on Wearing Head Scarves

Here is a video from Cancer Research UK displaying several different types of headwear for Chemotherapy patients and other women suffering from hair loss: http://youtu.be/29pY2bjASlY

Sheena Almquist, a cancer survior, shares her tips on using scarves and hats, including:

What is the proper size scarf to buy for a head scarf;
What is the best fabric to choose for a head scarf;
How to tie a head scarf using a ponytail holder;
How to add accessories to your head scarf;
How to take a hat off when you are wearing one with a head scarf underneath; and
How to use a crinkle cotton scarf as a headscarf.

Tips for Covering Partial Hair Loss With Hats

My friend Jessica Cangiano is coping with medical hair loss, and she was kind enough to share the following advice:

"As I talked about in this post (http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2013/01/new-hair-for-new-year.html) back in January, my own story of hair loss began when I was 14 (14.5 to be exact) and never let up. At first it wasn't too bad, but as the years rolled on and nothing seemed to come forward as the cause or a solution to the problem (I tried mainstream and natural medicines/treatments, consulted scads of doctors, had tons of tests done, etc), my hair continued to fall out. My hair loss is somewhat equally disturbed, but there have always been bigger areas with more hair loss in the front (especially above the temples), sides and crown and these were the ones that I tried to hide (or at least better disguise) with my beloved vintage hats.

My hair loss, while aesthetically irksome, was painless (as in my scalp didn't hurt and I wasn't in any physical discomfort due to my hair falling out) and so this meant that I could wear just about any kind of hat I wanted to. If a person was experiencing scalp pain due to, or in conjunction with, their hair loss, certain types of hats (stiffer materials and tighter styles, for example) might not be ideal.

Depending on the amount of hair loss a woman is experiencing - and how much she wishes to mask the problem - she may find that she can also wear a wide range of hats. If her hair loss is minimal to moderate and/or localized to certain areas of her scalp, most styles should work for her and help conceal the fact that her hair is thinning or balding in one or more areas. If wide spread hair loss is present to a high degree, yet a woman still wishes to keep her real hair (instead of switching to a wig), than sporting larger hats (such as fedoras, cloches, wide brimmed straw and felt hats, large 1960s style pill boxes - even cowboy hats) may be more ideal for her.

One technique I found that helped give the illusion that I had more hair than I actually did was to wear my hair in a simple bun or french roll in the back (with or without a faux bang in the front) and a medium sized hat in the middle of my head. This made it look like my hair was merely tucked into the bun/roll in the back, instead of that it was quite thin all over (and worse in some spots, all of which I usually tried to hide with the hat. Here's an example from last September of when I sported this particular type of hat and hair combo: http://www.chronicallyvintage.com/2012/10/a-charming-1950s-novelty-print-skirt.html

I never really felt ashamed of my hair loss - I wasn't doing anything to intentionally cause it and I'd tried diligently to remedy or at least halt the problem, so I wasn't necessarily trying to use hats as a way to hide the issue all the time, but it was sincerely nice to always know that they were their for those days when I wanted to disguise the problem and/or help make it seem like I had more hair than I really did at the time.

I think that when a woman - or really anyone, for that matter - is experiencing hair loss, be it gradual or quite sudden, it feels natural to want to have something on your head (at least some of the time) to help compensate for the amount of hair that you see dwindling away each day when you look in the mirror, and hats can certainly go a very long ways in this regard.

If a person opts (or needs to) become a wig wearer, I can't urge them enough to continue to keep sporting hats. Since I started wearing a wig full time late in 2012, I've sported hats many, many times with my wig. I find that doing so really helps to add an extra element of realness to my wig, making it look more like my own natural hair (I swear, this is one of those secrets to making a wig look lifelike that has escaped the general radar but which can make a world of difference).

You may find that the wig (or wigs) you select change the overall size of your head a little (mine went up about half a hat size, but as my head is fairly small to begin with, thankfully all of my vintage hats still fit), so be mindful of this when you start buying hats after becoming a wig wearer (measure your head with your wig on and use that measurement as your hat size from here on out - or at least for as long as you wear a particular wig).

If you love hats and are experiencing hair loss, I truly hope you'll continue to keep wearing as many of your favourite toppers as possible. They can really help take your mind off of feeling conscious amount your thinning hair, as (depending on their size) they can cover some or even all (think a long 1920s style cloche) of your head and thus, only you, really know just how much, or how little, hair you actually have."

Can You Help?

Please share information on machine washable hats in the comments section.

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What Hat to Wear to a Christening?

noreply@blogger.com (Kathleen Lisson) — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:02:00 +0000

What Hat to Wear to a Baptism

by: Kathleen Lisson

I had the honor of attending the baptism of my best friend's son in a beautiful church in New York City last fall. I felt a little intimidated and wanted to look my best, so I paired one of my favorite dresses with a pretty hat. I was relieved to have taken the extra step of wearing a hat because I felt like my outfit really honored the importance of the ceremony and the grandeur of the church.

If you are thinking of wearing a hat to a baptism or christening, look to the guests at Princess Estelle's christening for inspiration. The video is here: http://youtu.be/RnVQ-9bd1dE

One additional benefit of wearing a hat to a church ceremony is that it can shield the wearer from the sun. I can see several aisles of the church are bathed in direct sunlight during the ceremony. The lady in the hat will still have a comfortable view and will not be squinting through the whole ceremony.

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