i feel like a sassy lady in this sophisticated black and ivory novelty print!

DRESS: ModCloth | SHOES: Seychelles via ModCloth | EYEWEAR: SEE Eyewear | HANDBAG: All Typed Up by Kate Spade | NECKLACE: Vintage Pearl Collar | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

in fact, i feel pretty bad-ass…

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

okay, and maybe a little silly too!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

okay, maybe a lot silly…

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

the dress went perfectly with my gretchen fenston tricorn sailor hat and kate spade sailboat clutch!

DRESS & PETTICOAT: ModCloth | HAT: Gretchen Fenston | SHOES: Converse Outlet | CLUTCH: Kate Spade | GLOVES: Vintage | NECKLACE: Lord & Taylor | PHOTO CREDIT: Josefa Steinhauer via Instagram

I’ve been lucky enough to join up with oft-parade-prize-winning Brooklyn Bombshell Revue lead by choreographer extraordinaire Heather Flock.  Last year, I was so nervous, because I didn’t have a partner to swing dance with in the parade.  I was going to be paired up with some random person!  I would soon discover the Bombshells are all amazing people and I love my dance partner!  Josie is a perfectly petite fly geneticist.  That’s right, I swing dance with a scientist!  Look how adorable she looked at the parade this year!

josie on the front end loader!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

did i mention my modcloth va va valuminous petticoat was super fun to swoosh around in?

DRESS & PETTICOAT: ModCloth | HAT: Gretchen Fenston | CLUTCH: Kate Spade | GLOVES: Vintage | NECKLACE: Lord & Taylor | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

did i mention that jose is a fly geneticist? get a load of the brains on this
cutie petutie…

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

swing pal voon is skipping down the boardwalk in a gorgeous vintage swimsuit

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

brendan & elyce were our mermaid king & queen!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

after a job well done, josie and i sure were tired. it was an exhausting, beautiful day. we had a blast!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

my friend tatyana gershkovich always looks stunning & so authentic at the lawn party!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

For the first day of the two day weekend event, gal pal Tatyana was good enough to lend me this incredible late 30s/early 40s vintage novelty print dress.  I love it so much I’m having it made for me in more prints!

posing for dave on the outskirts of the event on governor’s island

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS, HANDBAG & GLOVES: Vintage | SHOES: Poetic License | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

greeting partygoers at gretchen fenston’s millinery booth

HATS: Gretchen Fenston | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

sitting pretty

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

my accessories are ready for their close-up

HANDBAG & GLOVES: Vintage from Pin Up Queens | SHOES: Poetic License | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

For day two, I wore my beloved gramophone print dress from Charlotte Taylor.  It was such a big hit even Elle Magazine took notice!

wistful in wonderland

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Charlotte Taylor | GLOVES, HANDBAG & NECKLACE: Vintage | SHOES: Pink Studio | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

sharing the spotlight by the st. germain truck

PHOTO CREDIT: Mikaila Brown

the fenston models: sarah, gretchen & patricia

HATS: Gretchen Fenston | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

wait! that’s not dave! it’s gramophone aficionado & retro hair stylist to the stars michael haar

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

Gretchen’s booth made a big splash at the event again!  These are just a few of our clients sporting their new Fenstons…

burlesque darling grace gotham loves her gretchen fenston!

HEADPIECE: Gretchen Fenston | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

rebecca kleinberg took home my personal favorite piece of the day! i’m a sucker for cherries…

 HAT: Gretchen Fenston | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

With every exhausted step back to the ferry at the end of the day, Dave and I said our taciturn goodbyes to the summer.  It was a magical whirlwind and all that jazz.

POLAROID CREDITS: David DeNee

While we didn’t have as much play time as usual to pose for the cameras, we not only got some flattering media attention, but we got a few photos in for the blog.  Check it out!

our stylish friends voon and evan picnicking at the lawn party

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

i felt pretty in pink in my first ensemble of the 2-day event

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Vintage from Pin Up Queens | SHOES: Seychelles | GLOVES, HANDBAG, PEARLS: Vintage | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

some of our first happy, dapper customers! isn’t her gretchen fenston headpiece to die for!?

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

i went fruity on day two!

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Vintage from Pin Up Queens | SHOES: Remix | GLOVES & HANDBAG: Vintage | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

gretchen looks striking in this black and white striped frock she fashioned herself!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

let’s hear it for my dashing dave!

HAT: Goorin Brothers | PHOTO CREDIT: Voon Wai

the whole ensemble

HAT: Gretchen Fenston | DRESS: Vintage | SHOES: Miz Mooz via Zappos | HANDBAG: Borrowed | BROOCH: Vintage via Etsy | GLOVES: Vintage via Etsy | PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee via Instagram

gretchen looks ravishing in a vintage ivory suit and hat of her own design

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

rear view of pleat & button detail

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

patricia (left), tatyana (right) and i (center) model fenston millinery

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

rear view of gretchen & her glamourous gals

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

checkmate: tatyana (left), gretchen (right), and roddy (Gretchen’s husband, center) come across a darling young dandy

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

i heart tatyana’s stockings & entire ensemble

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

friend amy winn said a big hello when we bumped into each other on fifth ave!

PHOTO CREDIT: David DeNee

Modeling Gretchen’s hats in the New York City Easter Parade every year has been one of the greatest honors of my life, so much so that Easter is now by far my favorite holiday! Tourists and press photographers come from far and wide to capture the spectacle of stylish, inventive people promenading up and down Fifth Avenue in extraordinary headwear.

As I parade with Gretchen and her friends, people from all over the globe gather around me and tell me how beautiful I am. They ask to take their picture with me. The look in their eyes is all admiration and wonder, but the very next day I would be unlikely to turn their heads at all. That’s the power of a Gretchen Fenston hat.

It’s a real ego boost! As Easter Sunday comes to a close, the high begins to wear off, but one driving question remains…

Whatever will I wear next year!?

POLAROID CREDITS: David DeNee