Fun Friday: 30s Chic

Oh, this is simply adorable, isn't it? Hand-crocheted, this cloche-style hat definitely has a 30s feel to it, and the styles of that era are supposed to be big again this fall (if you care about trends; I generally don't).  The colours are delightful, but really, this is just plain fun, not to mention a smart way to keep your head warm this fall and winter. Can't you picture Jean Arthur or Greta Garbo donning one of these?

Soft and snuggly, handmade in the USA, for just $14 by All Ways In Bloom. 

Have a lovely weekend!

Blooming Cloche

It's that time of year, isn't it? You know, when it's bitterly cold and windy and miserable outdoors? We're often told that during such weather, most of our body heat is lost through our head; some say as much as 80 percent! If that's not enough to start you on a hat-search, I don't know what is.

To help you out, I've found this darling cloche from Counting Stitches. Cloches have been classic since they first appeared in the 20s; winsome and flattering, their simple but sweet shape still allows for them to display some flair. This one is made from a vanilla-coloured wool blend that is thick to keep you warm but still lightweight (can't crush that coif, right?). Bedecking our little hat is a big removable wine-coloured bloom. Just $25, and there are 2 other cloches in different colours at the Counting Stitches shop. She sells some very snuggly-looking scarves, too, so if you're updating your winter warmers or buying some for someone else, definitely pay her a visit!

Fun In the Sun - Without the Damage

I was at my salon in Sewickley today, getting my hair cut, and was again somehow amazed by the number of people who colour their hair. This isn't an insult or anything, just an observation, because while often sorely tempted to dye my own red, dye has never touched my locks other than a couple of times I did highlights, and even that is rare. Honestly, I think it's just because I'm too worried it will turn out badly and I'll look like a sorry refugee from the Clairol experiment labs. And every hairdresser I've ever had has looked me square in the eye and said, "Jennifer, if we tried to dye your hair red, it would probably turn pink because you are a true blonde. It's a lot of work." It reminds me of the time a friend told me what would result to my body if I fell off a motorcyle - it left me with visions of skin grafts for weeks. No thanks.

Still, many of my friends and family get their hair coloured regularly, and I'm always fascinated by how it looks and the change it can make (since I worked in cosmetics for over 10 years, I shouldn't be surprised, but...I just am). One thing I do know about coloured hair is that it has to be treated with a little extra care, including being kept safe from the sun's evil rays, especially this time of year. I'm aware that not every woman does this, but really, it's a good idea to cover the hair with something while out and about in the sun - besides, if you wear the right kind of thing on your head, you'll protect the skin on your face from sun damage, too.

And how better to protect the locks and the face than with a cute hat?

Like this one, a vintage straw hat I stumbled across on Etsy and couldn't resist (it was wooing me even as I nosed around in other stores). I do wish our model were a bit more smiley, but even that can't keep me from letting you know about it. This hat was made by Conrad & Chandler, a classic, sophisticated but now defunct Boston department store, in the 1940s, and is charmingly stylish. The front brim is 3.5" wide - great for keeping the sun out of your eyes and off your face - and the back is a short, snappy 2.5" wide. The interior circumference is 20.5".

The classic $21 hat boasts a wide green and white ribbon (with equally pretty green and white edging!) around the crown, and it culiminates in a big, wide bow bedecked with pale peachy-ivory blooms.

I really like the shape of this hat, especially the completely flat top. Very chic. The whole look of the hat is very sweet and pretty, bringing back thoughts of bygone days and a time when hats such as this were commonplace.

This and other great vintage goodies are available at Thomasina Jewelry, where you will also be able to check out jewelry handmade by Dana, who, based on her profile, seems to have been displaced by Hurricane Katrina.

Have a great night!

Decidedly Pretty

As you know, there are some nights when I just can't restrain myself, and thus force upon you more than one item.

Shameful? You know it.

Yet still, you visit....



Tonight is such a night, as I'm featuring lovely things from Deciduous Soul. I just couldn't help it!

First up is a charming little piece of wearable art in the form of the Little House on the French Countryside pendant necklace. A magical scene collaged and glazed onto a Scrabble tile, this one features a red-doored home (all who love red doors, say "Aye!") peacefully enjoying the shade of a pink polka-dotted and flowery tree. The aqua and green countryside is a cheerful background that highlights the other colours, and no, I won't tell if you secretly imagine yourself enjoying a lemonade in front of said little house during really rotten days. The pendant is strung from a sheer cream ribbon via a handmade silver clasp. For $15.99, you get a lovingly created piece of handmade art you can wear all you want!

The other irresistibly cute item is this handmade Madeline summer hat, perfect for prettily protecting your beautiful skin from the evil rays of the sun (no, really) while keeping the sun out of your eyes so you can enjoy the beach, ball game, barbeque, or Buick show (hey, I was on a roll with the B's) in style. The cotton print is what really caught my eye, but check out the sunny, adorable rickrack trim and smattering of colourful buttons on the brim! How cute is that?

Designer Ellene came up with her design for this darling hat after 2 hours of squinting through her daughter's softball games. She made sure the crown wasn't Honest Abe tall, as she tells it, and made sure the rim has a lot of winsome floppiness - which also means your face & much of your hair will be safe. The hat is only $24.50, and in such a timeless style and print, it's sure to provide you with many seasons of fashion, fun, and protection.

Finally, look at this elegant but approachable cotton wrap skirt in a creamy tan and white print. Isn't it beautiful? Great for church, work, or just casual running around, it's sure to serve you well for years to come. It's knee-length and adjustable for waists from 27.5 - 33 inches and hips from 36-44 inches, all for $48. This skirt is summer's casual elegance at its best, don't you think?


In addition to wonderful pieces like these, Deciduous Soul offers handbags, jewelry, and mixed media art. I clearly liked many of her things, not all of which I could feature here, so be sure to pop on over!

"Milliners never seem to have any difficulty discovering geometrical shapes wholly unknown to mathematicians"

A proper hat can be a controversial thing requiring some courage to wear.

People either love hats or hate them. P.J. O'Rourke thinks they are ridiculous, but Coco Chanel suggested one always wear her best hat when meeting someone new for the first time in order to put one's best face forward. A lord in England once noted that the English would never elect a Prime Minister who did not wear a hat (although come to think of it, I don't think I've ever seen Tony Blair in one, have you?) It seems there are no in-between feelings upon headwear.

Baseball hats are ubiquitous here in the States, and if you consider the fact that they're worn by everyone from presidents and pro baseball players to postmen, little kids, and even some women, the baseball hat is America's unofficial official hat. Still, I don't really consider the baseball cap a proper hat. It's a head covering for happy fans at the stadium, for greasy-hair days, for the family picnic and lazing about the amusement park on summer afternoons, not a hat for dressing well (no matter how clean one keeps it). There is absolutely nothing wrong with a baseball hat, but a proper hat is something one can wear to a wedding, a festival, the orchestra, church and not feel underdressed in, if that makes any sense. It also often makes one feel extra-pretty and a bit special, perhaps because of the bold step it can be to wear such an obvious fashion statement.

Finding a fine, flattering hat can be difficult but is possible. I nabbed a fabulous wide-brimmed turquoise hat last summer at the Ann Arbor Art Fairs in order to protect my fair skin from the sun's semi-evil rays (and because it's a cute hat, of course). The hat has since travelled all over the place with me and will certainly go with us on our Route 66 trip. It has become an indispensable little goodie, one that adds style to my ensemble in addition to protection.

Still, I've always had an affection for 30s and 40s-style hats (more here), with the netting on them. There is something excitingly glamourous and chic about that sort of hat, isn't there?

That's why I was so excited to see this fold-flat travel hat, Janis, at Glorious Hats. Minnesotan crafter Jane has made and shaped this lovely hat by hand from a sisal straw millinery hood. Not only is the colour easy to coordinate with your wardrobe, the shape of this hat proves Evan Esar (the fount of the above quote) correct! What style this hat has, don't you think? I just love the shape, it's such fun. The netting is removable for a more casual and less mysterious look, and the decorative button on top is easily changed out for one of the four extra and very fun buttons that come with this hat. You can pop the brim up or pull it down; maybe you can leave one side up and the other down the way I do with my wide-brim. At $55, this is really a steal for a handmade piece of millinery with such classic style, and as Jane notes, it's even fine as a wedding headdress, especially if you're going for a retro-style wedding.

Jane has a few other hats in her shop as well as handbags and felted wristlets. Everything is handmade, of course, right here in the USA, and Jane really has an eye for charmingly designed things. Enjoy your shopping - and don't forget to nose around for hatpins if you're really into the hat thing. Or did I just open up a whole world of obsession for you?

Valentine's Day Pink & Red Picks

I hope everyone had a great day filled with love from their family & friends. In honour of St. Valentine, here is a handful of pink and red for you to enjoy!

This Red Wool Tweed Spitfire Cap with a flower reminiscent of a pansy perched perkily (say that quickly six times!) on the side will keep you warmer while still looking chic in the midst of this wintry weather! Small pearlescent beads in the bloom's center provide the perfect finishing touch. $45 from tomokotahara - where you'll find a wide selection of millinery in an equally wide range of prices!

(Red accessories are always a great choice - they're so bold and cheerful they coordinate and set off a myriaid of other colours beautifully and add a big dose of bold personality.)

Next is a gorgeous, almost-to-die-for vintage DuBarry taffeta, satin, and lace tier dress. Just trust me and click on the link to visit this beauty no matter your size - it's a perfect example of Ye Olde Hollywood Glamour. The tiers of scalloped floral lace are set onto a taffeta body, and of course that lovely satin belt and ribbon swag on one side. The cut is amazingly flattering - darted bust and one of my favourite things, a square bustline.

This is one gorgeous dress (enough to get me to throw in two photos of her!), and it's from one of the best vintage sellers out there, Capricorn Vintage. It's only $34.99 right now, but bidding ends Friday. Best of all, this vintage gem - it would be right at home in a fashion museum, don't you think, especially in her excellent condition? - is a very wearable 42-32-43, and I'm actually tempted to buy it and just grow right into it. Yowza! What a beauty.

Okay, now that I'm done (kind of) drooling over yet another vintage dress, how about this cute red heart pendant? So cute and charming, and yet another accessory that goes with just about anything. The pendant is made of glass and has a red, white, and blue Millefiori bead placed into the glass before the pendant is placed into the kiln. Post-fusing, artist dmetz drills a hole into the top of the stylized heart, fits it with the pretty coiled bail of sterling silver, and puts the whole shebang onto a twenty-inch sterling silver chain. Each of the handmade hearts are handmade and shipped in a satin bag, ready for gift-giving or safekeeping. $38 from dmetz - who also offers equally cute stick pins and ribbon pendants.


Finally, when you feel the need to add some personality to your coat, handbag, tote, scarf, hat - well, nearly anything - why not this Japanese Sakura cherry blossom pin? Sweet in its simplicity, the felt, dual-layered pin is made special with those perfect french knots and stitching in cherry pink perle cotton thread. Isn't it simply lovely? The metal pinback will affix this unwiltable flower to whatever you desire for a cheerful punch of pink and rose - and all for a mere $6! This and other goodies can be had at kitkabbit.




(You might like to check out this article on the history of red, courtesy of decor8 reader Vanessa.)

There you go - your official Valentine's day picks, all - quite mysteriously - in pink or red, those colours that are always chic and perfectly in style. Hm... I hope you've enjoyed them at least as much as Hubby enjoyed the delish chocolate-raspberry ganache pie I sacrificed these cute little raspberries for.

Happy shopping!

You'll Even Look Warm

Really, in a hat this cheerily coloured, you've got no choice! Not being one of those who can actually wear orange, I nevertheless have an affection for this happy colour; furthermore, it's my husband's favourite in the spectrum, and as today is the anniversary of the day we met, I thought it would be nice to pick something in his preferred shade. I can't wear it anywhere near my face lest I look as if I'm wearing a death mask, but isn't it difficult to not feel a little happier looking at a bright, joyful orange?



This fleece hat will certainly keep you toasty - and in style, with prettily crocheted flowers (including felted beads) adding an extra kick. Not only will you feel warm and have a higher happiness quotient in this cutie, it would take a heart of ancient, long-frozen stone to not feel a little better after seeing you in it on the part of the folks you pass while going about your business.

This hat - and others in varied colours, as she only makes one in each shade - is available at From Belgium With Love. Speaking of joy, happily, international shipping isn't that expensive - $4.60 - and it's less if shipped with other items, like this pretty organza and felt pouch. The artist has funky, hilarious luggage tags, pins, iPod goodies, jewelry, and all sorts of cute, so definitely stop in for a peek!