cocktail hats are all i can think about at the moment. and well, shoes (when do i ever not think about shoes??)...but really, my mind is primarily occupied with visions of cocktail hats and ways i want to wear them. this obsession with cocktail hats has sort of reached critical mass within my own fashion-addled mind.
i envision cocktail hats with everything...jeans, cute little thrifted dresses (from whatever era, you know i don't discriminate!), shorts, whatever. dressed up, casual, everything in between. actually, i quite like the idea of wearing them with casual ensembles, because of the visual irony/clash of it all. or like, wearing a cheap chic casual outfit with like, a fancy hat and fancy shoes. that sort of thing.
cocktail hats, or really, any little fancy hats of a similar ilk, are a fun way to explore fashion on another level through the utilization of accessories, another point of visual interest on the map of the moving human form. they are truly indulgences...we don't NEED to wear them, they don't have any practical purpose (like shading or protecting the head, for instance) but they add an air of intelligent, sophisticated play to any ensemble.
cocktail hats are absolutely nothing to be afraid of. such hats can be worn anywhere if you *believe* that they can be worn anywhere. simple as that.
(that's in answer to the inevitable retort..."but where would i wear them??")
...and actually, that's my philosophy on anything fashion-related. fashion: love it, believe in it, have fun with it. who CARES what the hell others think of what you wear? be courageous.
and i gotta say, while i am seeing cocktail hats here and there in magazines and on people now and again, they are still a rather rare sight on the streets. it would be nice to change that.
so without any further ado...here are some swanky cocktail hats i'd snatch up, if, of course, money was no object...
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a fascinating facinator from an ebay seller who goes by the unwieldy name of HAZEL CHURCH HATS LADIES RED HAT (huh?)...her store has a section filled with fancy cocktail hats...packed to the brim with fun, feathery fripperies.
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katie burley of san francisco is behind the goodly green fun shown here, a hat called "apple martini"...the perfect topper for getting one's drink on. put it on your crown while you guzzle a beer. :)
in my fashion fantasy land, that sweet sassy green hat would look mighty fine with an orange or red dress in more of a modern cut...perhaps even something a little 80s in its aesthetic. just sayin'. i think i have just the item in my closet already...!
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boring sidney makes all sorts of hats, most of which have a gorgeous gothy sort of feel, but the bright hues and exotic peacock feathers (looking a little like antennae?) on this particular topper really get my blood racing:
love it paired with the pink hair (a wig, methinks, but still, so lovely!).
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the great thing about a lot of cocktail hats is that they are really like sculpture...bits and bobs and feathers shoot off of them, interacting with negative space in an unexpected way. they are also incredibly dynamic, in a static state, as well as when one is in motion. they move as you move, constantly changing shape.
this one by chimerablossom has a lot of movement, as that feather swoops right on back. it has a dark beauty, almost too lovely for words.
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here are some other places to find super amazingly fabulous cocktail hats that i've managed to uncover of late. i am happy to share!:
-artikal
-gena conti custom millinery
-fino fino
-patrick bay millinery
-philip treacy (the favored milliner of the late isabella blow)
i'm going to keep searching around for more amazing cocktails and facinators, and will report back with any particularly stunning finds, but feel free to pipe in if you know of more sources for such!
cheers!
