Frequently Asked Questions

“Hats are perfume you can see!” They are as alluring as a beautiful scent. When a woman places a chapeau on her head, it gives her power and confidence; she walks distinctly and exudes a different aire about herself. I have personally seen women transform, not just in their appearance, but in their state of mind and the way they act. A hat changes your feelings, alters your posture and can embody aspects of your personality in saying “Look, this is me!”

My mother (the master milliner) said she got her inspiration by ‘relaxing in the tub’. We create in many different ways. Often this years’ fashion colors of the season will dictate a design or series of concepts. Environmentally, we try not to waste anything so we will often look at our ’scraps’ and physically manipulate the materials and come up with something new and unique. Sometimes the materials will tell you how to drape, trim, decorate, or shape a hat. Also since the company’s beginning, we have archived hundreds of our creations and if we need a concept or plan, we can review our past creations to stimulate ideas.

Anyone can wear a hat. We have a wide variety of styles and colors and we will personally help you find the right one for your outfit or occasion. We enjoy re-educating customers about how to don a hat correctly so that the wearer can feel mysterious, sexy, and tantalizing. We are dedicated to reintroducing millinery as an important accessory to complete a look, and make the hat wearer feel sophisticated, fun and confident in her beauty.

Hats can be fun; they compliment your outfit whether casual or elegant, and comment on your destination. They can help shade the sun in a fashionable way or bring attention to your end goal, such as a wedding, a horse race like the Kentucky Derby or a convention. The right hat completes your choice in clothes, just like shoes and handbags do. However you will probably have to wear your hat on a plane or carry a bag or hatbox to get your chapeau safely to your final destination.

That answer depends on the hat material and if there are any challenging stains on your hat. Just like anything made out of cloth, it can be difficult to remove certain stains. Our winter headwear is mostly made from high-quality natural material such as furfelt, or woolfelt. For general cleaning, hats can go through the dry-cleaning process however not every dry-cleaner accepts hats. Some superficial stains can be removed with fine sandpaper or an emery board but please be gentle. Stain removers are not suggested as they can discolor the cloth. Spring hats are made from natural straw and can be difficult to clean. Sweatbands can be cleaned with baking soda and water, OxiClean™ and water, or Dawn™ and water but do not add a lot of mixture to the hatband. Contact us for advice.

You can store your hat in its original hat box with tissue paper inside the bottom of the box. If you have no box, you can use a loosely-fitted bag and uplifted with tissue paper or bubble-wrap. The trick is to lift the hat off the shelf so that it keeps its shape. There are cones and artificial heads to use as well but make sure your hat is protected from dirt and dust by placing it in a loosely-fitted bag first. Your hat will stay ‘like new’ for many years to come. Over time if your hat shrinks or you get a new hair-style and your hat does not fit well anymore, we can stretch or make it smaller at no charge. (Locals can bring it to our location after making an appointment; if out of the area, shipping will be applied.)

Yes, we agree that hats have fallen out of favor in recent history. The media, social norms, casual everyday attire, as well as history itself have pushed millinery to the wayside into the misunderstood-and-unnecessary-accessory world. Dedicated hat wearers know that this neglected accessory focuses on the unique person under the hat, showing that a woman, who places a hat on her head, enters a secret and privileged world. When you wear a hat, you get better service at restaurants, men notice you more, and it’s a conversation starter. It subconsciously elevates you to a position with prestige and uniqueness.

For some, hats can be intimidating. A hat does not need to be worn for every situation but it can complete your look. We have modern styles in our collection, and we can alter a hat to reflect your likes and dislikes. Whatever the hat type you magnate toward, albeit a derby, beret, cloche, pillbox, turban, fascinator, fedora or crown, there is a hat choice for every modern womans’ sense of style.

There is a hope by all milliners, that hats can regain their rightful place as an important fashion accessory. Hats are pieces of art of self-expression and style by both the designer as well as the customer. They are an indispensable component of fashion for every woman, in every walk of life.