Women in Black


Be it black tie events, special soirees, funerals, weddings or the races, black keeps coming back no matter what the reason or season. This unique and jaunty black cocktail number has a wired brim with a velvet draped base with beautiful silk velvet roses and layers of veil. What's not to like? If you wanted to go more goth and dramatic, then this Victorian inspired fur felt cocktail draped in layers of dot veil is the one for you. Covered in luscious sequin lace, veil and an exotic feather spray, you will not go unnoticed.













 




Call it a fascinator or exotic feathered comb, this black feathered headpiece is always a winner for winter or summer events. Combining a mixture of feathers from goose nagoire to dyed peacock, this piece adds texture and interest and compliments any outfit from goth to classic. 

If you're looking for something bigger and dramatic to go that classic mother of the bride  taffeta suit, then this large coque feather spray could be just the piece you're looking for. Fun, flirty, contemporary yet timeless, this piece could compliment anything from vintage 20's fashion to a classic tailored ensemble.

Horsehair or crinoline is a fantastic  material for black fascinators. Here are 2 cute numbers that would certainly compliment any little black dress. The veiled horsehair with a rhinestone buckle on a hat base is a dynamic cocktail with fun and whismsy and the tubular looped comb with feathers would be terrific at the races.

Black is back and here is stay. It is always classic and timeless to wear a little black fabulous hat with any dress ensemble. Believe me..you will not go unnoticed!

What's in a cocktail?

Cobalt blue sinamay peacock feather headpiece

Cocktail hats have been around for a long time and seem to have an allure for all types of women young and old.  People love to dress up and cap it off with a statement headpiece that says a lot about the person wearing it. If you can't use clothing and accessories to define your personality ,what else is there? As always,  the British have taken the lead in wearing cocktail hats that not only define a person, they tell a story about that person. Thanks to Philip Treacy and his amazing innovations in millinery and fantastic sense of imagination, even for the most conservative of women, it is now considered most acceptable and highly expected to wear an over scaled and  almost outlandish piece of headwear. Not only is this fun for the wearer but also adds a little visual eye candy for the rest of the world to enjoy.  And ,of course, the ladies still enjoy a headpiece that brings the whole outfit  together. Using color and composition, the cocktail hat balances the body and visually frames the face for that special occasion.

This cobalt blue peacock  headpiece was created for just that occasion . Thinking of the derby cup or ascot races brings to mind a certain whimsy in headwear. This color is vibrant and bright and ties in with any outfit with just a hint of blue. The scale and height of this cocktail hat would give any woman with a smaller stature more height and frame the face elegantly. The sinamay used for this hat is a great material as it's light and airy on the head.

White and black ladies derby cocktail ha

 

Black and white is always an excellent classic color scheme for the races. With handmade silk 
roses and a fantastic feather spray, you're bound to make an impact with this little cocktail hat on the left . Once again, height and scale always add drama and tell a story about the wearer. The femininity and vintage quality about this black and white headpiece would certainly look fabulous with any
little black dress.  

Pink and black sinamay cocktail

Of course, bows are always a classic statement maker . This pretty bubblegum pink and black hat is fun and frivolous. You can hide behind the drama of the bows and still get noticed. Don't forget that cocktail hats that are bold in design always get the most compliments.

Victorian riding hat

Looking to colder climates and winter events, one can never forget the little black hat synonmous with the dress. Vintage styling draped in veiling is always a show stopper for any gala event.  This handblocked furfelt  
Victorian inspired black riding hat has just enough goth and romance to capture anyone's heart.
If you're looking for luscious red velvets, this little jewel of a cocktail would be a winner for any xmas or new years event. With handmade roses and matching spray of feathers, you're bound to be the most exotic bird in the room.
 Cocktail hats are all about having fun. It finishes an outfit and makes a statement all at once. And don't forget that if you wear that perfect cocktail hat, you'll always to be told.." you look fabulous!"    

Red velvet rose cocktail hat

Metallic accents add bling to the big day.

Of course, every bride wants to look their best on their wedding day and traditionally, ivory or white with matching accessories is the norm. However, more brides have been seeking veils and headpieces that compliment and contrast their gowns by adding a little color or metallic bling. I used silver as a theme for many of these feathers and fascinators.

This fun silver sinamay and silk rose fascinator would look fabulous with an ivory gown. It adds a little whimsy and art to your look.



If you're looking for feathers, here is a unique metallic feather flower with a dramatic twist. This would compliment the gown beautifully.



These pretty silver silk organza roses would really add some metallic panache to your look as would this retro style silver and ivory rose cocktail headband.
Of course, the silver veil with sparkling rhinestones and feather spray would make any bride look like a diva.

If you really want to stand out as the queen, then I would definately suggest these metallic horsehair hat. This is pure drama and absolutely fabulous!

Tie it up with a bridal sash

There has definately been a trend in dressing up a simple bridal gown with a fabulous bridal sash. Not only does a belt add a proportional element to the gown defining the waist, it also adds some artistic flair to an otherwise ordinary dress. I have been exploring the bridal belt of late and discovered an increasing number of brides wanting something unique around their waist for their special day. This belt I designed was featured in the latest Brides Magazine and really adds pizazz to this ensemble.

This particular belt is made up of distress organza and duppioni silk roses with tulle and beading. A bride requested the belting to be in black to contrast with gown. How fabulous is that?










This amazing is belt is made with taffeta and
beading and is truly a masterpiece and not for the meek. Imagine how incredible a simple gown would look with this textural element defining the waist?









This tea colored organza belt would look beautiful with any vintage inspired gown with it's pearl beaded and swarovski crystal belt.





This belt would make a gorgeous statement that can't help but be noticed.

Off to the races or Mother of the Bride..there's always a hat for you!

Looking for a chic hat to freshen up your outfit for the big wedding or horse races? Look no further for I have created fabulous hats for all types of clients. If you say you don't look good in hats,one has to first analyze what you mean by that. Hats are all about proportion. The brim height, brim size and brim shape can greatly affect how a hat compliments you.
This lovely upturned cocktail style hat was created for a more
challenging mother of the bride client who didn't want a brim around her face. We decided on an upturned style hat with a head band so that if would sit lightly on the top of her head. Her suit was neutral taupes with gold accents so we went for some fuschia silk and gold fabrics from her outfit to make the roses. I also added gold accents in sinamay. This hat not only compliments the outfit but also the mother of the bride. She is shorter in stature so this hat gave her the height she needed. So if you looking for a hat, remember there is always a hat for you if you think about the proportions and style.






These 2 hats were created for the Kentucky Derby and each client wanted it to compliment their outfit. The navy and red hat went beautifully with her red polka dot shift dress as did the pink and black hat with her hot pink dress. These 2 ladies looked fabulous for the races and left happy customers.








These 2 lovelies are for the more romantic at heart. With larger brims , roses and feathers, they really add retro glam to an outfit.



This beautiful ivory parasisal straw was done for a mother of the bride. She wanted to wear something that complimented her teale and taupe suit with ivory shoes. This was just the hat. Having a shorter stature, she was happy with the upturned brim which framed her face and the tall pheasant added some height.

Exotic Bird

Over the last while , I've noticed a trend and attraction to that beautiful, exotic bird the peacock. All sorts of accessories are incorporating peacock from earrings, to feather combs, to headpieces and hats. These feathers are so beautiful and brilliant in their natural state that little has to be done with them to make an accessory. Recently, I had a bride request a peacock feather pin to wear for her after ceremony. With a simple up do, the pin was attached to the back of the hair and looked fabulous. The shimmer of the feathers really stood out like jewels themselves and can really compliment a wedding gown adding some unique exoticism.


Of course, these peacock are not just reserved for wedding occasions as they can be worn for any festive event. Here is a custom comb I did for a customer who wanted peacock incorporated with splashes of color from pinks and purples to lime greens. This is a fun piece and would go with virtually any outfit.

Adding just a smidgen of veiling can add a vintage appeal to a peacock feather comb. Bridesmaids could certainly go for something like this to compliment the bride.


For the bride who is looking for the exotic veil, she should look no further than adding a few peacock plumes to really add some panache. With a simple ivory gown and black sash, this bride chose something a little different with a black veil , ivory silk bows and a few peacock plumes. Not only did she look gorgeous with this combo but it really made her bridal ensemble unique.

If you really want to go out on a limb with the peacock trend, a cocktail hat would really be a stunning accessory. This hand molded ivory fur felt cocktail base has a myriad of peacock plumes combined with some ivory accents. This hat is truly not for the faint of heart but in my perfect world, everyone would want to stand out and parade like a peacock.

Roses say I do.

Why not stand out from the crowd with these
gorgeous, juicy handmade roses. These extra large roses are for a bride who wants to stand out and look fabulous. They are all handmade using ancient millinery techniques. Although the work is slow and laborious, the results are amazing. Not only is the craftsmanship outstanding but you can customize the size and color of the rose.

These large cabbage style roses have also been popular for the hair and can even be attached to a pin to add to a sash of a simple gown. They certainly make the dress unique. Here is a picture of roses I did in satin and organza silk for a bride who wanted something beautiful for the back of her hair. I think they're beautiful and so did she.




If these seem too large, 2" silk roses on a comb combined with feathers have also been very popular to add that vintage appeal to your gown. And if that still seems a little big, you can always go smaller still with a single 2" rose on a bobby pin. Either way, you'll look fantastic!