Tuesday 20 September 2016

Cropping Up Again

HATalk magazine has done a story about the Thinking Outside the Hatbox competition on Facebook. They sent me this to share with you.


This is the second time I've been mentioned in HATalk. I hope it won't be the last!

Sunday 11 September 2016

Is the Photo Too Grainy?

A Facebook group called Mad Hatters Society sponsored a competition among its members this summer, called "Thinking Outside the Hatbox." The challenge was to create a hat out of non-millinery materials. Stuff you might have around the house, outdoors, hardware stores, or in nature. Sounded like fun, so I participated.

I entered one I made with natural wheat and cardboard. It got a bunch of likes, which was very gratifying, considering there were several excellent entries. And much to my surprise, it was a winner! It came third!


What a great way to start the weekend!

And this is what the indispensable Scott and I saw in a parking garage downtown two days later:


Trending!


Tuesday 5 July 2016

Hats and Horseshoes 2016

It was another gorgeous summer day on Sunday for the 157th running of the Queen's Plate. People who love horses and hats were out in force for Hats & Horseshoes, the party part of it. Attendance was record-setting, and everyone was having a lovely time noshing, imbibing, and swanning about in grand sartorial style.

Competition wasn't exclusive to the race course. The third annual Millinery Design Competition took place, with five lucky students from George Brown College's Millinery program finishing with bragging rights, and the top three with cash prizes. And Vaughan Mills sponsored best-dressed contests for men and women, winners pocketing gift certificates for serious shopping sprees.

I was the lucky winner of the first Millinery Design Competition in 2014. Now I just make myself another hat I'd be proud to enter in the competition and wear it to mill about and take photos to share with you. All the fun, none of the pressure!

On with the show.


Me and the indispensable Scott on our way. In our Anne-made hats, of course.


Pants, actually.


The view from the back.


Scott, cowboy deluxe.


Carolyn in the fascinator she bought from me! Looking just as lovely as she did on my porch in my last post. Thanks again, Carolyn!

Okay, now for some other people.













It's all there in black and white.

















Blues and Greens



Pink and Peach and Red and Orange



























Team Colours




















Group Efforts




















Competitions

Two of the competition judges

David Dunkley, official milliner to the Queen's Plate and millinery contest judge, with a competitor in the best-dressed ladies' contest. She finished in the top three. Yes, that's a doll on her head.

Winners of the millinery design competition. The grand prize winner is in the centre.

Best-dressed men competitors


The best-dressed man winner


The best-dressed ladies finalists and winners. The first-place winner is in the centre, wearing a red sash.


A retro-licious best-dressed competitor. I'd have voted for her.


This one, too.














Random and Uncategorized

Lineup for the red carpet photo




























Scott loves Northern Dancer.


And that's a wrap for this year's Hats & Horseshoes. Thanks for joining me!