That's A Pretty Hat

5/15/13

Why Do People Wear Hats? - My 200th Post!

What Happens When You Put On The Right Hat?

By Kathleen Lisson

Happy 200th Post!

This is the 200th post on the That's a Pretty Hat blog! I have been sharing tips, expert advice and photos for a little over a year now and I would like to thank all my readers. Ladies interested in learning how to wear hats visited the That's a Pretty Hat blog over 20,000 times last month! The most popular post this month is a DIY post on How to Make a Fascinator.
I wanted to celebrate the occasion by sharing some hat wearing inspiration from NYC Milliner Ellen Christine!

How to Find the Right Hat

RunwayPassportTV recently interviewed my favorite milliner Ellen Christine.

My favorite quote in the video is when Ellen Christine explains that "when a person puts the right hat on their head and looks in the mirror - it happens." She is talking about the 'magic' of revealing the person inside of ourselves that we have never given permission to come out.

When I first put on Ellen Christine's 'Gigi' hat, that magic happened to me. Suddenly, there was a flirty lady in the mirror, one that could smile and laugh, confident in her beauty and ability to charm.

Is there someone inside of you that could come out and play if you had the right hat on your head? What is she like?

The Youtube video is here: http://youtu.be/-yft5gZiSHM

Know a lady who loves to wear hats?
Please share this blog with her - it will make her day!
Want to feel inspired to wear hats?

5/13/13

What Hat to Wear to Royal Ascot 2013 - Videos

What Hat to Wear to Royal Ascot 2013

by Kathleen Lisson

These videos from the official Youtube channel of Royal Ascot include several shots of ladies dressed to attend the races at Ascot - great inspiration for what to wear in the Grandstand, Furlong Club, Pavilion Club, The Bessborough Restaurant, The Parade Ring Restaurant and The Panoramic Restaurant.

View the videos here:

What to Wear in the Grandstand at Royal Ascot 2013

What to Wear in the Furlong Club, Pavilion Club, The Bessborough Restaurant, The Parade Ring Restaurant and The Panoramic Restaurant at Royal Ascot 2013

Find out more about the Royal Ascot 2013 Style Guide here: http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.com/2013/03/what-hat-to-wear-to-royal-ascot-2013.html

Know a lady who loves to wear hats?

Please share this blog with her - it will make her day!

Want to feel inspired to wear hats?

5/12/13

Junior League of Troy Ice Cream Social at Vanderheyden Hall

Junior League Ice Cream Social

by Kathleen Lisson

I coordinated my first Junior League project!

The Junior League of Troy hosted an Ice Cream Social and over two dozen kids at Vanderheyden Hall participated. We collaborated with the Rensselaer County Dairy Princess and her court, Cornell Cooperative Extension of Rensselaer County, Stewarts Shops and the New York Farm Bureau. It was pouring outside, so we held the event inside.

Junior League of Troy members scooping Ice Cream at Vanderheyden Hall in Troy, NY

There were three rooms full of activities - in the refreshments room the kids could make their own ice cream sundae, try a fruit and vegetable smoothie and make ants on a log.

In the game room, kids interacted with the Rensselaer County Dairy Princess, learning more about dairy through a trivia game and asking her questions about her life on her family's dairy farm.

In the craft room, kids could share stories about women that inspired them. Over a dozen residents created a card to thank a special woman in their life.

Junior League of Troy volunteers

We even gave the children a tomato plant so they could start their own garden!

Founded in 1833 as the Troy Orphan Asylum, Vanderheyden Hall provides residential and community services to youth, individuals and families with educational, developmental, behavioral and emotional challenges.

This video explains the history of Vanderheyden Hall and what the organization does today to provide for the most vulnerable children in our community.

My favorite part of the video? When Zhai said, "No one gave up on me."

Watch the Vanderheyden story here: http://youtu.be/NDPb8CPj0_M

Check out photos from the Junior League Christmas Party at Vanderheyden Hall here: http://thatsaprettyhat.blogspot.com/2012/12/junior-league-christmas-party-with.html

Linking with NotDeadYetStyle.com

5/9/13

What hat to wear to a wedding - Wedding Guest Etiquette

What Hat to Wear to a Wedding

By: Kathleen Lisson

If you are a wedding guest looking for great examples of how to wear a hat and dress to an upcoming wedding, Duchess Catherine provides an excellent example!

The Duchess Kate blog provides an excellent selection of photographs of Duchess Kate at weddings in recent years. Visit the blog post here:
http://hrhduchesskate.blogspot.com/2013/03/kate-loves-weddings.html

Visit my Pinterest board focusing on photos of Duchess Catherine in hats here:
http://pinterest.com/khlisson/duchess-of-cambridge-kate-middleton-hats/

STV brought in a selection of different types of hats that are proper for a wedding, see their picks here:
http://youtu.be/X_hjE67w8yg

Know a lady who loves to wear hats?

Please share this blog with her - it will make her day!
Want to feel inspired to wear hats?

5/7/13

What to Wear to the Horse Races

Spring 2013 Racing Fashion - Kentucky Derby 139

by: Kathleen Lisson

Arun and I stopped by the Saratoga Racecourse on our way to the Kentucky Derby party at the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs, NY hosted by OTTB charity Old Friends at Cabin Creek.

Hat: Abigail Aldridge

Dress: (Modcloth) Ruby Belle Intro to Organza Chemistry Dress

Shoes: Modcloth

Purse: Charming Charlie

Pearls: Ross-Simons
Gloves: Amazon.com Pretty in Pink Nylon Glove with Floral Pearl Cuff

I love how the pink, purple and green look together. My inspiration? Flowers for a spring garden:

Learn more about the National Museum of Racing in Saratoga Springs in this video:
http://youtu.be/o0iU7dKzMmg

Click to see photos from last year's Kentucky Derby 138 party.

Know a lady who loves to wear hats?
Please share this blog with her - it will make her day!
Want to feel inspired to wear hats?

5/4/13

Sunny Day at the Troy Waterfront Farmers' Market

What Hat to Wear to the Troy Farmers' Market

by Kathleen Lisson

Warm weather means the return of the outdoor Farmers' Market in Troy, NY. Arun and I filled my straw basket to overflowing with organic vegetables, gluten free bread and biscotti and fresh cheese.

Cyber Sam Statue, Troy, NY See more Uncle Sam Statues here.

Then we went to Yonder Farms to pick out some fruit trees, and I found plenty of colorful outfit inspiration in the flower beds!

Hat: Charming Charlie

Dress: (Modcloth) Emily and Fin Brunch With Buds dress in Ferns

Are your outfit choices sometimes inspired by nature?

Shared with Visible Monday, IFB Project # 94 and the upcoming nature-inspired movie EPIC.

Know a lady who loves to wear hats?
Please share this blog with her - it will make her day!

Want to feel inspired to wear hats?

5/2/13

How to Get Effortless Style

by Kathleen Lisson

I recently received a comment from one of my favorite blog readers - Emalina from Kiki and the Gypsy - praising my "effortless style." I appreciate the compliment, but wanted to set the record straight - putting an outfit together is far from 'effortless' on my part.

Here are the steps I take to put my outfits together:

Choose a 'mood' for my outfit. Am I feeling romantic, ladylike, seductive, elegant?

Play in my closet - what hats, gloves, dresses and shoes can I layer to make an outfit that matches my mood? I am often inspired by the textures and prints in my dresses.

Combine colors - I also love to combine colors - a color wheel is great for discovering new color combinations. Danielle of Fashion Bomb gives a great primer in her article, "The Color Wheel: how to Combine Colors in Your Wardrobe," available here: http://fashionbombdaily.com/2010/04/16/the-color-wheel-how-to-combine-colors-wardrobe-accessories/

Dressing for Evening Events

If I am dressing for an evening event, I listen to my favorite music - I love my Electronic Tango playlist on Pandora. My inspiration? Gotan Project. My Pandora station is here: http://www.pandora.com/?sc=sh199926669037680831&shareImp=true

Listen to Gotan Project here: http://youtu.be/as59Id4eHhc

Dressing for Daytime Events

If it is a day event, I consult my That's a Pretty Hat board on Pinterest for inspiration. My pins are here:
http://pinterest.com/khlisson/that-s-a-pretty-hat/

My last step: Look at my completed outfit in a full length mirror. I need to feel two things - a sense of the 'flow' of the outfit, and a feeling of excitement.

A Sense of 'Flow'

I am drawn to photos of elegant ladies because their outfits seem to be more than the sum of their parts - the clothes are beautiful, but they combine to allow the woman to stand out as well. I want someone to say "you look beautiful" instead of "that's a beautiful dress."

A Feeling of Excitement

Most of all, I want to be excited about my outfits - I remember the wonderful feeling of 'YES!' I feel every time I find an amazing dress or hat. I want to be able to feel that 'YES' each time I wear an outfit.

I believe I look stylish when my clothes express who I am, where I am in my life, and what I find beautiful about the experience of being female.

How do you achieve 'effortless' style?

Know a lady who loves to wear hats?
Please share this blog with her - it will make her day!
Want to feel inspired to wear hats?