Toronto Hats and Wedding Bridal Millinery Service: December 2006

Sunday, December 31, 2006

Setting the Style

The Epoch Times | Setting the Style:

"One could talk about the many versatile reasons for wearing a hat – protection against cold, heat, rain, sun; a badge of office, social convention – but for occasions such as the horse races it is purely fashion and fun.

For milliner and exclusive hat designer Tracy Mac, big race days, such as January's Magic Millions Racing Carnival on the Gold Coast, are another opportunity to create some spectacular hats. Tracy prides herself in designing and creating original and flattering hats for each of her clients.

'I made a rule a long time ago that I would never copy anyone else's work. People who are spending that sort of money on a hat don't want to walk around at the races and say she's got my hat on.' says Tracy.

And a hat on race day is important – it is a highly versatile accessory that can offset and flatter an outfit, frame one's face in a becoming way and denote a sense of presence and style.

Wearing a hat certainly gets you noticed. Australians have always been a little more reserved when it comes to formal hat wearing; however, exciting contemporary designs in hat fashion today are changing that.

The 1960s and 1970s saw an end to formal dressing and there was less and less demand for "dress" hats; as a result, many milliners went out of business. However, Tracy says that at the recent Annual Millinery Collection show in Melbourne there were quite a number of younger milliners taking part in the show. Tracy believes: "Competition is good because it keeps you thinking of new things all the time instead of getting complacent in what you are doing and thinking that's good enough, you've always got to be thinking, well what could I be doing that's different now…so competition is a good thing."

I asked Tracy what the process was when someone comes to her for a hat. "There are a few ladies that have suggestions, there are some that have strong ideas about what they want and then there are some ladies who just say to do what I like, what I think suits them and they just let me go for it." Of course, the shape of the person's face determines what would suit best. If you have a square face wearing a hat at a slant or tilt or having the brim asymmetrical works best. For a narrow face, avoid tall narrow hats and for a wide face, off-the-face styles are best. These are important points to remember and this is also where it is handy to have a number of hat styles to try on to see what suits best. Often one is surprised about what type of hat really is the most flattering.

Hats can be made unique by using one of the many textile craft techniques – hand beading, feathers, ribbons, braids, paint or print on fabric, machine or hand embroidery, appliqué and any combination of these.

Tracy says she daydreams a lot and gets inspired by different things. She recalls one time seeing a billboard with sheets of paper fanning across the billboard, some of them were flipped up on the edges and she ended up making a hat that came from that idea. "You've always got to be looking for new bits and pieces and shop at unusual places, homewares, interior decorating shops and the like that have different knick-knacks, beaded napkin rings for instance – you can make a piece out of that."

She admits that she is very good at visualising things so she can make use of almost anything and turn it into a unique feature that becomes her style – from the "conservative" to "over the top", "subtle to flamboyant".

Tracy originally worked in the thoroughbred racing industry for one of Queensland's major stud farms where she met her husband, a successful racehorse trainer. This background gives her an insight into the racing world and what it takes to turn heads in the fashion stacks.

And will Tracy get to the races herself on Race Day? "Probably not," she says, "as I sometimes work right through to the morning to finish off the hats." As a result, she often ends up winning an award or two. "

Book Review: Hatless Jack - The President, the Fedora, and the History of American Style

Book Review: Hatless Jack - The President, the Fedora, and the History of American Style by Neil Steinberg @ Blogcritics.org:

"John F. Kennedy was a president without precedent: the youngest man ever elected to the Oval Office, the first to be born in the twentieth century, and the first president-elect to become a father. Right from the start it was clear this was going to be a very different presidency.

And, for the most part, a bareheaded one. In striking contrast to his predecessors, JFK was rarely seen in any kind of headwear. It’s perhaps for this reason that Kennedy has been blamed for ending America’s longstanding love affair with the hat. But in Hatless Jack: The President, the Fedora, and the History of American Style, author and Chicago Sun-Times journalist Neil Steinberg has gone to extraordinary lengths to nail that myth.

From our viewpoint, it’s almost impossible to imagine a time when a man could not appear in public without a hat. Yet Steinberg shows that hats were once regarded not merely as accessories, but as indispensable components of a man’s wardrobe. In George Gissing’s 1888 novel, A Life’s Morning, the loss of the protagonist’s hat impels him to steal from his employer to replace it. The theft has catastrophic consequences, but he is quite prepared to risk all rather than lose public respect. Such extreme cases, says Steinberg, may have been rare, but the very existence of the story and the fact that it could never have been written in our own times, is one measure of how society has changed in little over a century.

Similarly incredible is Steinberg’s account of how civil disorder on the streets of New York was provoked merely by the sight of straw hats. What had started as a publicity stunt by the hat trade turned into a widely observed canon that straw hats could only be worn between May and mid-September. President Calvin Coolidge actually made the front page of the New York Times just because he’d taken an autumn stroll in a straw boater. For those not accompanied by the secret service, the consequences of breaking with this sartorial custom would prove more serious. Steinberg describes how riots broke out in 1922 when mobs of boys roamed the streets of New York City, attacking any man daring enough to wear a straw hat.

Demonstrating the vulnerability of hats to fickle tastes, Steinberg devotes an entire chapter to the rise and fall of the top hat. Surprisingly, it emerged from the French Revolution as a substitute for the aristocracy’s cocked hat. But within a century and a half, the topper had become quite literally old hat, a symbol of wealth and avarice, confined to weddings and state occasions. By the middle of the twentieth century, the top hat was falling out of favour even at presidential inaugurations. Franklin Roosevelt dispensed with any type of headwear for his 1945 inauguration, and although Harry Truman briefly resurrected the topper, Dwight Eisenhower came to power wearing a fedora. More surprising still, as Steinberg points out, the last president to wear a top hat at his inauguration was none other than John F. Kennedy. He may have been hatless during his famous “Ask not...” speech, but for the rest of the day a top hat was planted firmly on the presidential head.

That he chose to wear a hat at all was largely due to pressure from America’s hat makers. During the entire Kennedy presidency, they used every opportunity to badger him into wearing a hat, and the more often he appeared bareheaded, the madder the hatters became. While visiting Texas, he was presented with a stetson, and after photographers pleaded with him to put it on, the president promised to wear it at the White House the following Monday. As things turned out, it was a Monday he was destined not to see.

In the years since his death, the myth has endured that JFK’s decision not to wear hats explains why so few men wear them today. But Kennedy wasn’t the only suspect. Steinberg reels off a list of potential culprits that include almost everything, from the movies to the motor car. And if all else failed, the finger could always be pointed at an easy target that’s been blamed for so much else — women. Once women started going hatless at the theatre and cinema, it was claimed, it was only a matter of time before men followed suit.

But, according to Steinberg, the decisive factor in the demise of the hat lies with the young generation. A hatless trend can be seen in motion as early as the 1920s when undergraduate men began to abandon the regimented fashions of their fathers. The fact that one of those college boys was John F. Kennedy adds weight to Steinberg’s assertion that, far from being a sartorial trailblazer, JFK was a dedicated follower of fashion.

Steinberg’s book is an absorbing read, full of enjoyable diversions through the highways and by-ways of hat history. A potentially pedestrian subject is rescued by a lively storytelling style and a constellation of famous names, from William Tell to William Shakespeare. There is, perhaps, too much for the reader to digest, but every one of the facts and footnotes bears witness to the author’s attention to detail. Countless hours of research are evident, not only in the body of the text but in the thirty pages of acknowledgements, notes, and bibliography.

The book’s only gaping omission is photographic proof that JFK ever wore a hat. The absence of such pictures is all the more frustrating because of Steinberg’s frequent references to their existence.

Almost half a century on, controversy still surrounds the case of the murdered president. But in the case of the disappearing hat, Neil Steinberg has finally got JFK off the hook.
"

Saturday, December 30, 2006

Cap Maker Moves Unit Closer to Surf, Skate Hub

Orange County Business Journal Online - Business news and information for Southern California:

"A maker of baseball and other caps is moving a division here to be part of the county’s surf and skate hub.

Buffalo, N.Y.-based New Era Cap Co. is opening a 5,000-square-foot office in Irvine next month, according to Wayne Best, the company’s action sports business unit director.

New Era’s been hiring workers for the local unit since the summer.

The company is moving its action sports division to Orange County from New York. It has 15 workers here with plans to add more, Best said.

“Eighty percent of our clients are within an hour and a half drive from our new location, making it easier and more convenient for them to do business with us,” Best said.

New Era already counts several OC surf and skate brands as clients, including Irvine-based Billabong USA, Huntington Beach-based Quiksilver Inc. and its Vista-based DC Shoes Inc., Costa Mesa-based Volcom Inc. and Cypress-based Vans Inc.

The privately held company, which makes more than 30 million caps per year under different brands, makes “on-field” hats for every Major League Baseball team, including the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim and their minor league affiliates.

Schools and kids sports teams also are clients.

Then there are musicians and movie stars. Celebs such as Denzel Washington and hip-hop singer Jay-Z are fans. That’s brought in more business from the “lifestyle” and entertainment sectors, Best said.

“The baseball cap isn’t specific to just baseball anymore,” Best said. “It’s found its way into other markets and, especially with the New Era brand, into the fashion and entertainment world.”

New Era’s caps range from a traditional baseball hat to “fitted” caps, which are sized to fit your head. Fitted caps sport different trappings, such as fabric with argyle diamonds or gold foiled graphics. Brands include 59Fifty Fitted, 49Forty, 39Thirty and 29Twenty.

The company also makes trucker caps, which typically have a foam front, wide brims and mesh sides. Trucker hats have been big with surfers and skaters for the past few years.

Two of the 15 workers at New Era’s OC office made moves from New York and Canada. Others were hired here, including in marketing, sales, customer service, production, sourcing and design, Best said.

The company plans to hire three to five more people, he said.

“We’re really excited about the location,” Best said. “The action sports market is growing and New Era is not only recognizing it as relevant but creating an opportunity to grow.”

For now, the company’s “main goal” is to “provide a greater service to our existing brand partners,” Best said.

“We absolutely do not want to saturate the market,” he said.

Family owned New Era, which was founded in 1920, employs about 1,700 people worldwide. It has several plants, with one in Buffalo, three in Alabama and a few overseas."

Top hats

See the slideshow before it disappears.

The Columbus Dispatch - Life / Arts:

"Headgear with a Hawaiian vibe is the top hat in the fifth annual Holiday Art Project.

Shirley Bendau of Dublin wins the $75 first prize for Aloha New Year, a floral explosion.

A retired teacher, Bendau used drawings of tropical flowers and the word aloha (which means both "hello" and "goodbye" — appropriate for New Year’s Eve, she thought) on her entry.

The mystery surrounding her inspiration was revealed when The Dispatch tried to reach her: She was on her annual vacation in Hawaii.

More than 60 people entered the contest, which challenged entrants to decorate a blank party hat.

Judges chose Bendau’s hat because of its surprising theme and good execution.

"Not your typical New Year’s Eve type of thing," said Rod Harris, a Dispatch artist.

"It has a theme, and it’s festive," said Michelle Stitzlein, a Baltimore, Ohio, artist whose creations use recycled objects. "I can’t find any mistakes."

The second-place prize of $50 goes to Debi Imbrogno of Gahanna for Let’s Party, Deer,an illustration in felt. Her workmanship impressed the judges.

"It’s not easy to get detail in felt, but she did it," Stitzlein said.

A mother of four, Imbrogno said she honed her felt skills while serving as a Cub Scout den mother.

Third place — and $25 — is awarded to Puttin’ on the Ritz by Gahanna fabric artist Laura Koebel. She fashioned a sparkly creation with sequins from a thrift-store dress. The judges liked the intricate patterns.

"It has a festive rhythm," Harris said.

"If you had that hat on for an actual party, it would be a beacon," Stitzlein added.

The judges also selected four honorable mentions:

• Everything Is New Again by Jacquie Conley of Columbus. Her three-dimensional, telescoping hat reveals a New Year’s Eve scene. (Conley won last year’s contest by turning a pair of boxer shorts into a homage to the old Lazarus Christmas display window.)

• Party Like a Rock Star by Craig Canfield of Columbus. With a guitar, a skull, a snake and fire, the hat is a lid that any rowdy musician would be proud to wear.

• All Dressed Up and Noewhere To Go by Rick Amicon. His collage is inspired by the rise and fall of Tom Noe, the Toledo-area coin dealer. (Amicon won third place last year.)

• American Bullfrog by Connie Meizlish of Gahanna. Her hat is an elaborate collage that includes flower cutouts, gold ribbon and a frog postage stamp.

Although those creations rose to the top, many others deserve kudos for the effort that went into them. Here are a few unofficial awards:

Most sentimental: My Constant New Year’s Companion by Gena Moore of Westerville. Her collage honors Dick Clark, the entertainer synonymous with New Year’s Eve.

Most fun to read: Off the Top of My Head by Roanne Vlahos of Columbus, whose hat has words meant to answer the question "What’s on your mind? "

Best use of ribbon: Hat’s Off to the New Year by Brooke Norris of Lewis Center. She made an elegant hat that would look good at any New Year’s Eve bash.

Best Buckeye theme: Rootin’, Tootin’ Two-Fer by Marty Palmer of Powell. The hat is suitable both for New Year’s Eve and Ohio State’s appearance in the nationalchampionship game.

Best bells: Ritzy-Glitzy by Joyce Eicher of Sabina. Bells, ribbon and fabric make it a cap of distinction.

Most amusing: So To Speak, Feb. 21, 2006 by Madeline Hansen of Dublin. Hansen, also a past contest winner, has found a decorative use for the ubiquitous address labels that charities send.

Best package: The Family Hat by Susi Soler of Worthington, also a past prizewinner. Her threedimensional hat of felt and silver lame arrived in a hatbox. It salutes OSU, which counts her, her father and grandfather as alumni.

Most pettable: The Hat Like a Cat by Fran Alder of McArthur. The furry hat begs to be stroked.
"

Friday, December 29, 2006

GPA Helmets from Europe May Not Meet USEF Standards

GPA Helmets from Europe May Not Meet USEF Standards:

"December 28, 2006 -- A number of exhibitors using the GPA brand of helmets while competing in U.S. Equestrian Federation (USEF) licensed events may be unaware that they are not wearing an ASTM/SEI certified model as required by USEF rules.

Helmets purchased in Europe, or that originally came from Europe, may not meet the ASTM/SEI standard as required by USEF GR318.2-GR318.7. Riders should check the buckles of their GPA helmets to see if there is an SEI logo on it and they should also check the inside of the helmet which should carry the SEI certification tag in it. If it does not appear there, then the helmet should not be used in USEF licensed competitions.

All riders are required to wear a certified helmet while competing in Hunter, Jumpers and Hunt Seat Equitation classes, and in Paso Fino classes, both open and breed restricted including Hunter Hack. Helmets are to be wore anywhere jumping is required and when jumping anywhere on the competition grounds. Helmets must be properly fastened and meet or exceed ASTM (American Society for Testing and Materials)/SEI (Safety Equipment Institute) standards for equestrian use and carries the SEI tag.

Except as mandated by local law, juniors in the above classes, and all sub-juniors riding in the Paso Fino division, must wear certified helmets while riding anywhere on the competition grounds. As stated in GR318.6, 'It is the responsibility of the rider, or the parent or guardian or trainer of the junior exhibitor to see to it that the headgear worn complies with appropriate safety standards for protective headgear intended for equestrian use, and is properly fitted and in good condition, and the Federation, the Show Committee, and Licensed Officials are not responsible for checking headgear worn for such compliance.'

The USEF strongly encourages all riders, while riding anywhere on competition grounds, to wear ASTM/SEI certified headgear"

Fashion courses must continue

Sounds familiar, in many ways, to what is happening in the Canadian apparel trade.

The Border Mail - Fashion courses must continue:

"TWELVE years ago I took a redundancy from TAFE as a fashion teacher.

It was fairly obvious then that there was a “departmental push”, driven by a political motive, to downsize fashion in NSW.

This had begun years before when the Australian manufacturing industry was being turned upside down.

When I began teaching 48 years ago, fashion did have one of the highest enrolments of any course run by TAFE.

A very beneficial service was provided to the community, especially in the country.

All teachers had to travel to one or two circuit centres as part of a three-week timetable.

Culcairn, Henty, Walbundrie, Corowa and Oaklands were all serviced.

The statement that, “Fashion studies are not in vogue” is a view, not a fact.

People still need these courses and can earn an income from them, as is the case with the millinery certificate course that has just been completed by 26 students at Albury TAFE. At least half of this group is now retailing the hats they make.

This is also the case of many previous students of dressmaking certificates and commercial needlecraft who have gained employment or gone into business.

These courses have been discontinued not because they are no longer in vogue, or unpopular, but because of a departmental decision as a response to a political policy.

One may think that space and finance are needed to run the 10 new courses Ms Campbell promoted which may have a better scope for employment than the fashion courses provide.

Wagga TAFE director Ms Campbell feels, “the demand for the fashion skills is less these days because people can buy clothes for less than what it costs to make them.”

Except for everyday T-shirt and pants combinations, this may be correct.

But I can still make my clothes for much less than what it costs to buy them.

Having just returned from a trip to China and seen how the Chinese live and work, I feel somewhat unnerved at the thought of purchasing cheap clothing from China, while watching the destruction of TAFE fashion courses.

There is a place for boutique fashion; there is a client base of people who will pay more for quality, style, fit and individuality.

There is a need to train qualified dressmakers.

There is a need for a course that will teach these skills to many talented and creative people.

We do not want to lose the skills of pattern makers, graders, machinists, and designers.

If we do we may in future be importing them from overseas."

Thursday, December 28, 2006

Chautauqua kids knit caps to give babies better chance

BCNG Portals Page:

"Diane Brenno had balls of donated yarn, knitting looms purchased with a Partners in Education grant and an eager group of young knitters when she read an article about Caps to the Capitol, an effort to help save the lives of newborns overseas.

“It was like a flower blooming,” said Brenno, who runs the Lunch Club at Chautauqua Elementary. “I’ve got all these looms and yarn and here’s this program. Wouldn’t this be profound?”

Brenno showed the article to Samantha Philip. The fourth-grader read that four million newborns die each year within the first month of life and that three out of four of these deaths could be avoided with simple, low-cost tools, such as antibiotics, immunizations and knitted caps that help to keep babies warm.

Samantha was surprised that something as little as a hat could save a life.

“I thought it would be really fun to help somebody else,” she said.

So she knit a cap and then another, and soon other kids attending Chautauqua’s Lunch Club wanted to make caps as well. About 20 first to fifth-graders have been knitting caps during their recess.

They expected to have about 50 made by the holidays.

Caps to the Capitol, which is sponsored by the WarmUp America! Foundation and Save the Children, asks knitters to take three steps: “Make a Cap. Write the President. Unite for Newborns.” A number of the Chautauqua students wrote brief letters to the president asking that the administration support life-saving programs for children in developing countries.

The finished hats, along with letters to the president, will travel to Washington, D.C., and then on to newborns in need at Save the Children project sites around the world.

“I think life is a circle and that it’s important to teach kids to give back,” said Brenno, who the children call Grammie.

Running the popular Lunch Club is, in fact, Brenno’s “end-of-life” gift to Vashon. An Islander since 1962, she says giving school kids a welcoming and calm place to go during recess is her way of “paying back the community for all the good things that have happened to us here.”

“I really think that some of these kids are going to remember Grammie, Lunch Club and what they did here, because a lot of these kids need it. We laugh and have a good time. I try to put a few cents in once in awhile about caring and feelings, but mostly I’m here to be a soft spot.”

The students have only about 15 minutes to knit before they rush off to lunch, but clearly most of them understand the value of what they’re doing.

“We’re making little hats for babies in Third World countries so that three out of four babies get saved from premature death,” explained Marie Trudel, another fourth-grader.

“My hope is that it helps them survive,” added Samantha."

Wednesday, December 27, 2006

China hospital staff wearing helmets

NewsDaily: Quirks -- China hospital staff wearing helmets:

"GUANGZHOU, China, Dec. 26 (UPI) -- Staff members at China's Shanxia Hospital were given helmets to protect them from a group of people who have picked fights with doctors and nurses.

The measure stems from an incident when a traffic accident victim, who initially seemed to be responding positively to treatment, died after 17 days at the hospital, Xinhua, China's official government-run news agency, reported Tuesday.

The family refused to allow an autopsy to be performed, Xinhua said. The hospital objected to being made to pay compensation to the victim's family without an autopsy to confirm cause of death.

Since then, hospital staff said a group of people visit the hospital every day to put up offensive signs, insult doctors and nurses and sometimes pick fights with them.

"It's kind of weird but we have no other choice. For our safety, our hospital decided to give everyone a helmet, including doctors, nurses, accountants and even utility men," a hospital official told Xinhua.
"

Tuesday, December 26, 2006

HATTY XMAS

Mirror.co.uk - News - HATTY XMAS:

"ZARA Phillips' purple trilby heads the royal hat parade during the traditional Christmas church service at Sandringham yesterday.

The equestrian champ, 25, was joined by Princesses Eugenie, 16, and Beatrice, 18, in side-of-the-head hats and Sophie Wessex in a sculpted creation as the royals crowned the day with a stunning display of headwear.

One surprise was Camilla's daring leopardskin hat with pheasant feathers. One onlooker joked: 'Its a good thing Prince Philip didn't have his gun. Dressed like that he might have shot her by mistake!'"

Monday, December 25, 2006

Inmates crochet for charity

The Marietta Times: Inmates crochet for charity:

"Christmas can be a particularly difficult time of year for inmates at the Noble County Correctional Institution, but some have found a way to make a meaningful connection with life outside the prison walls and razor wire.

On Wednesday inmate Mike Wolak, 53, who’s serving five to 25 years for involuntary manslaughter, proudly displayed a bright red hat, one of 91 he’s crocheted this year, including many for the Coats for Kids program in Washington County.

“It takes three to four hours to do one, depending on the size of the hat,” he said.

Since November, 15 inmates have crocheted 109 hats as well as a few scarves donated to Coats for Kids this year.

“Never in my life did I think I would be crocheting,” said Mark Doll, 44, serving four years and six months for aggravated vehicular homicide.

“But after I completed a two-year college program I had a lot of time on my hands, so I learned to crochet from some of these guys,” he said.

Inmate Roger Migliaccio, 38, learned to crochet from his sisters when he was 10 or 12 years old. He said crocheting hats and scarves also has a therapeutic effect, especially during the holidays spent away from family and friends.

“I find that I don’t have the stress I sometimes feel during family times like Christmas,” said Migliaccio who’s serving a five-year term for robbery.

Chuck Smith, 40, said making hats for people in need is a way he can make a positive contribution to society.

“I’ve been a taker all my life, now I’m giving something back,” he said.

Smith is serving a five-year term for felonious assault and robbery.

The inmates became involved in the Coats for Kids program through a chance meeting between NCI business administrator Craig Rich and Judy Grize with the Retired Seniors Volunteer Program (RSVP) in Marietta.

“We were visiting the O’Neill Senior Center, basically letting people know that we could provide community services, when I met Mrs. Grize, Rich said.

She told him about Coats for Kids and said there was a need for knitted hats that could be distributed along with the coats.

Rich said several inmates were skilled in crochet, so manpower was no problem.

“Our biggest issue was getting the material to work with,” he said.

Skeins of yarn were donated by RSVP and others, including RSVP member Ruth Reeves, who knitted 23 hats for the program on her own.

Reeves accompanied Grize on a visit to NCI on Wednesday to meet the inmates and pick up the final bags of hats and scarves that will be distributed through the Coats for Kids program this year.

“This is a way for the inmates to look back at the negative of being in prison and see a positive experience,” said Joel Burris, public information officer with NCI.

“The inmates volunteer for the program and they learn a skill,” he said. “Most have never even seen a crochet hook before.

“It’s also a great way for them to give back to the community.”

Burris noted that the inmates have also crocheted blankets and toys for various schools and non-profit agencies during the six years that the crochet program has been in effect at NCI.

He said the blankets are sometimes auctioned off by schools and non-profits as a fundraising activity.

“It doesn’t cost a lot of money for the inmates to crochet blankets or hats, and the requesting agencies provide the yarn,” Burris said. “But one boosters group made $200 by auctioning off one of the blankets.”

Rich said more than 250 inmates have participated in the crochet program over the last six years.

“We hope to continue our partnership with RSVP and Coats for Kids next year,” Rich added. “If we get enough yarn, we can keep them in hats and scarves.”"

Sunday, December 24, 2006

Lessen holiday waste this season

The Messenger - Fort Dodge, Iowa:

"Discarded ribbons, wrinkled wrappings and bent cards containing good tidings pile up during this season of giving.

However, people can contain that waste while occupying their children running free from the classroom for the holiday by transforming the materials otherwise destined for the garbage bin into creative crafts.

‘‘They are just neat ideas,’’ said Erin Meehan, shared naturalist with Webster County Conservation and Iowa Department of Natural Resources. ‘‘It’s a great way to cut back and reuse. There’s so much waste during the holidays.’’

Waste management specialists estimate 25 million tons more waste will be created during the holidays than what’s generated during an average 10-week period. The bulk of garbage comes from ribbons, wrapping paper, packing paper, envelopes and packaging materials.

All are items that can be recycled, Meehan said, and used for creative crafts that can keep children busy during cold winter days.

The best part about the projects, she added, is they are a very affordable means of entertainment.

‘‘Everything you can do is available and at hand,’’ Meehan said. ‘‘You don’t have to go out and buy anything. It’s all very inexpensive.’’

Paper

A paper snowman is one creative way to use up junk-mail envelopes. It’s estimated around 418,000 tons of bulk mail gets thrown away unopened each year. That’s an entire civilization of snow people.

To make a snowman, cut three strips of paper out of white scrap paper or envelopes. The strip for the head should be 1 inch wide by 4 inches long. Cut the middle piece 1.25 inches wide by 5 inches long; and cut the bottom piece to measure 1.5 inches wide by 6 inches long.

Take each strip, roll it into a circle and glue where it meets. Then glue all the circles together. To make the eyes and buttons, either glue on scrap pieces of black paper or use a black marker.

For the nose, cut a small narrow strip of paper, fold over the base and glue it to the face. To make a scarf, cut a narrow strip of paper and cut fringe at the ends. Decorate it with markers, scraps of paper or paint then glue it around the neck.

A top hat can be made by cutting a circle for the brim 1.5 inches in diameter out of scrap paper. Cut a strip of matching paper 1.25 inches wide by 3.5 inches long. Make a cylinder and glue it where the edges meet. Glue the cylinder to the circle and glue the hat to the snowman’s head. Arms can be crafted by gluing two small twigs to the front of the body’s middle circle.

Snow can be added by gluing a piece of cotton from medicine bottles to the bottom.

"

Sanitation-worker caps are a branding gold mine for N.Y.C.

North Jersey Media Group providing local news, sports & classifieds for Northern New Jersey!:

"NEW YORK -- When city officials here decided to roll out a line of merchandise featuring insignias of municipal agencies, they had no doubt that there would be a strong demand for items emblazoned with the logos of the Police and Fire departments.

But the Department of Sanitation?

After several months on the market, the bestselling item from the official New York City line is a distressed brown cap with a frayed bill and light blue DSNY patch -- a fact that startled John J. Doherty, the city's sanitation commissioner, who didn't initially think much of the design.

"I was taken back a little," he said. "I thought, 'Why are we using this beat-up hat?' When I go out, I put on a decent baseball hat. But everybody said, 'That's what they love out there.' "

The popular cap -- available in city souvenir stores and carried nationally by Target since July -- exemplifies how New York has sought to harness the power of its brand through a canny marriage of promotion and fashion.

Sales from the merchandise line, which can be purchased at a new online store, at officialnycshop.com, are expected to top more than $20 million annually. Royalty fees will go to fund city departments.

Up next: a photo campaign featuring city workers modeling the apparel.

"We want to give people who are already in love with New York the chance to show that pride," said Kimberly Spell, spokeswoman for NYC Marketing, the local development corporation charged with promoting the city's image. "Our hope is that if we get enough people like James Gandolfini and Sarah Jessica Parker wearing our stuff, it will catch on with the rest of the country."

The idea grew out of New York's failed efforts to persuade Olympic officials to choose the city as the site of the 2012 Games. In the process, city officials discussed the global appeal of the New York name and realized that they had a ready-made label.

"We started thinking about it, that we do have this wonderful brand," said Lloyd Haymes, vice president of licensing for NYC Marketing. "If there's so much popularity for the city, there's probably a demand for the markings and logos most closely associated with the city."

Several departments, including the NYPD, had already licensed products with their logos, which proved especially popular after the Sept. 11 attacks. But there was no centralized city licensing office, which led to inconsistent quality and a flood of counterfeit items on the market.

"It's safe to say there were millions of dollars that the city never saw," Haymes said.

Last year, NYC Marketing announced that it was consolidating the city's intellectual property under one authority and developing a new line of casual apparel and souvenirs, each with an official hang tag or holographic decal to indicate its authenticity, much like those found on sports apparel.

Manufacturers submitted bids to develop merchandise for seven agencies that city marketers believed would have the broadest appeal. (The Department of Transportation made the cut, but as of now, there are no plans for gear from the Affordable Housing Resource Center or the Mayor's Office of Contract Services.)

The goal: to create a unique look for each department.

For Parks and Recreation, that meant a "green, athletic" theme to appeal to environmentalists and outdoor enthusiasts. Apparel includes a grass-green Central Park T-shirt, which depicts the park's famed fountain, for $19.99, and a simple green baseball cap emblazoned with the department's leaf insignia for $14.99.

The Taxi and Limousine Commission line aimed for a nostalgic, old-time New York look by incorporating the traditional black-and-yellow check design on its T-shirts and mugs. "We were looking for a bit of a retro feel," said Commissioner Matthew W. Daus.

Over at the Mayor's Office of Film, Theatre and Broadcasting, Commissioner Katherine Oliver came up with the idea of applying the agency's "Made in NY" logo to a line of fashionable hoodies and black baby tees.

"If we have an upscale line, this is it," Haymes said.

The Department of Sanitation offered a different opportunity -- to tap into the hipster trend. One denim-blue T-shirt features the image of a garbage truck and the line: "Clanging Your Cans Since 1929."

"We thought there could be a unique way to spin it as a hip, grunge feel, a little bit edgy," Haymes said.

Jerry Koske, division manager for brands at Drew Pearson Marketing, the headwear company that developed the top-selling Sanitation cap, said a big part of its success was its color.

"Brown has been really strong in the market," he said. "And it's the whole dirty, grungy look, sort of oil-stained. It's a new technique in headwear."

Whatever the reason, the city's sanitation commissioner said he was thrilled.

"In New York City, we really don't get too much coverage unless there's a big snowstorm -- then we're darlings of the city," Doherty said. "Just to hear that the hat was outselling some police and fire items, I was ecstatic. To me, that means people like Sanitation."
"

Saturday, December 23, 2006

Santa dons hardhat after mince pie attack�

Santa dons hardhat after mince pie attack�|�Oddly Enough�|�Reuters.com:

"LONDON (Reuters) - Father Christmas was forced to swap his traditional red and white hat for protective headgear after children pelted him with mince pies in Scotland.

Santa was hit on the head by pastries thrown from a balcony as he handed out gold chocolate coins at a shopping center in the town of Paisley, near Glasgow, at the weekend.

'Health and safety is paramount,' center manager Andrew MacKinnon said Wednesday. 'We issued him with a yellow hardhat equipped with a pair of reindeer antlers to make it look more festive.'

He said a gang of local 'neds,' or yobs, threw the pies before running off. Last year, the centre's Father Christmas was set upon by youths calling a him a 'fraud and a fake.'"

Fashion Trend: Men’s Hats

Fashion Trends - Fashion Trend: Men’s Hats:

"It is not often fashion trends keep you warm and look cool, but men’s hats are a key trend this winter.

Celebrities including Kate Moss, Sadie Frost and Keira Knightley show how the right headgear can look ultra stylish.

Moss prefers to step out in a man’s fedora, while Knightley has been photographed in a bowler hat. Lindsay Lohan has also been snapped in a funky grey Fedora, while Frost looked ultra chic recently in a black trilby.

The trend for mannish headgear has been a hot seller in several boutiques. Brix Smith- Start owner of the London Boutique Start told Grazia magazine:

'We ordered in loads of top hats, fedoras and trilbies this season, and we have only one left.'

'When a woman puts on a guy’s hat she feels empowered and cheeky, and she looks intellectual and edgy.'"

Wednesday, December 13, 2006

Hat World's bid for rival helps it add 49 store

Hat World's bid for rival helps it add 49 stores | IndyStar.com:

"Hat World is buying rival Hat Shack, furthering the Indianapolis company's plans to get ahead in the nearly $2 billion industry.

The deal, valued at $18 million, will add 49 stores to Hat World's existing chain of more than 700.

Its stores in malls and airports across North America operate under the Lids, Lids Kids, Hat Zone, Head Quarters and Cap Connection brand names.

Hat Shack, based in Marietta, Ga., has stores in 10 states, primarily in the Southeast.

Only 19 of the 49 Hat Shack stores are in the same malls where Hat World has stores.

'The acquisition is unlikely to have major infrastructure implications in Indianapolis,' wrote Ken Kocher, president of Hat World, in an e-mailed statement. 'We will be folding the Hat Shack business into our own, and any job reductions would be in cases where positions overlap.'

Hat World, a subsidiary of Nashville, Tenn.-based Genesco, is the largest sports headwear retailer in North America. It started in 1995 as a single store at Tippecanoe Mall in Lafayette, Ind.

Genesco, a publicly traded company that sells shoes through stores such as Journeys and Johnston & Murphy, bought Hat World in 2004.
"

Sunday, December 10, 2006

Byrnie Utz Hats / Has a head for what we want

The Seattle Times: Pacific NW 12/10/2006: Byrnie Utz Hats / Has a head for what we want:

"Jan. 20, 1961: John F. Kennedy's inauguration. A dark day for men's hats. He stepped up to the dais bareheaded. Jackie wore a smart little pillbox. That was it. Hats off for men, hats on for women. But milliners have always had help from the movies; 'Maltese Falcon' to 'Urban Cowboy' to 'Raiders of the Lost Ark.' (The classic Stetson Temple, modeled after Indiana Jones' hat, is still the company's No. 1 seller.) Be it berets, boaters, bonnets, derbies . . . the hat has always had its staunch supporters: Magritte, Churchill, Lincoln, Wolfe. Mad hatters, all. And now? The nation's gone casual. Baseball caps, ski hats and their ilk. No matter. Since 1934 hats of all manner have been found, sitting 20,000 strong, at Byrnie Utz Hats in downtown Seattle. Shawn Ferry, Byrnie Utz vice president whose hat of preference is the derby, sizes up the chapeau.

Q: Who buys a quality hat these days?

A: We get a wide range of people. From the younger people it's all fashion, like with the Kangols, to the 80- to 90-year-old guys who've been wearing hats their whole life. And we're getting a lot more people who buy straw hats to keep out of the sun.

Q: What is the worst breach of hat etiquette?

A: There's not too much of the "when you step inside you have to take your hat off" anymore. Maybe in church or really nice restaurants.

Q: How many hats should a gentleman have?

A: A lot of the guys will have maybe two or three. One for summer, one for winter. I have somewhere around 60, but I've worked here on and off since I was 10.

Q: Most inexpensive to expensive?

A: From $6, a cotton bucket-shaped casual hat, to $675, a Panama hat handwoven from strands of Ecuadorean toquilla grass.

Q: How can one tell a fine hat?

A: Most of the nice felt ones are either going to be rabbit or beaver fur, and you can feel the difference between that and wool.

Q: How should one care for one's hat?

A: The main thing is to handle it by the brim rather than the crown. Don't dry it fast or leave it in the back window of the car. If they dry naturally at room temperature you don't get problems with shrinking.

Q: The baseball hat: The end of civilization as we know it?

A: It gives you a false sense of shade. Farmers who wear them were getting a lot of skin cancer on their noses and on their ears and the backs of their necks. It only shades your eyes, as opposed to the protection a brim all the way around your eyes gives you."

And a red time was had by all

Rushville Republican - And a red time was had by all:

"Christmas colors were changed to red and purple Thursday evening as several chapters of the Red Hat Society gathered together for the annual holiday party.

Rush County chapters represented were the Red Revelers, Red Hot Flashes, Golden Grammies, Classy Lassies, Crimson Queens, Red Hat Mommas and Scarlet Biddies. Visiting from Okeechobee, Fla., was Sydney Snedegar of the Real Extra-ordinary Dames.

The delicious buffet-style meal at Center Christian Church was prepared and served by the Loyal Workers, a women’s group, and their “apprentices.” The latter nomenclature was decided upon since, “You won’t expect so much from us if we’re apprentices,” one of the well-dressed and gracious male servers said.

Grace for the scrumptious repast was given by Ramona Wilkinson.

The red and pink hatted gals then learned how to decorate their colorful chapeau. The evening’s program was put on by the Traveling Red Hat Boutique.

“You don’t have to come to me, I came to you,” the speaker, who wished to remain anonymous, said. She and her able assistant gave a demonstration of decorating a red gambler hat with a variety of items including a half-a-hackler, scarves, hat bands and boas.

A Red Hatter herself, she makes one-of-a-kind, custom decorated hats.

Among the Red Hat items available for purchase were flashing red glasses and teeth, lace gloves and shawls, T-shirts, umbrellas and many types of red or pink headgear.

Winners of the evening’s drawings were Alberta Adams (a purple tree) and Janice Burkett (a red tree).

The Red Hat Mommas’ lively rendition of Christmas songs provided the entertainment, then came the gift exchange. In an unexpected semblance of organization, all the Queen Mothers got grab-bag gifts from a central table to distribute to each table of celebrants.

Rosie Chance read a left-right Christmas story with the women passing the packages to their left or right as they heard these directions woven into the holiday tale. Eventually, after many a left and right reversal, each party-goer got to unwrap a parcel.

The festive holiday decorations for the evening were done by Ann Fenimore and Muriel Moore.

The Red Hat Society has had chapters in Rush County since 2001.

“When I am an old woman, I shall wear purple – with a red hat that doesn’t go, and doesn’t suit me.” That’s the first lines of a Jenny Joseph poem, which has been adopted by the Red Hat Society.

Referred to fondly by many as a “disorganization,” there are no rules for the various chapters. That’s part of its appeal for the 75 to 100 Red Hat Society members in seven chapters in Rush County. Members under age 50 are welcomed, but wear pink hats.

The Ditsie Chicks, the first local chapter, was “disorganized” in the fall of 2001 when a group of women realized they hadn’t laughed since Sept. 11. So the group got together to share frivolity, affection and enthusiasm for life.

Donning red hats and purple outfits, the Ditsie Chicks became an inspiration to others in the area.

According to the Red Hat Society’s Web site (www.redhatsociety.com) “there are no official rules, but we do have some rather strong suggestions.” Emphasis is placed on wearing a red hat and clashing purple ensemble to meetings, as well as the younger members wearing pink and lavender until “the birthday.” The main aim is to have fun and let out the “little girl inside.”"

Saturday, December 09, 2006

Founder of Stratton Hats was known for his fedoras

Founder of Stratton Hats was known for his fedoras:

"MANATEE COUNTY -- Steve Stratton never left his Bradenton home without wearing one of his fedoras.

The soft felt hats were his trademark -- perfect for a man who founded one of the nation's largest hat manufacturing companies.

Stratton, founder of Stratton Hats, was a well-known member of the local Greek community.

He died Wednesday at age 101.

Stratton came to the United States from a village near Sparta, Greece, with his mother when he was 17 years old. The family was poor and came to this country with very little.

After he arrived, Stratton took a job working for his uncle's dry cleaning shop in Illinois.

That was where he learned how to take care of hats, and got the idea to start a company to make them.

His company would become one of the country's largest makers of uniform hats.

Today, Stratton Hats makes mostly hats for law enforcement.

'I fell in love with the hats,' Stratton said in a 2005 interview with the Herald-Tribune. 'I felt like I was creating something with my own hands.'

The hat business enabled Stratton and his wife to support their three children during the Great Depression. Sometimes, that meant working 24-hour shifts to fill orders.

'He was a self-taught man,' said his daughter, Elaine Lampros of Sarasota. 'I'm so proud of the life that he laid for himself and his family.'

He came to Bradenton 35 years ago and became involved with St. Barbara's Greek Orthodox Church at Lockwood Ridge and Tallevast roads.

When he wasn't working, he enjoyed reading and keeping up with current events.

As he aged, he would listen to books on tape from the library about history and politics.

But around town, and at St. Barbara's, he was known as the man with the hats.

'He was in church every week, and always beautifully dressed,' said the Rev. Frank M. Kirlangitis.

'He always has a smile and a 'good morning.''

Stratton's family sent one of his hats to Chicago to be buried with him.

St. Barbara's will have a ceremony in about 40 days, which is the traditional Greek mourning period.

The family is still finalizing the plans. "

Thursday, December 07, 2006

Crowning Glory

The included photo gallery of 45 hats is not to be missed.

Crowning Glory:

"
If you think you're not a "hat person," think again.

Click here for a gallery of this season's hottest hats, runway-style.
(Having problems? Check your pop-up blocker)

Hats dominated the fall runways, with styles ranging from the unexpected (we saw more than a few top hats), to the adorable (nothing beats a classic beret), to the more avant-garde (equestrian hats seemed to be the hat du jour). Everyone from Sonia Rykiel, John Galliano, Marc Jacobs and Anna Sui topped off their looks with hot hats, which made us wonder-can we really pull off a hat?

After all, wearing a hat takes some guts. First off, it's not like nobody will notice, so you have to be ready to make a statement when you walk in a room. Secondly, they're a tricky accessory; you have to find the right one for you and, most importantly, feel comfortable in it. There's no need to just jump on every trend. Believe it or not, there is a technique to wearing them. John Callanan, the head designer of the hat company Dorfman Pacific, explains how to wear a hat without looking...well...stupid.

ELLEgirl: How does a hat virgin go about finding the right hat?
John Callanan: Everyone is a hat person once she finds the right shape. Like any fashion or hairstyle, you have to find a style that enhances your natural beauty. Short statures should avoid large brims so that they don't look like a mushroom, and tall girls should keep away from small brims to avoid looking like a pin head. If you are short, look for a hat with an upturned brim as the admirer's eye will always go to the highest point, so it is a tricky way to add height. A girl who feels too tall should wear a downturn brim to illusionary subtract a few inches. Girls with beautiful oval faces should avoid baseball caps and rounded cloche (bell) shapes. A round cap on an oval shapes is just one big circle. An oval face should wear a fedora style as the creased brim and crown will help to break up the oval.

EG: What are the big hat trends for fall?
JC: Faux fur troopers are still hot, [as are] newsboys and small brimmed fedoras for clubbing.

EG: Any tricks to avoid 'hat hair'?
JC: If you are going to wear a hat, then let the hat become your hair. Slick your hair back in to a low pony tail at the nape of the neck. This will show your beautiful swan neck. The hat will frame you sparkling eyes.

EG: You can tell a lot about a person by the kind of hat she wears. What do some of the different styles say about a person?
JC: Fedoras have a mysterious look. Often worn at a jaunty angle so the viewer only see one eye, it says 'I am not revealing everything all at once.' The newsboy says 'I am casual, sporty and one of the boys.' The cloches say 'I am a diehard romantic.'

EG: Is there a universal hat that just looks good on everyone?
JC: Probably the newsboy. It has enough volume to allow the wearer to play with it until she finds the shape that works with her face or mood. The visor gives enough shadow for the mysterious look. Newsboys are really a stylized beret with a visor.

So you can wear a visor AND be stylish? Who knew... "

Friday, December 01, 2006

Yarmulkes, black hats and streimels

Cleveland Jewish News.com -- News:

"In the 800 years from the 13th century to the present, Orthodox Jewish men have worn a bewildering array of some 40-odd types of headgear, ranging from turbans to cone-shaped hats. Many have been worn voluntarily, and others have been mandated by the counties where Jews resided. Today, three main types of headgear are prevalent in the Orthodox world in Israel and the Diaspora: yarmulkes, black hats and streimels.

Yarmulkes - Some authorities believe it is a Yiddish word derived directly from Polish; others, that it is a shortened form of two Aramaic words yarei meelokha (one who fears G-d). These head coverings are known in Hebrew as kipot and are further classified as kipot serugot (knit kipot); black kipot made of cloth or leather; and white, knitted kipot with a tassel, the last one worn under hats by some Chasidic sects.

Kipot serugot are often crocheted or knitted by girls for their boyfriends and decorated with the boy's name in Hebrew and/or English, with Magen Davids, or with an endless array of artistic patterns along the kipah's borders. Detailed instructions for crocheting kipot serugot are found in the First Jewish Catalog.

In Israel, if you wear a kipah serugah, you are classified as Modern Orthodox, serve in the Army, and usually support the Modern Orthodox political parties. In America, the kipah serugah generally classifies you as Modern Orthodox and usually a supporter of the Religious Zionist movement, but it does not indicate any specific political affiliation.

Ornate kipot are prevalent throughout the Jewish world, especially among Sephardic communities. Colorful kipot from Morocco, India, Persia, Georgia, Afghanistan, Turkey and Bukhara are often seen on display in Israeli museums or on the heads of men along the Western Wall. Americans are attracted to the large, ornate, Bukharan kipot, and these are often seen in local Orthodox and Conservative synagogues.

Probably the most ubiquitous kipah in America is the large black silk or polyester kipah found at entrance boxes to synagogues. Others are custom-made for weddings. They're inscribed with the names of the bride and groom and the date of the wedding. These kipot also can come in a wide range of colors and fabrics, including velvet and ultrasuede.

A smaller, plain black kipah, either knitted, solid heavy cloth, or leather, is the preferred head covering worn by many Jews both in Israel and America. It may be worn alone or under a black hat or streimel. Black kipah wearers are generally religiously to the right of kipah serugot wearers and have no strong political affiliations either in Israel or America, although they lean to Agudah Israel, Degel HaTorah, Shas, and similar rightwing parties. There are no set rules on kipah style, and many Modern Orthodox adherents may also wear black kipot.

A black, usually wide-brimmed fedora worn by itself, or over a kipah, is quite common in the yeshiva world, and many young boys acquire one as part of their bar mitzvah outfit. In Israel, a smaller, derby-style brim usually denotes a rosh yeshiva principal. Lubavitch Chasidim usually wear a black, smaller-brimmed black hat.

The streimel is an expensive, round fur hat made of mink, sable or fox fur tails. It is worn by many Chasidic sects stemming from Romania or Galicia; they include the Sanz, Satmar, Belz, Vishnitz and Klozenberg Chasidim. Streimels can cost between $500 to $2,000 each. Chasidim from Poland and Lithuania, such as the Gur and Amshenov sects, tend to wear a high-crowned fur hat called a spodik, which despite its size, is usually cheaper than the standard streimel since it incorporates all of the animal's fur, not just the tails. Because of costs, synthetic furs have begun to penetrate the streimel market.

A streimel or spodick is positive evidence that the wearer is an ultra-Orthodox Jew. Streimels are usually first worn by Chasidim at their bar mitzvah or wedding. Until then, they generally wear round-brimmed, low, black hats. Streimel wearers generally connote a visitor to Cleveland, since there are no local streimel or spodick-wearing sects.

With so much contemporary emphasis on headgear, one would think that the wearing of head coverings by males goes back to Biblical times. Not true. There are no Biblical commandments for men to wear headgear. The closest connection comes in a description of the priestly garb in Exodus 28:4, 37, 40 where the high priest was instructed to wear a mitre, and the lesser priests, turbans.

In Talmudic times, the covering of the head as an expression of the fear of G-d, yirat shamayim, was a practice of many Babylonian scholars, but according to Talmud (Nedarim 30b), it was optional. As late as the Middle Ages, French and Spanish rabbinical scholars followed this ruling and often prayed and studied bareheaded.
Streimels, above, and black fedora, below.

In the 17th century, Rabbi David Halevy of Ostrog argued that since Christians prayed bareheaded, Jews should cover their heads because of the injunction against following non-Jewish customs. Over the past three centuries, the custom of covering the head has become a cornerstone of Orthodox Jewish religiosity.

"

U.S. troops doff hats to cap maker in Sebastian

TCPalm: Lifestyle:

"If she's not sprucing up her home, out running the occasional errand or entertaining one of her multitude of children, grandchildren and great-grandchildren, Sebastian resident June Helen Fey, encouraged by her husband, James, is likely in her favorite stuffed chair crocheting.

For sport? No. For pleasure? Well, perhaps.

What it's all about is showing the American soldiers in Iraq how much she, and by extension the American people back home, cares. She's making under-helmet caps to keep the troops' heads warm during the winter nights and sufficiently cushioned during the summer days. After all, even in combat, comfort counts.

Crocheting: 'That's my joy in life now,' said Fey.

Colors?

Shades of camouflage, whether it's an earth tone or other hue. Obviously, soldiers in combat do not want to stand out.

All she's asking in return is for those soldiers to do her a favor:

'Tip your caps for me,' she says.

A dozen soldiers in one unit repaid her kindness with a group photo and kept their hats on so they could better model the gifts.

Fey, 77, has been doing her thing, alone and unaided, since March at her own expense.

She picks up the yarn at a local store — usually Red Heart camouflage — and makes between two and four caps a day, which she takes to the post office for delivery. Isn't it about time she got a little help from veterans groups?

Representatives of both the Marine Corps League of Barefoot Bay and Sebastian's American Legion Post 189 said they would see what they could do about pitching in to help lighten the load on Fey.

For Fey, helping servicemen achieve a superior level of ease is apparently a family tradition.

'My mother made hats for sailors during World War II,' she said.

It was Fey's daughter, Helen Leo Fey, who got her started on the current project. The younger Fey, whom her mother describes as 'the best crocheter in the world,' is a member of a crochet club in New York.

The elder Fey was already making hats for her grandchildren in New York, which is a full-time job on its own since she has more than two dozen grandchildren and great-grandchildren combined, when her daughter suggested Fey ship similar hats to the soldiers. Fey did so, first through her daughter and then on her own.

'I just love making them for the soldiers, and hope to keep them safe and warm,' she said. 'I say prayers while I make them, and I hope that helps. I can't wait to finish my work — chores and shopping — to get to making the hats.'
"

Style Matters: Celebs bring hats back into fashion

Rocky Mountain News: Spotlight Columnists:

"Judie: Hats. From the traditional unflattering ski cap to giant sun hats, I think all head coverings have many negatives and very few positives.

Evelinda: I used to love hats, but recent overembellished clothing styles have made them too difficult to match with my outfits. With the resurgence of simple suits, I am thinking of dusting off my hats again . . . that is if the kids haven't ruined them playing dress-up.

Judie: When I wear a hat I feel like I'm playing dress-up. They partially obscure my vision and I'm always afraid they are going to fly off and reveal my horrible "hat hair."

Evelinda: Get with the program. Celebrities like Cameron Diaz and Jennifer Lopez are all showing off their headgear. Here are some Style Matters tips for finding a hat that flatters your face shape.

• Consider body height: Hats should be in proportion to your height. For example, smaller women should avoid large-brimmed hats.

• Profile-style hats: Large brimmed hats that frame the face with asymmetrical brims that slant a bit over one eye are the most flattering styles on most face shapes, said Gena Conti, a Michigan-based milliner (www.genaconti.com). "When in doubt, wear your hat on a little slant for a jaunty look."

• Face shape: Is your face oval, round, long, square, wide or heart-shaped? If you don't know, try this trick. Take an old lipstick and stand in front of a mirror. Trace your face shape on the mirror. What you see should match or come close to one of these six shapes, according to www.hathathat.com.

Oval: Ovals can wear almost any style, but hats with large brims are most flattering.

Round: Medium and small brimmed hats and bucket shapes that are asymmetrical balance the roundness. Avoid berets; they don't give enough height.

Long: Medium to wide brims worn straight or forward on the head cut the length so the face doesn't resemble an egg. Newsboy styles are perfect.

Square: Upturned brims work best; experiment with cloche styles.

Wide: Tall off-the-face styles such as Bretons and pillboxes worn back on the head will counter the width.

Heart: Look for profile-style hats or hats with wide-brims folded up on one side.

Judie: The dreaded "hat hair" happens when your hat is too tight. Conti suggests buying a hat a little larger than your head size. Hats worn in cold weather cause static. Eliminate fly-aways by applying a moisturizer to towel-dried hair before blow-drying. Or revitalize flattened styles by spritzing a thickening spray on roots and finger fluff.

Evelinda: All bets are off with ski-cap hair. Our advice: Don't remove the hat. "

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