Hats off!

Are you fascinated by the fascinator? Are you brimming with joy when you see a wide brim? What am I talking about? Hats of course!

No, not a touque...no pom-pom on the top. A proper adornment for your head. Chances are if you live in the UK then you know what I am talking about...if you are from Canada, you might not. Although, it would appear that things are changing. With the popularity of Philip Treacy's designs and the attention hats are getting as we approach the Royal wedding, people around the world are getting excited by this quintessential fashion accessory.

When my sister was married a few years ago, she commissioned a hat piece from her future father-in-law, Robert Pauly. Robert is the artist behind the designs at Bespoke Hats for All Occasions (www.youcankeepyourhaton.ca) Based in the small town of Clayton, just outside of Ottawa, Robert's designs can take you to an avante garde event or a Sunday afternoon garden party. Robert is one of those truly creative people who has spent his life immersed in the creative arts. His career has included working as a costume designer, jeweller and sculptor.

Admiring his cocktail hat collection, you can see the value of his passion for adorning his hats with unique and one of a kind accessories. It was a natural progression for Robert to apply his talent to the fine art of millinery. Plus, simply put, he really enjoys making hats! I decided to pick Robert's brain for some insight into his love of hats and the renaissance that hats are experiencing in fashion today.

A: I definitely am inspired by the past. I love the hats of the Twenties through to the late Forties. I am particularly fond of cocktail hats and that leaves me with a wide field to gambol through. On the other hand, I am not averse to using modern materials, textiles and so on. In fact, I do like experimenting with things I find from time to time and try to incorporate them into my productions.

A: Unfortunatley, the seeming resurgence is fuelled by the Royal wedding and happening mainly in places where hats are always worn: the UK, Austrailia, and so on. It won't have much of an impact here other than to convince a few brides to be, that it would be a neat thing to wear a hat instead of a veil, or to encourage bridesmaids to find an appropriate hat. We do get a lot more news about hats and milliners in the Commonwealth and the US presently, but unfortunately that will all die down within weeks of the wedding. Much like the hype around Diana's dress did.

A: Queen Elizabeth will definitely wear a hat; she's much like her mother there. The bride will have something appropriate to the moment and I will guarantee the presence of a multitude of hats during the whole affair.

A: No, Philip Treacy won't be there either...we'll be having tea and drinking to the Royals' health.

So, what do you think? Are hats and fascinators here to stay? Well, they certainly are an integral part of life in the UK. When you see a hat on a woman it really makes a statement. Have a read of this Veronica Slater Presents post, where she examines fashion in the early 90's. Veronica reminds us of the trendsetting wardrobes in the movie "When Harry Met Sally" - remember Sally's hat!

If you are feeling inspired to don a hat for your next special occasion, drop Robert a line...he's always looking for a new opportunity to create a one of a kind masterpiece! As for the girls and I - we'll be making paper hats for watching the Royal wedding...in our jammies!

Like to flip through some pics of great and grande Royal head toppers? Check out this selection of fun royal hats.