New Hats and Finished UFO Dress

Hi readers! Remember when I showed you my mood board for my latest millinery class at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology)--the bridal and eveningwear class? Well, my final collection is done and presented, phew.

Here's the mood board again, to refresh your memories.

I'm glad I kept my mood board free of any actual hats. It let me be less literal and have a bit more fun with the assignment.

The goal for the class was to create a collection of hats for a wedding party. Our first assignment was a Juliet cap, also called a cocktail hat. It's made of a buckram base, covered in taffeta an adorned a little polka dot net, faux flowers, and strawberries.

The next assignment was a turban. I love turbans! I'm not sure who this would belong to in the wedding party, maybe the eccentric aunt?

From there, we did a buckram-based headband for a flower girl. This is when I decided to really go for the dessert theme.

 The hand beading is done in rainbow bugle beads--sprinkles!!!

Then the bride! This is a frame made completely of wire, then covered with tulle (to cushion the wire) and then fabric.

Lastly, the "mother of the bride" hat. The assignment was to make a fabric-covered hat with a traditional crown and shaped brim (definitely the most complex of the semester). I added a swirl of polka-dot tulle over my taffeta hat and then added strawberries on top. Yes, it's a hat that looks like a strawberry cake.

I'm very happy with how the collection turned out. The only problem is that it makes me constantly hungry for CAKE. And lots of it!

I also finished my UFO dress, aka Vogue 4011. Aren't I productive this week? I think this calls for a nap.

Millinery Mood Board, Take Two

{click to enlarge}

Well, it's back to school season! I've returned to FIT for another semester of scintillating millinery; and this time we're doing BRIDAL. Yes, BRIDAL. Sweet!

I've decided that half the battle in a fashion program is learning to make a good mood board. In fashion school, the mood board is queen. Showing that you can arrange pretty pictures in a pleasing manner is apparently a very important skill. Since my mood board last spring was not so highly praised, I decided to take a different tack. No hats! That's right, you don't have to show any hats on a millinery mood board. Instead I focused on, well, the mood. (Look, I'm really learning!)

My theme is "Backyard Wedding" and it's the kind of summer celebration where there are dogs running around and everyone kicks off their shoes after the ceremony. Fried chicken is the entree and the signature drink is an iced tea cocktail. Old fashioned buttercream cake is a must. Gingham and polka dots everywhere.

And what do you know? My mood board was a big hit!

So what's next? We're making 5 hats this semester, starting with a Juliet Cap, also known as a cocktail hat. This is not to be confused with a fascinator. A Juliet Cap must sit on the head, and not need a comb or an elastic to hold it on. They were big in the 50s, especially cut high on the forehead to show off your hairdo.

A few examples:

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I will show my progress as I got along. Next project: turbans!!!

Greetings from Hat Land

Hello, readers! My brain is out of town this week. It's currently residing in the strange, magical land of Millinery 101 at the Fashion Institute of Technology, where finals are due tomorrow. That's when I will present my first collection of hats to the class. I'm somewhat terrified.

You see, at the beginning of the term we had to present a "mood board" (I've come to loathe that term) and the instructor wasn't very taken with mine, to say the least. Here, you can see it if you want. (Click to make bigger.)

My theory was that I would make a collection of vintage-inspired hats that are wearable today. Emphasis on wearable. I don't think I've quite succeeded in that, but I have kind of learned how to make hats, which was the aim. Here are a few of my favorites.

Anyway. I'll admit to being in kind of a dark place about the whole thing. It's so hard starting out at something, wanting it to be perfect, and not being able to really make your vision happen. It's so much like learning to sew! I don't mean to be so negative, but I knew you all would understand.

I have tons of finishing little finishing touches to do, so my brain and I are going back to Hat Land. I hope to be back in Dress Land next week!