Hat Attack

Welcome to the Hat Attack dedicated to January, 2019.  Happy New Year beautiful followers.  I wish you the very best in the New Year, including health, happiness, and abundance in all forms.  I embrace 2019 with high hopes and anticipation, along with a year filled with magnificent headwear in all of its diversity and beauty. The featured milliner for January is Julia Emily Knox of East Village Hats NYC. "Julia is an English Milliner, trained in New York, who heads up a small team of milliners at East Village Hats, where they hand craft the hats on the premises, using

Wherever I travel I always search out milliners.  My trip to San Francisco with Mr. J in June was no exception.  I discovered DeAnna Gibbons HERE, milliner extraordinaire, and spent several hours in her studio enthralled by her exquisite headwear, her artistry, and her kind and generous response to my visit. The headpiece named “Pinkie," a hand-draped parisisal straw with chenille edging on velvet headband, immediately caught my attention. It now has its special perch in the hat room, and has already made an appearance in Denver when I was interviewed by the Daily Blast Live, a national TV show

July's Hat Attack is a stunning piece of wearable art by the talented Carrie Jenkinson of Carrie Jenkinson Millinery HERE based in the UK. This wonderful rainbow feather fascinator headpiece mounted onto a millinery headband is the perfect festive accessory for a special event. This headpiece is the definition of "show stopper."  Or "show starter," which might be a better description! Carrie Jenkinson's Biography Carrie Jenkinson Millinery is a Wiltshire-based fashion design company that was officially established in 2011 by Carrie Jenkinson. The fashion designer has achieved a lot within such short period of time and her beautifully designed and created

June's Hat Attack is a handdyed ombre parisisol top hat which milliner and creative genius Cha Cha HERE designed in collaboration with Andria, one of the owners at Salmagundi HERE, a wonderful hat shop in Boston. The top hat is trimmed with a navy blue satin ribbon, natural peacock swords and handmade straw swizzles. The crown is hand sculpted to give it a bit more undulation. As a fan of top hats, I can't wait to wear this out to dinner or to a party. I've adored Cha Cha's designs for years, and her distinctive style is very recognizable. This new

May's Hat Attack is the spearmint ostrich feather explosion by Alexandra Harper Millinery London HERE.  I love how the feathers cascade from the headband and softly caress my face.  Feathers and the flowers at Union Station Denver HERE somehow bloom together. With this post I'm excited to reveal Style Crone's new look.  After blogging for almost eight years, an update was long overdue. This is a step forward and represents a commitment to continue.  Thank you to all followers and those of you who comment on Style Crone.  I am deeply grateful! BIOGRAPHY: Alexandra Harper London-based milliner Alexandra Harper designs and

December's Hat Attack is an "ode" to vintage millinery finery.  This Coralie brimmed beauty with rhinestone pin has been perched in the hat room for years.  When I realized that it was the perfect accessory for the red vintage coat that I purchased from a friend several years ago, I knew that it was time to declare my love for vintage hats. I love hats from every era if they call to me. Today I'm announcing from the empty stage at Denver's Union Station that the way to top off an outfit for the holidays is to "put a hat on

November's Hat Attack was created by the gorgeous milliner, artist and blogger Carol Markel of Femme et Fleur HERE.  I have to admit that this piece of headwear is one of my all time favorites, although how could I possibly create a hierarchy within my hat collection when I have so much love for them all.  They facilitate the expression of different aspects of my personality. Perhaps I'm guilty of humanizing my hats. I adore Carol's love of color, texture and design and this hat is a statement piece that never fails to inspire me to live life to the

October's Hat Attack features ELY.B - Eleonara Bruno Hats HERE and Instagram HERE. I initially met Eleonora when she began following me on Instagram over a year ago.  When I knew that I would be in Florence, I contacted her and we arranged a meetup.  The time that we spent together was one of the highlights of my trip to Italy. Eleanora's headwear is magnificent. She is a feather specialist and wearing her headpieces makes me feel powerful and infused with magic.  This is what headwear can do for you if the milliner or hatmaker is talented, skilled and creative. Luca

September's Hat Attack is a natural straw wide brim with black straw trim by Marzi HERE., which I discovered at an estate sale about a year ago.  Marzi hats are made in Italy, which is perfect for September 1st, as I will be traveling to Venice on this very day.  Who knows what hat adventures lie ahead! As a hat journalist I will share the beauty! This large brimmed hat allows a very small window into the world, peering forth beneath its protective straw cover. There are times when I like the choice of a limited view.  Just another example

During my recent trip to Minneapolis I had the pleasure of meeting the talented milliner Celina Kane of Hat Make HERE.  I had great fun in her studio trying on hats and partaking in "Hat Chat."  I fell in love with this canary yellow parisisal percher with pearl, sequin and Swarovski hand embroidery.  Magically it played well with my vintage yellow silk dress embellished with white beads.  Celina named this hat "Limoncello." About me by Celina Kane Educated at the University of Minnesota – Twin Cities, I triple-majored in Art History, Political Science & French Studies. While studying in Paris

July's Hat Attack features a whimsical feather delicacy that captured my attention in England fourteen years ago while attending my friends' wedding.  The fuchsia and black feathers cascade from a black velvet headband, covering my face and hair like a veil. I wore this headpiece out dancing after I returned from England.  My hair was red at the time, and I received many compliments about my pink, black and red hair.  Now that my hair is silver, there is more definition between my hat and my natural hair. The only way to find out if this is true is to

Today's March Hat Attack is an ode to Heather Stoten Millinery HERE. Heather has lived in Boulder, Colorado, for several years now, and I discovered her before my daughter Camille's wedding. She created the hat for my mother-of-the bride ensemble, and I have loved going to her studio, playing with her hats and chatting with her about headwear. Heather loves turbans and she created this beauty for me last spring, made from Silk Organza and Silk Dupioni draped over a light foundation.  I particularly love how the difference in fabric, weight and transparency look when blended together. Heather and her family

January's Hat Attack is a collaboration with Irina Sardareva HERE, a talented Bulgarian milliner who I met on Instagram.  I love connecting with hat designers from across the world and discovering diversity of style and self-expression.  This has been an unexpected source of great pleasure. Thank you to all who participate in sharing your "headwear expressions." I can't tell you how much I appreciate your love of millinery and your generous offerings. Happy New Year to all, and may your 2017 be filled with many magnificent hats. "The red cap beret is inspired to transform a parade military cap to

November's Hat Attack features the mini beret Taxi! by Mademoiselle Slassi HERE.  My collaboration with Karima Slassi began this past July when she and her daughter visited Denver.  Karima is from Paris, but had lived in Colorado years ago.  We had been Facebook friends for several years, and I was very excited when she contacted me and we arranged a meetup for dinner. "The Taxi! line of hats is emblematic of Mademoiselle Slassi because the yellow color perfectly expresses the spirit of the brand: an ode to joy, elegance and originality. The mini beret Taxi! plays with the chic and the

Two weeks ago I had the privilege and honor of visiting Louise Green Millinery HERE during my trip to Los Angeles to attend the book signing for Ari Seth Cohen's Older And Wiser HERE.  The book signing took place at the Louise Green Millinery Studio, and was hosted by Louise and her husband Lawrence (I will be blogging about the event next week). I was embraced with open arms and felt very welcomed by their generosity and kindness. During the book signing I meticulously scanned the hats on display. I was stopped in my tracks by this lush sage green profile fedora with

September's Hat Attack celebrates my first formal collaboration with a milliner.  Months ago Cha Cha HERE contacted me by email, asking if I would be interested in working together.  In the past, nothing of this nature had peaked my interest, but when I visited her website I was very impressed and to my surprise, and without hesitation, I said "yes." During my most recent trip to New York I visited her studio, and it was then that I realized that my instincts had been right.  Cha Cha was warm, fun, interesting and engaging.  Her staff was welcoming and her workroom was

August's Hat Attack was discovered at the Cherry Creek Arts Festival at the beginning of July.  The milliner Diane Harty HERE from Frisco, Colorado is usually present as a vendor with her beautiful headwear made from fine sewn straw braid.  I attend the festival just to see her new creations. This year I was captivated with a black headpiece adorned with fuchsia feathers.  It reflects the color of the roses in my back garden! I love movement in my accessories!  Spontaneously throwing about a black silk scarf seemed like the only thing to do to accentuate the feathers.  This chapeau makes me

This one is for Daniel, who is in the midst of a lifesaving unplanned surgery today.  All my thoughts and best wishes are with him as I write this post.  It's the third anniversary of Hat Attack and every photo for this monthly series was taken by Daniel. I'm constantly grateful for our ongoing collaboration, and look forward to his speedy return. Daniel requests that the show must go on, so Mr. J, my trusty iPhone and my wrinkled white linen tunic traveled with me to the periphery of the Denver Botanic Gardens to honor him and our monthly ritual

June's Hat Attack was created by artist, milliner and blogger Carol Markel of Femme et Fleur HERE.  This colorful fedora accompanied me back to Denver after my most recent visit to NYC.  I've worn Carol's hats before on Style Crone, but this chapeau deserved it's very own feature on Hat Attack. The magnificent colors and shapes that adorn this hat were irresistible to me, and I happened to find a vintage neon pink jacket in my closet that could accessorize its strength.  This hat is the main event! Photos By Daniel Thank you to Deborah Boland for featuring Style Crone

The March Hat Attack was discovered at Papillion Vintage in Jerome, Arizona.  It's blue velvet fabric covers blocked buckram, and the bow in the back makes for a great exit. Blue is one of my favorite colors, and I decided to go monochromatic.  There's no such thing as an overdose of cobalt blue! Photos By Daniel Linking up with Patti’s Visible Monday HERE, Catherine’s #iwillwearwhatilike HERE, and Cherie’s Shoe and Tell HERE. Now it’s your turn to throw a little headwear love my way! Please display your hat, headwrap, headscarf, headpiece, fascinator, hair flower, headband or other adornment for your head