Born in the wrong era

Long ago, there was a sense of pride in attire and, regardless of income level, one could always find his or her “best” to dress the part for special occasions. This often meant gloves, a pressed suit or a clean-cut dress. This also included a woman having to wear a hat for formal events. Perhaps the ’40s are over but this doesn’t mean all fashion staples of the era have to end, too. Give me long gloves. Give me mink stoles. Give me feathered hats.

With so little time in a day to primp and fuss, it is often hard to take the extra step and adorn an up-do with a flashy bracelet. It is easy to forget grabbing that little beaded purse that compliments your jewelry. And hats? A vintage feathered hat is not to be thrown on as you walk out the door. Great attention must be spent on the perfect placement of the hat, the angle in which it sits on your head, the hair style appropriate for the chosen hat, and lastly, the entire ensemble that will hopefully, if done correctly, accessorize your hat, not the other way around. Wearing a vintage hat, especially one with feathers, is commitment. It is a discipline that sets fashion as a priority and shows everyone that you left no stylish rock unturned. You’ve discovered the last perfect touch to your outfit, and you’ve focused on the overall outcome and the goal to define perfection rather than simply looking acceptable. This level of commitment is true high fashion.

So just how do you get started with your new quest to ice the fashion cake?

Start by shopping at local vintage and antique stores. Frequent consignments shops that carry vintage attire and accessories. Look for estate sales, and browse through antique stores that carry clothing. Depending on where you are, you can pay as low as $5 for a cool vintage hat. In some higher end antique malls however, you might notice some pretty salty price tags. My recommendation is to start small. Swing by some antique stores in rural settings and take the time to look around. If they have antique hats, they usually try to keep them in the same area, although sometimes you’ll see a random antique hat on a hat stand or mannequin placed at one of the vendor’s spots.

When you find one — and you will — you’ll be excited about the purchase because chances are no one else you know has anything like it. Try it on right then and there. If there is fur in the hat, pull on it gently to see if it gives, it you can feel that it will tear easily, it is dry rotted and you don’t want it.

For feathered hats, examine how the feathers are attached. Unlike fur, the feathers are a bit easier to tend to because you can always glue one back on, or if you really like the hat but the feathers have seen better days, you can buy new feathers and attach them. This isn’t true for all feathered hats as some have very specific designs and once altered, they lose their intended look. But for some of them, you might be able to work your magic.

So jitterbug your way right into some vintage stores and start dressing up when the occasion calls for it. Remember, it is never too late to look like a lady.

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