British Millinery in Austin, Texas
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Dear Diary

It’s the diary of a Mad Duchess filled with random thoughts and ideas about pushing one’s creative boundaries.

Summer Hat Inspiration

July just zipped by! It was a busy month that included a short holiday to the coast for our now small family of three. My puppy Bennett did not like the beach even though he is a natural swimmer. He squirmed as each tiny wave rushed to the shores of his tiny paws. I hope I didn’t ruin him for seaside excursions for life.

Having a little fluffy creature to care for these past few months resulted in the inevitable lifestyle adjustments. I cannot cram the same amount of work into my day like I did a decade ago. I entered little Bennett into a daycare and signed up for some much needed training. Wonders of wonders…he has become well-mannered (puppy style, so not perfect), and he is pretty much potty trained (that’s me). Yahoo!

I didn’t get a picture of Bennett at the seashore, but this is pretty much what it looked like. He doesn’t look happy in the picture either, just like how he was on the beach.

One thing I learned this Summer: sleep deprivation does not equal creativity. It is a myth. Keep that in mind when you are considering burning that midnight oil. All my worst mistakes at the workbench were made at that time. (Also, never write an important email after midnight.)

The Texas heat has been my biggest inspiration this Summer. I started remembering old movies like “Giant” with Elizabeth Taylor, that was set in Texas. Did you know the movie was filmed in Marfa, Texas? (I plan to make that long six-ish hour drive to Marfa one cooler day.) How about driving in a convertible on unpaved roads in the 1950s? What’s a hat-loving girl to do? Maybe this would solve the problem…

Or maybe this…

The idea of a built-in scarf seems utterly practical. The scarf could be tied into a bow in the back and not used around the neck (unless of course you’re in a convertible).

The silk scarf is tied in the back and out of the way. The cloche hat is blocked using a fancy straw base. I love the horizontal weave.

This scarf is made from a picot cotton and silk voile.

Americana themed hats and accessories have been my inspiration since moving to Texas. The weather does play a large part as well. These scarf hats blends my straw blocking work with more textiles. I have a fairly large fine fabric collection that could also be put to very good use. What do you think? More Liz Taylor or Ann Margaret?