aMuse's Haute Hats Show--Spring in Paris

Wow! It has been quite a while since I have posted on this blog. I have been incredibly busy making hats, hats, hats for my annual show. It has now been 2 weeks since the show and I am finally able to breathe just a bit. With that said, I want to share with you the experience. It is hard but very worthwhile work to plan and execute this type event.

This year's event was called aMuse's 2nd Annual Haute Hats Show--Spring in Paris. We held it in a beautiful venue in our historic district. The historic building has a stunning balcony and staircase which we used to our advantage in presenting the models with the hats from 4 milliners: Diane Shagott of http://www.hatstodifor.com, Andre Baxter of http://www.designsbyandre.com/ , Jenny Pfanenstiel of http://www.formeonlineshop.com/ and myself. Each of these milliners is a former student of mine. They do beautiful hats, each handcrafted with old-world craftmanship they've learned in class.

I'll post very little text throughout this post. I want you to enjoy the beauty of the hats and models. I'd love to get your opinions of the show. Please post your comments.

BTW, all photography is by a very talented and detail-oriented photographer Lisa Brown of http://www.bellarosephoto.com/. Her work is phenomenal and I think you will agree.

Designed by Lisa to represent a vintage Parisienne postcard...filled with images from the show.

Backstage before the show. Models are donning the hats, dresses, vintage jewelry, bags, and gloves before hitting the staircase.

My very good friend and astounding fashion stylist, 'Style Girl' Jess James, in one of my hats. Jess styled all the models in hats, dresses, jewelry and other accessories. Amazing eye for style! She publishes a weekly newsletter chocked full of fashion tips. Sign up for her newsletter at http://stylegirljessjames.com/.
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Milliner--Jan Wutkowski

Milliner--Jan Wutkowski

Pre-show and ready to go!

Milliner--Jenny Pfanenstiel

Milliner Diane Shagott (center) chats it up at lunch with local fashion blogger, donning one of Diane's beautiful hats.

Milliner--Jenny Pfanenstiel (L), milliner--Jan Wutkowski (R)

Milliner--Jenny Pfanenstiel

Milliner--Andre Baxter

Milliner--Jan Wutkowski

Milliner--Diane Shagott

Milliner--Jan Wutkowski

Milliner--Jan Wutkowski

Milliner--Andre Baxter

Finale bride! Isn't she gorgeous? Milliner--Jan Wutkowski

Milliner Diane Shagott (center) and the finale models in her hats. Beautiful ladies, beautiful work! Fabulous, Diane!!

Milliner Andre Baxter surrounded by gorgeous models in his finale hats. Fabulous work, Andre!

Final staircase shot with all the models in their finale hats and fascinators. This was a very vintage-inspired show and one I think the models had fun with. Very different from the show they are accustomed to working. Great work beautiful ladies!!

Final postcard montage from Lisa. Don't you love it??

Thanks for reading.

Summer Style Swap Sensation

The latest Style Swap was held last Thursday at upscale shopping area Lumina Station, out at Wrightsville Beach. This is not only a favorite local place to shop but also a tourist attraction as well. Lots of lovely shops, award-winning restaurants, and a beautiful courtyard where our event was centered.







Here's one of my favorite models and Style Ambassador, Nnenne, checking out the sinamay calla lily headband I made for her to wear for the evening. All the Style Ambassadors met me at Hewitt, an upscale home style shop, to get their headbands before heading out to the courtyard to help with the Style Swap.

That's Style Girl Jess James in the center, getting ready to begin the 'shopping' spree for attendees. Everyone had checked in the items they wanted to 'swap' and the fun was about to begin--special 'swap-tinis' from The Dirty Martini, mini-pedicures from Harbour Club Day Spa, great eats from Port Land Grille and Brasserie du Soliel, and mingling with fellow fashionistas.

Here's one of the special giveaways for the evening, designer Amanda de Leon's 'Gallery Dress'--designed just for the Lumina Station Style Swap!

And here's Amanda (left) and fellow Wilmington designer Alexa Castillo (right). Amanda has on one of her designs, a burgandy sheer short jumpsuit over black leotard. Very chic! Not sure Alexa has on one of her own designs but she looks gorgeous just the same.

Ah. A crowd shot in front of swell shop Beanie + Cecil and The Dirty Martini.

Two fashionistas awaiting a game of musical chairs to see who wins Amanda's dress. There were many fabulous giveaways from Lumina shops including--Paysage, Ziabird, Hewitt, Sole Searching, Harbour Club Day Spa, and others. Everything from complete outfits to jewelry to homewares to spa services were up for grabs. Some REALLY great prizes!

And here's Tuesday wearing the feather and jeweled headband she won from me. She not only was a Style Ambassador for the event but is an assistant to Amanda de Leon as well. A very lucky young lady.

Next Style Swap is September 10 in CHARLESTON, SOUTH CAROLINA. Love to see you there if you are in the neighborhood. Style on....

Charleston Style Swap--Full of Fashion Folks

Last Thursday I drove down to Charleston, SC, for one of the Style Swaps aMuse: artisanal finery helps sponsor with Jess James. Luckily, I had fashion designer Amanda de Leon riding with me, and we had 3+ hours to talk fashion, fashion, fashion. Charleston has become a hotbed of fashion and style in the last few years, and it is one of my favorite cities for great shopping, history, and food besides. Always thrilled to spend some time there and this was an even more exciting trip due to the anticipation of the first Style Swap there. We weren't disappointed!

Above is a wide view of the fashionistas 'tagging' the items they want to win. There is a frantic rustling of hangers to find the most coveted items of the evening. Of course, one can always tag the designer items that are donated too. More about that later.

Above are Rachel McPherson (Style Swap Develpment), Ayoka Lucas (Style Editor with Charleston Magazine and Creative Director of Charleston Fashion Week), and Jess James (Founder of Style Swap).

On the left is Archie Burkel, Founder and President of The Hat Ladies of Charleston. If you are unfamiliar with the organization, please check them out. They believe in two tenents: you must want to give back to your community, and you must do it in a fashionable hat! Can't beat that, can you? Archie is a lovely lady and I was so pleased she came to the first Charleston Style Swap. We met several years ago and it was so good to see her again. You can't miss her...she ALWAYS wears a hat.

For the most sought after items, those tagged many, many times, the most fair and fun way to choose a winner is through a round of musical chairs. As the music comes up there's a dance line 'round the chairs, everyone having a blast and as the music ends, yes, there's a dash for the winning seat! A hoot to watch...and participate in. The designer items are always hot items!

At right is fashion designer Mary Porter of Mary Porter House of Couture on King Street. She specializes in creating special occasion, bridal, suits, and dresses. She donated a fabulous black dress to the event. One that many wanted...and one took home.

Above is Amanda de Leon, wearing one of her designs, made of screen! It was to die for! On her head is a 1920's inspired metallic lace headband, one of mine.

Ahhh, and here is Amanda's donation for the evening. A slick (literally and figuratively) black swimsuit. Very high-waisted boy pants and a one-shouldered top. Stunning without being too revealing. Loved it! So did the winner!!!

Here's the lovely lady who won the item I donated, a natural sinamay free-form styled headband with yellow, green, orange, and purple coquilles, plus some matching beading.

I very much hope that we will be able to go back to Charleston soon! Besides, they are truly a hat-wearing town. After my heart!

Style Swap--Raleigh--Feather Headpieces

Last week I drove up to Raleigh, NC, to participate in the first Style Swap in that area. Jess James, Style Girl, puts these on and they are incredibly fun. Here in Wilmington they have become so popular it is hard to get in!

What is a 'style swap' you ask? Well, simply put, it is a fun night of swapping clothes and accessories with other fashionistas. You bring 3 items that are still stylish and wearable, and trade them for 3 items someone else dragged out of their closet. Held in upscale bars or lounges, with great music, photographers, and make-up artists mixing it all up with some great munchies and cheap drinks at the bar, all while you find great deals on the racks--anything from coveted designer labels to classy vintage pieces.

Check out Jess' Style Swap website to find out more. We will be in Charleston, SC, on May 14, so if you live in that area, please come by for some recessionista finds. I'm one of the sponsors of the Style Swaps and will be in Charleston to promote aMuse and the hats and headpieces I make.

This is a picture of Rachel McPherson, the Developmental guru behind the Style Swaps. Rachel is wearing one of my hats--a black satin cocktail hat with vintage rhinestone buttons and super vintage Russian veiling. You look beautiful, Rachel!

A pretty trio of Style Ambassadors wearing feather headpieces I've made for them to wear during the Swap. Kinda identifies them as being helpers at the Swap...there to help you find the perfect swap items to take home.

Three more beauties! From left to right they are wearing: a headband of peacock feathers, a free-form sinamay headband wrap embellished with coquilles and beading, and a fascinator of black sewn braid, purple feathers and lavendar Russian veiling.

Thanks for showing off my headpieces to their best advantage ladies!

Wilmington's Hat Wearing Events

It has been insanely busy the last couple of weeks as Wilmington was getting (and is getting) attired for the hat wearing events of the year for us. Those would be Azalea Festival Garden Party, Easter, and the Jr. League's Mint Julep Jubilee, a Kentucky Derby event including Best Hat Contest (!). I've been making and selling hats as fast as I can!

Above you see two local fashionistas (in my hats!) on their way to a Garden Party after-party. Yes, you heard me right. Wilmington can't get enough of wearing their hats (and partying!) on the big day, so after the big hoopla where everyone who's anyone attends, they break into many, many after-parties to keep the festivities going--yachts, bars, restaurants, private homes.

These particular fashionistas happen to be friends of mine-- designer Amanda deLeon (left) and 'Style Girl' Jess James (right). Jess is the local fashion guru, and is known as 'Style Girl' not only through her newspaper column in the Wilmington Star News, but through many other events she coordinates throughout the year like fashion shows and style swaps. She does some seriously great work in styling fashion shoots too. You can usually check out her latest in Focus on the Coast, another of our local publications. Amanda just had a fabulous introduction into Charleston (SC) Fashion Week as one of the 4 semi-finalists...no easy feat since the competition was fierce. But she was a roaring success! See this page http://www.charlestonfashionweek.com/designers.html for more info on Amanda and Charleston Fashion Week. Congratulations, Amanda!

The above picture is Crystal, one of the members of Wilmington's Junior League. She looked stunning in every hat she tried on! Seriously! My new hat model??

I hosted the League Girl's Night Out recently as they preened for their Mint Julep Jubilee held on May 2--Kentucky Derby Day!! It is going to be a beautiful display of great hats, pretty dresses (and ladies), seersuckered men, Southern buffet, oh, and a horse race to watch.

Try on those hats, girls! There's a style for everyone! I think they had a good time and I know most had never been to a milliner before. Well, we are few and far between. We talked about how to wear a hat properly, colors, embellishments, custom work and time lines for getting a custom hat made. Verrry important!!

I know there are many hat wearing events this Spring all over the country. If ever there is a time to wear a hat it would be to one of these events. But if you don't feel comfortable in hats as a rule you will feel much more comfortable with everyone else wearing one. Yes? But be prepared for some attention...especially from the men as they loooooove a woman in a hat. Don't believe me?? Try it and see!