Get Your Vitamin D On: Anthropologie Daisy Patch Hat

If you spend any significant amount of time outside during the winter, the question of what hat to wear becomes significant and the weather forecasts are particularly important. Is there sunshine in the works? Then it's a matter of something you can wear easily with a pair of sunglasses. Wind? A lid that stays on firmly no matter what is tantamount; a floppy brim that could temporarily blind you just isn't a good idea. Even an earflap hat with ribbon ties isn't terribly practical on a blustery day - the ribbons, unless firmly looped in a tight bow, could whip against your face. Snow on its way? A hat with a firm brim is a fine idea. Lined? Even better. Bright and colorful? Double-check. The above hat, from Anthropologie, is my idea of a hat that's just cheery and practical all around, especially since flowers at this time of year in my part of the world are about as rare as prairie dogs in downtown Chicago. They're extremely uncommon. Now, I've this daydream that I'm wearing this hat on a ski slope somewhere in Colorado. While the snow's plentiful and it's cold, it's not the bone-chilling variety that you find near Lake Michigan. It's bearable. Anyhow, ski poles in hand, matching ski jacket with yellow piping, this hat escorts me down the bunny hill. It makes me look great, especially as toddlers sans ski poles whip past me easily and fast. Of course, I'm certain on this ski slope, it's not only how well you ski, but how good you look on the descent. So it's not only a competition of skill, but the hats. Which one is the silliest? The perkiest? The brightest? And of course, the stupidest. The Anthro Daisy Patch hat is in a category all its own. If you're going to get hat hair, and you will with this thing, you might as well do it wearing a mini-garden of daisies on your noggin. This hat is just cute. Nothing more, nothing less. There are no dumb flaps and pointy ends to make you the butt of someone's joke. It's just summer, an early taste.

Anyhow, I'd like to make this hat, even if it means taking a plainer than Jane knit cap from a department store and embroidering the daisies on with leftover yarns with other knitting projects. You could possibly even do it on a sewing machine with invisible thread, and stabilizer underneath. I'm not sure how much faster it would be than to do it all by hand, but you at least you do have another option. Now, is just me, but I don't understand why there isn't a black version of this hat? Why? Why?
P.S. I'm working hard on at least one hat...my Annie Modesitt Gone with the Wind hat. It's beautiful, but too big for my 22.5-inch head. I'll post pictures once I'm done. I'm at the wiring the brim stage.

More Hats to Love*

Quickly, with feeling. 52 Hats in as many weeks? Impressive. Check it out here on this blog. A pumpkin patch of hats for newborn babies (so it was last year. It's still a good idea!). From Anthropologie Addict, there's this sheer black hat with matching embellishments.
* The above hat was in the window yesterday at Dame Couture in Evanston. Guess how it was made? Leave your thoughts in the comments.

Anthropologie Look on a Walmart Budget**

It's too bad this blog (sorry I can't find URL now) isn't updated regularly, 'cause the topic of the Anthropologie look for less seems to be a popular one, if the crafty DIY sites are any indication. The A-word comes up a lot on Ravelry, a knitting social-networking site. Ditto Patternreview. What is it about this chain store that causes a grown woman's eyes to glaze over and say, "I totally can make that for less" and proceed robot-like outside the store without buying one thing, then nearly collide with oncoming cars as she forgets the stop light is turned RED and she should stop walking and dreaming of Clothes She Could Make Better than Anthropologie until she's safely on the other side of street? I'll admit I'm one of those females from time to time, which is why if I am going to get into the Anthropologie Altered State of Mind (no doubt caused by sniffing those super-expensive canned candles in the store), I might as well drink first, and see what creative ideas I could come up. In fact, certain alcoholic beverages might actually affect different parts of the brain, with varying results. Here's where my experiment might start sometime (all drinks will be on special, of course, since we're after the inexpensive Walmart way.). The beverage, followed by the brain effect:

Guinness: One will get you looking at all brown attire in the store. You will home in anything that looks like it could be worn in Ireland. Anything 100 percent wool will be especially alluring under the influence of this stout. Cables will be especially appealing. You will likely leave the store seeking out a local yarn shop so you can start a long sleeved sweater you will never finish.*

Pomegranate Mojito: The antioxidants in the pomegranate will get you thinking that you have forever and two days to recreate all dresses in stock. All. You will become certain that even 90 years old you will be able to whip up the bias-cut plaid dress in the image resting on your hard drive now. The mint sprigs will prompt you to sniff and touch all green items in the store. It's possible a store employee might call security when you start overdoing this particular action.

Skinny-Tini(TM): This Bethanny Frankel concoction may mislead you to think you can fit into all the small sizes leftover in the backroom or the non-stretch jeans on the rack closer to the display case. The jumpsuit, which should have plenty of wiggle room, might be the best thing right now...besides it's just what Frankel, a New Yorker, might wear for her new reality show. Do her one up and sew this baby. Find a vintage Butterick pattern on eBay. I dare you.

Miller Lite: Even at one, you're in no shape to even window shop at Anthropologie. You must down a classy drink to do the tipsy browse and tell at this store. Go on. Return to the Cubby Bear where you belong until you're ready for some serious I-phone photography in the fitting rooms. Or drive directly to Walmart. Scratch that. Hire a taxi driver and do the same.

Cabernet Sauvignon: Okay, you're teeth are stained now, that's okay. Don't smile. The grapes will force you to look at all the trendy ombre ruched skirts, dresses and cardigans. Naturally, you'll speculate about how you can recreate this all at home in your back yard in a plastic tub for twice the fun and the money. And the pictures for Facebook, of course!

Prosecco: Pricey, yes. The bubbles in this Italian specialty will compel you to look longingly at the hundred dollars plus leather mules and wedgies, all imported from Spain, and wonder how you can get the same for less. A lot less. Can't be done (Budget Fashionista disagrees). Save your pennies for the real.

Drinks aside, what Anthropologie goods have your DIY side working overtime? Link and tell.

* This is my favorite beverage, just so you know...
** Display windows are at the Anthropologie on Southport in Chicago.

How-To: Wear a Fashion Hat*

Ok, as you can see from the title, this isn't about how to wear a baseball cap to a game or even a practical knit cap to keep you warm on a winter's day. No, this post is about how to wear a fashion hat. So, what's a fashion hat? In my book, it's any hat that isn't purely functional like the ones I mentioned above. It has style, and it's often often unique. That's the best way for me to describe a fashion hat. You know it when you see it. If you're compelled to say to a friend, "Did you see that....?" or to tell your husband when you get home, "You'll never believe what I saw...," then you've likely been exposed to the fashion hat.

I'm going to address how to wear a fashion hat since I often get asked this question particularly when I'm giving a presentation on the topic. Honestly, there's almost no wrong way to wear a fashionable chapeau. Really. If you want to wear it backwards, with the label smack on your forehead, go ahead! When I was five years old, I insisted on wearing my cardigan with buttons in the back. So I did....and I started a trend that would only filter to the East and West Coasts decades later. Wear your hat in a way that makes you feel comfortable. If you've got a cocktail hat that you're certain looks right only if you tilt way back on your noggin, go right ahead. If you feel silly with the veiling over your face, flip it up if you're so inclined. The beauty of wearing stylish hats now is there are almost no rules because hats are rare as robins flying about mid-winter. There are no milliners around to tell you, "By the way, honey, you've got your hat on all wrong" because there are only, like, about 13 full-time hatmakers in my town (Chicago) and they're busy working, not policing clients.

While they are no rules, I think it's only polite that if you're at an opera and your hat is blocking someone's view, please take it off. Otherwise, keep it on. Ladies are allowed to do that. Anyhow, a hat inside can keep you warm if the air-conditioning is out-of-control cold and aid with acoustics (at least it does for me with two hearing aids).

The bottom-line: wear your hat with confidence. That's all, really. It takes gumption to put on a hat and to keep it on. Sometimes it's tempting to take it of as soon as you notice you're the center of attention with passer-by practically pointing you to their friends, whistles and whispers. I think the first five minutes are the worst when it comes to wearing a hat, whether it's a wide-brimmed beauty or a little doll hat. It gets better once you forget you have it on.

Just one aside: For your safety, I'd take your lid off as I've done walking home alone after dusk. You don't want male motorists slowing down asking if you want a ride. Being safe takes precedence over fashion, ok?

But if it's day-time and you're surrounded with people who appear reasonably nice and normal, just put the hat on and carry on. This is especially important if you're feeling down, the economy's on your mind, or you're just plain mad as can be about escalating gas prices. The hat will help you forget your troubles even for a little. You'll look like you've got everything under control even if you really don't! Appearance is everything when it comes to hats. Wonderful things happen when you wear one. Maybe you won't be handed a thousand Euros, but other surprising events could occur. A man might open the door for you, you might get a complimentary refill on your Diet Coke without even asking...all these little surprising gifts of kindness can all add up to a truly wonderful day. At day's end, you won't even remember hassles at the office, the traffic jam on the ride home or an over-drawn checking account, but you will remember all the laughter and the smiles that came your way and that will put a smile on your face once you go to bed...and hopefully dream of hats. Isn't that the way it should be?
* the hat here is from Anthropologie, and it striking resembles the 1930s-style hat from Romantic Hand Knits, which I've reserved at the local library. I should have this book in my hands after June 21 or so. I can hardly wait. Now that I look at my Anthropologie find closer, I see lots of pulled yarn...I'm thinking I might return this hat even though it looks cute from afar.

Favorite Stores for Inspiration*

With the Internet, it's easier than ever to browse online to find ready-to-wear that can inspire new sewing and knitting projects. I do that too, but there's something about the serendipitous discovery of seeing something in a window display at a local boutique or even a chain store that can spur creativity in a way that a web link doesn't. It's kind of like buying a vintage pattern at a local thrift store versus doing the same on eBay. I find I'm much more likely to use the Vogue, McCall or Simplicity pattern if it was this amazing discovery...for one thing, I'm more prone to remember that I even have it. When I buy lots of patterns online they jumble together like spoons, knives, forks and twisties in a kitchen drawer. But if the pattern's sufficiently unique with this way-cool story behind it, I'll recall it first before the dozens of others in my collection.

So when I see a dress, skirt or sweater at a store, I'm just more jazzed to recreate it on my own for far less money (isn't that nearly always the goal even if it's not achieved?) than when I see it on my MacBook. Enough of the observations, here are some favorite stores for inspiration:

1. Presence. This is actually quite a large store located here in Chicago's Andersonville neighborhood. It rivals, I think, Forever 21. It even has similar clothes - lightweight dresses, tops, jackets, and tons of sunglasses, hats, and jewelry. Since I don't live far from this store, I'm quite afraid that if I actually buy something here I will see on someone who lives nearby. As someone who thrives on being unique, I don't like this idea at all. But I do like being to browse in Presence to seek out inspiration. It's interesting, but I don't even see a web site for this shop, which makes it even more unique than the competition. I'm going through all the drawers in my brain, but I don't think I've ever bought anything here. But I still like to look, and then go to Hopleaf for a beer or Ann Sather's for a sweet roll. Nothing like celebrating all your newfound ideas with something to eat and drink in that order. I don't think I could shop for clothes on a full stomach. Better to work up an appetite clacking through all the hangers, picking up dresses and tops that manage to fall to the floor. Final observation: You could probably skip this store and still dress quite nicely.

2. Active Endeavors. This store actually closed its Evanston outpost recently, much to my dismay. Great stuff: Anna Sui, Tibi, Tory Burch, and many, many others. Apparently they're going to focus on their online business, which is fantastic for Europeans looking for a good deal, but bad for locals like me who enjoy the whole business of browsing, clucking at the high prices, and then scooting out the door empty-handed but determined to recreate these pants on her own at some point in time. Final Observation: I miss the actual store badly.

3. American Apparel. I've never ever in my short life have bought anything here, but I can build on sewing confidence just walking past this place. "Oh, I can't believe the price of (that top/piece of fabric/too tiny brief/scarf/hoodie). I could make it so better for a lot less." Yeah, right. I'm still working on recreating the neon green skirt tube that I saw on a American Apparel mannequin in December. Final observation: Is it my imagination but do the fabrics used seem fragile, like they might not last more than one season?

4. Francesca's Collections. This chain is probably along the same lines of Presence, but with a lot more picture frames, hand cremes, and palm-sized how-to books than the latter. But I still like the eye candy. Somehow, when I see something I might like to try on inside, the smaller sizes are gone. Oh, well. Less temptation to add to my wardrobe that way. Final observation: There's a definitive emphasis on tops and dresses that show cleavage.

5. Nordstrom's. This is probably my hands-down favorite place to come up with new ideas. The sheer selection of clothes is other-worldly and so much of seems to have cute details and fabric that the lower-priced shops don't. For example, there are the CC California, Three Dots (Textile Studios actually carries Three Dots fabrics), Seven jeans (which I don't think I'll fit into anytime soon, but I still like to look). Final observation: a trip to this magnificent store is not complete without at least looking at the shoes. All of 'em, even if it's a quick, once-over before you head to Starbucks.

6. Anthropologie. I'll admit I'm often on this company's web site, ogling the store's latest and dantiest creations. I like the zoom feature, so I can examine every little corner, stitch, and misplaced thread. As much as the on-line store is well-organized with any easy interface, it's so much better to see all the products in the store. You see stuff you wouldn't see otherwise, and all the soaps, the vintage memorabilia, the wallpaper, everything that makes this chain so widely and the topic of discussion on Craftster, Ravelry and Patternreview. Everyone wants to recreate the Anthropologie for less greenbacks, better fabric and stitching. It seems to be the clarion call of how much you look making clothes if you strive to make at least Anthropologie-inspired outfit in your life. I haven't specifically done that yet, but I wouldn't put that pass my circa. 2009 self. Final Observation: Even if you don't ever make something with an Anthropologie 'look,' that doesn't make you any less creative.
* I'd review Urban Outfitters, but I feel lazy. If you can make it past the really loud music and the tables of books suitable for college students only, then this store can be a great source of ideas. Also, the top you see above? Another Santa Monica Tee shirt made from a knit from Vogue Fabrics while I was living in Des Moines, Iowa.