Millinery: Lilliput

Felt hats after Labor Day, or at least after the first day of Autumn...not going to happen around here.

We got 9.94 inches of rain in 24 hours yesterday, and today it is going to be in the 90's. HOT and steamy, ugh.

I will make do with yet another brown themed straw hat.

This is a hat I got in Toronto Canada a few years back. Bernie had a conference and I could tag along with free air fare and only miss a day of work. He slogged through meetings, and I hit the miles of underground shopping.

My gadabout hat friend Beryl had told me if I ever got to Toronto to BE SURE to go to Lilliput.

(If you want to see Lilliput hats, especially the cocktail hats, without going to Toronto, click here. )

So...I was SURE to do exactly that. It required me figuring out how to catch a bus to get to the shop, but that was fun too.

Lilliput hats are found in most of the higher end Canadian department stores. The real treat is going to the Lilliput millinery shop, where the hats are being made on the premises, right before your very eyes.

The main designer was in the back area when I visited, and she was in a very snippy mood. Oh well, maybe she was having a rough day. She was adding fabulous flowers to a lovely straw wide brim.

In the middle of the store were two young women blocking hats with steam and doing wire and interior band.

The real excitement was seeing all the hat blocks. The entire store was just fascinating, loads of over the top hats, gorgeous trims, and I think (KNOW) I tried on every single hat.

I settled on this hat. I liked the wave that was scrunched into the straw, and the black flower made from torn organdy, and the hat band made from raveled sinamay.

All the trim weighted absolutely nothing, so it is perfect for wearing on any hot day.

The flat top gave the hat a slightly Edwardian flare, different than the style I usually wore at that time. It is a winner, and inspired me to craft crowns with waves and tucks, and working a bit bigger than I used too.

So remember, if you ever go to Toronto, BE SURE to go to Lilliput's!

Here's an added fun toy: A site that has interviews with milliners, from Philip Treacy (he who designs for both the Queen and Oprah) to my own millinery guru Kate Pernia Brown.