Eliza Style

When it comes to picking out a hat, the first step is to pick a silhouette that works well for your face shape, height, and the event you want to wear the hat. A hat for Ascot or the Kentucky Derby (or a black tie event) could be much larger than say a hat for Easter.

Simply Elegant

Hats are sculptural. Wearing the right shape can make or break you. It’s been my experience that younger people (say 40 and under) can wear the styles such as the Simply Elegant style on my site. People 40 and over usually pick the more traditional styles, with a twist such as the Anne B. or Miss Ascot. Other nice choices are Hyde Park or Cafe au Lait.

Cafe Au Lait

Anne B

Holly Go Lightly with a Rounded Crown

I have about 5 hat base styles that I work with. I have found these styles to work best.

Jane

Holly Go Lightly Style

As always, Jan and I are more than happy to help pick out a hat style and make suggestions. That’s a service that we provide to our clients. No one wants to look silly in their hat, now do they?

Can a hat help a horse? In this instance, yes. I am partnering with the Kentucky Equine Humane Center in an exciting new project where $30.00 from hat purchases will go to the Kentucky Equine Humane Center’s horses.

When I started researching the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, I got very excited. This group has placed over 500 horses in new homes in it’s first 3 years. Not only that, but they are an all breed rescue organization, which I loved. Located in Jessamine County, right down the road from my office, they take in all horses, not turning any Kentucky horse in need away. In addition, horse owners can surrender their horses directly to KYEHC at the tracks, eliminating horses from ending up in dire circumstances, such as being sold for slaughter. Unfortunately this does happen.

All horses are examined and vetted. Horses deemed adoptable are then put up for adoption. As many of you know, horse abandonment is at all time due to the economy. People can simply not afford to feed their horses or pay for vet care. To keep a horse is an expensive proposition, especially with hay and feed prices soaring. As an animal lover and volunteer for various humane societies, seeing this depresssed me. As only one person, I felt there was not much I could do, but I had to do something.

Prominent in Pink, Simply Demure and Azure were the hats selected for this project. I selected hats that were popular styles and wearable as well. I’m happy to report sales have begun and we’ve already started raising money for KYEHC.

To donate directly to the Kentucky Equine Humane Center, please visit their Donation Page.

Thinking about adopting a horse? Visit their Adoptions Page

Why not turn your Kentucky Derby Party into a fundraiser for homeless horses? If each person donates $10.00 at your party and you have 20 people, that’s an easy $200.00 that was raised in easy and fun manner.

I always wonder what people think of we milliners (aka hat designers). Many people I talk to think that it is tons of fun, getting to play with colors, feathers and flowers to create wearable works of art. Others think it is merely gluing a flower onto a ready made hat. In my case, it is the first one.

Since I am a custom milliner, it is always a gamble on which supplies to order and how much. I don’t want to be stuck with one color that I can’t use, so I usually order feathers and flowers in small quantities, re-ordering when I run out. Black, white, ivory and fuchsia are always big, so that is no brainer. I’m not really able to make up hats ahead of time because I simply don’t know what people will order and in what sizes.

On each hat, there are usually 6 or so items, each of which is ordered from a different place. So each material is ordered and then the pieces are all put together by me.

We get a lot of clients who will be attending the Kentucky Derby for the first time, so we end up answering lots of questions about what to really expect at the Derby. Having been, I can honestly tell my clients what to expect. Many of my clients are first time hat wearers and admittedly nervous about wearing hats. They don’t want to look foolish or inappropriate. I never sell or design inappropriate hats. I always try to steer my clients towards the right look.

Being a milliner and small business owner is a difficult balance at times. At times, the business end (accounting, marketing, website, etc.) does threaten to take over. However in any creative business, you must do the “business” end to be able to do the creative part.

Well, today is a certified snow day at my house. Lexington, Kentucky is in the midst of a huge blizzard. My husband’s court was cancelled, after his working all weekend. So we have a quiet day at home together. I have hats to drop off, but getting out is impossible today. I was so behind after having been out with a stomach virus last week that I went in and worked on Sunday.

Sometimes Mother Nature makes us take a break and rest up. It’s starting to get very busy already.

Night and day, you are the one
Only you beneath the moon or under the sun
Whether near to me, or far
Its no matter darling where you are
I think of you.
Cole Porter

How often do we hear “I just can’t make up my mind!” ? Often enough. Once, a customer who just couldn’t choose between two hats, exclaimed in frustration “I wish I had two heads.” This may have been the point at which Polly’s new line, Night & Day had its inception.

Night & Day hats are in effect, two hats in one. A Night & Day is a classic wide brimmed hat fashioned in the finest parisisal straw — hand blocked in one of our three most popular styles. The trim, which appears to be slightly more lavish than usual, is actually a little fascinator which is detachable and furnished with combs and clips so it can be worn separately as a cocktail hat or for occasions when something a little edgier or more fun is in order.

There are a total of 11 hats in the line. So have your cake and eat it too!

To see the entire line, enter “Night & Day” in the key word search field on our Shop on Line page.

These hats are exclusive to Polly Singer, LLC and any duplications of these designs are strictly prohibited.

Even though it is freezing outside and we have snow on the ground, spring is around the corner. I’ve been feverishly designing for spring.

I think the hot colors for spring are going to be purples, hot pinks, vibrant greens and orangey reds. Blues will be very strong too. Watching the Golden Globes a few weeks ago, we saw celebrities wearing lots of color such as purples, vibrant pinks, etc. Those not wearing color, wore shimmery ivories and champagnes.

Here are some ponderings on the different colors and their qualities:

Pink – cheerful and friendly, it conveys the spirit of the heart. It may call to mind happy, romantic memories. It is fresh and invigorating.

Blue – soothing, can bring harmony and balance. Can evoke memories is wonderful dreams, crystal skies or the ocean.

Green – symbolizes freshness and renewal. Signifies life, energy and hope (think plants blooming the ins spring).

Yellow – the color of sunshine, used to convey warmth and happiness. Inspires joy by suggesting the sunny sound of laughter. Simulates energy in others by reminding them of spring or the dawn of a new day.

Of course,neutral hat colors are always very popular. Black, ivory and white go with everything. When in doubt, purchase a neutral because you can get great mileage out. In addition, you can dress it up by changing the colors of your accessories (bag, shoes and hat).

I have been getting facials consistently since March 2008 at Vanities Spa in Lexington, KY. Being a hat designer and wearing hats, people are always looking my face. As a long time sufferer of cystic acne (I went to over 8 dermatologists in a 12 year period), I was always looking for the quick cure. What I’ve finally learned is that good skin starts with good skin care.

Before Christmas, I treated myself to a hot stone facial at Vanities. It can only be described as pure bliss. Nancy, the owner of Vanities, customizes each facial to fit the person and also, the time of year. A facial that I get in December would focus on exfoliation and hydrating dry skin. In July, the facial would be entirely different, dealing with heat and humidity.

The nice thing about getting a facial at Vanities is that it is a like being at your own private spa. Nancy only sees one person at a time, so there is no outside noise or other clients demanding attention.

During my last session, the sounds of classical music and crashing waves relaxed me. Nancy used hot stones on my forehead, cheeks and chin. She also uses the hot stones to massage the neck and shoulder area. Very relaxing indeed. I left there with glowing skin and in fact, had the same glow for 2-3 days afterwards.

Vanities has a new skin care line that is only sold through Vanities Spa. I have been using it for over a month with fantastic results. It’s a simple, gentle line. The ultra gentle cleansing gel really cleanses without drying. While all the products are great, my favorite from the line is the Activiating Liposome Complex with Nayad. The Eye Therapy Cream and Oil Free Hydrating Fluid have worked very well for my skin. At this point, I rarely wear foundation because I don’t really need to.

For more information, visit www.VanitiesSpa.com. They are located at 4750 Hartland Parkway in Lexington, KY. Their phone is 859-272-9118.

I hate change. Really, I do. Running a business, household, doing volunteer work, being a daughter, daughter-in-law, friend, parent, etc. leaves me with very little time to hunt for new make-ups and update my look.

A few weeks ago, I was stuck in the Atlanta Airport with 4 hours to kill. I happened by the Duty Free Shop and visited the MAC counter. I asked the sales consultant to pick out a lipstick for me. She picked MAC Slimshine in Missy. When she first put it on me, I hated it. I felt it looked too orange. However, I have been to make-up counters before and they have suggested other colors that I didn’t take. You see, I was in the dreaded “lipstick rut”.

Missy Sample

The consultant then mentioned that the MAC Lipcolor Missy was “more youthful” and indeed, it was. So, for $14.00 I was able to purchase a bit of youth. I have felt brighter and happier wearing the new color. The Slimshine is long wearing and moisturizing as well.

This is an inexpensive way to update your look without spending a lot of money. Having a make-up consultant help you is key. I have pale skin and red hair, so the make-up that works on me would not work on most people.

By: Polly Singer

Calfornia's Highway 1 Coastline

Even though I am in the hat business, it’s easy for me to keep wearing the same types of hats all over again. I feel there are certain hats that I can not wear, such as a cloche.

On a recent trip to visit my in-laws, I had access to my mother-in-law’s hat collection. She has totally different taste in hat styles. Every day I wore a hat from her collection and was surprised that I could wear cloches and even newsboy hats. You just never know what looks good until you try it.

Ann's Orange Newsboy

By: Polly Singer