With the Breeder’s Cup races right around the corner, we thought it would be fun to write a feature article on Breeders’ Cup Hats. In our last article, Churchill To Host Breeder’s Cup Again, we talked about the history of the Breeder’s Cup, some of our award winning hats, and even a bit about Kate Middleton. We also posted some photos of Fascinators and Saucers.

In today’s article, we’ve decided to feature Fascinators that would look fabulous at the elite Breeders’ Cup Race.

We’ll follow this up in a few weeks with an article that features hats from this years’s Breeders” Cup…but we don’t want to spoil the fun or steal the thunder from our customers that will be wearing them at the race. So you’ll have to come back to see those after the race.

In Gate #1, we have a Fascinator named Moulin Rouge. This elegant fascinator hat features flowers, veil and feathers.

In Gate #2 we have Lulu, a Fascinator with multiple design features and elegant simplicity.

In Gate #3, Sarah prances forth in glorious color and beautiful Fascinator design elements.

In Gate #4, we have Tessa. She’s a Fascinator with feminine qualities hat intrigue and draw you in with soft flowers.

In Gate #5 is Wisp of Dawn. Don’t be fooled by her name! This Fascinator has a focus of color that compliments a beautiful wispy nature.

In our final Gate #6, we feature Yeats. She’s a spectacular Fascinator, bringing elegance and whimsical fun together.

We’ve hope you’ve enjoyed our parade of Breeder’s Cup Hats and we hope to see you at Churchill Downs, where the 28th running of the Breeder’s Cup will take place on November 4th and 5th. You’ll see our latest Fascinators and Saucers, and of course, we hope to see you there too.

Once again, for the 8th time, in fact, Kentucky’s Churchill Downs will host the Breeders’ Cup. The 28th running of the Breeders’ Cup will take place at our state’s historic racetrack November 4 and 5th and we’re featuring Breeders’ Cup Hats.

Since the inaugural running at Hollywood Park 27 years ago, the Breeders’ Cup has established itself as the season-ending championship of thoroughbred racing. Through the years, the Breeders’ Cup has grown from a 7-race, $10 million day, to a 15- race, $26 million extravaganza, held over two days, and encompassing almost every division of the sport. The purses for the Championship races are funded by worldwide nomination from the industry’s thoroughbred breeders. In 2011, horses are able to earn automatic starting positions into Championships races through the Breeders’ Cup Challenge, a series of 68 stakes races held worldwide.

“I am thrilled that Kentucky’s iconic Churchill Downs, home of the legendary Kentucky Derby, has been selected to host the 2011 Breeders’ Cup World Championships,” Governor Steve Beshear.

What to wear to the Breeders’ Cup? While hats are not de rigueur as at Royal Ascot, or even traditional as at the Kentucky Derby, we design a number of hats every year for owners who anticipate a spot in the winners circle and for racing fans who simply enjoy cutting a smart figure in the stands. If you plan to attend the event there’s a very good reason to choose your head wear carefully; On Friday, November 4, Louisville newspaper,The Voice Tribune will be sponsoring “Fascinator and Fedora” a hat competition in which one fashionable fan will walk away with $5,000 for the best Fascinator and another will win $5,000 for the best Fedora. For more information follow this link: Fascinator and Fedora

Since the royal wedding we’ve seen a trend toward the saucer hat made popular by the Duchess of Cambridge Catherine Middleton. The smaller hats and fascinators work well with all types of ensembles — even pants suits. One of our most popular saucer hats was named for Zenyatta, the filly that has become practically the symbol of The Breeders Cup.

Below are some new additions to the line designed with this event in mind.

I wouldn’t presume to predict Kentucky weather in early November, however, historically, there have been some warm quite sunny days. As wise women protect themselves from too much uv damage, a wide brimmed hat may well be a good investment in the day. For this reason, Polly always adds a few new hats which provide full coverage, yet are designed with fall fashions and palettes in mind. We call them “Transitional Straws”. In fact, our line of transitional Straws are traditionally named after former Breeders Cup winners –evocative names like Ginger Punch, Dance Smartly to name a couple. To view and read more about these versatile and elegant designs follow this link to an earlier post entitled Breeders Cup Heads Up.

Whether you choose the chic fascinator or saucer hat and a shot at the prize money or go for the mystery of a more traditional wide brimmed design, we welcome you to Kentucky and promise you that the Breeders Cup will be a day unbridled excitement.

by Jan masters Yon

My little fascinator Lola was chosen by Hollins Alumni Magazine in the Enterprising Alumni section. It was such a treat to see Lola being worn by Hollins student Albana Moreyna. She really brings the headpiece to life.

A funny little story about Lola. I had designed it a year ago and just kept it around the office. I was off to an event and needed a headpiece to liven up my outfit and tired countenance. On popped Lola and the rest is history, as they say. The event was the Scott Humane Society’s Wags for Drags, featuring adoptable pets and the Imperial Court of Kentucky. Imagine my delight as I spent the evening getting compliments on Lola! A few days later it went on the website and has been the hit of the year. Had I not volunteered at the event, I wonder if Lola would have made it to the online store this year? One of those funny twists of fate.

Even though it is only early September, it feels like November in Central Kentucky. In order to get over the gloom of the past week, I mentally went back to summer. One of the highlights for me was designing a friend’s bridal headpiece and attending her wedding.

Jamie and Curtis met through work. My husband Keith worked with both of them. At one time, Curtis was in Keith’s band, aptly named “Stalking Curtis”. They are such a cute couple.

It was easy to design for Jamie because she knew exactly what she wanted. Her dress was simple, yet classic. It reminded me of vintage Hollywood. Jamie and Curtis were married at the Hunt Morgan House in Lexington, the same place where Keith and I were married. It was a warm summer afternoon, the day of the Belmont actually.

I love this photo of the couple leaving the wedding and taking their first steps into married life. I think a good caption would be “We did it!”. Hats off to Jamie and Curtis for the lovely wedding.

For those of us who spend any time outside in the garden, a simple garden hat is essential. The sun that we get everyday on short visits outside (a half hour here and there), is what really adds up over time in terms of skin damage. Also, keeping a hat on insures that the money spent on hair color does not go down the drain. In fact, hairstylists tell us to keep our heads covered while outside or at the beach in order not to end up with fried locks at the end of the summer.

I recently moved into an Victorian Queen Ann house complete with a wonderful perennial garden. We have 12 red rose bushes, a host of Coneflowers, Stargazer Lillies, Day lillies, Hydragena, to name a few. The upside is that it is truly gorgeous. The downside, the work spend weeding and keeping it looking immaculate. My trusty garden hat comes in very handy.

When I first started making hats back in 1993, I started with simple straw hats and glued on herbs such as lavender and rosemary. I would put them on the hat band. It was wearing one of those simple hats that elicited comments from my then boss at EMI Music, telling me that my hat was nice. Since this came from a man who wore $10,000 custom made suits, I took that as a huge compliment. From there, I started at FIT that fall and the rest is history.

Back to garden hats, don’t forget to put yours on. I encourage you to decorate one and just have a great time doing it. Purchase a simple inexpensive hat at a hobby store such as Michaels or Hobby Lobby. They should be on sale at this time of year. I did a few that were completely covered with moss.

It seems that the Royal Wedding has initiated interest in hats. I have been contacted by four people in the past month who want to become hat designers. There is more to being a milliner than meets the eye. It is a lot more than making and designing hats.

Hat design or millinery is a highly skilled profession requiring the right materials. I went to F.I.T. in New York and completed their millinery program. One obviously has to know how to sew and work with material. Purchasing hat blocks is key and not inexpensive. Many blocks are $250 and up. In the first ten years, I spent quite a bit of money on supplies and did not make a profit until just a few years ago. It takes a lot of start-up money, even if working from home.

What can be frustrating is seeing how cheap overseas imports can be made for practically nothing and sold for the same price as your designs. Many of the birdcage fascinators in the wedding stores cost the shops about $10 to buy and they sell them for $60 each. As a independent designer, I can not compete with that unless I decide to pay people pennies an hour, such as they do overseas, to make the items.

There is issue of designing as well. As a successful milliner, you have to design for your clients and what they like. It’s a very personalized business. A client who is paying a lot of money for a hat or fascinator expects and deserves a top level of workmanship and design.

While hat design is creative, running a business is not. There are many days where I do not pick up a hat or design at all. I am working on the website, running the financials, ordering supplies from all the vendors, answering emails, working on the blog, facebook, etc. I had heard many designers say this before I got into the business and now I see what they mean. It’s just part of doing business.

Staying ahead of the trends and constantly reinventing your line is key.

While I love what I do, I don’t know if I would advise a family member to go into it. The hard thing about couture millinery is just that there still isn’t that big of a call for it. Sure more people are buying hats, but they are mostly for special events. The market will never be what it was back before the 1950′s. Don’t get me wrong. I love what I do, but most hat designers do not make much money. The market is just not that big.

Handbags are a great field to get into. Most ladies always carry a handbag and own up to a dozen each. I know someone who makes them herself and they are just gorgeous. Also, clothing for children (high end). Items that people need everyday and can use at a good price point is key.

My favorite success story involves Sara Blakely. The inventor of Spanx took $5,000 and footless pantyhose and turned that into a multi-million international business. Sara Blakely took the concept of something that people need and ran with it. I was at Dillards a few weeks ago purchasing tights when I saw the Spanx video. The sales lady told me that she had sold 100 pairs that day alone! Utterly amazing.

I do love making hats and would always make them, even if I weren’t in business.

Last weekend, I went to the Jane Austen Festival in Louisville, This is my fourth visit and my second experience dressing up in Regency wear. My friends and I work all year to make outfits to wear. For fans of Regency fashion and just historical costume in general, this is always a visual feast.

This year, it was unbearably hot as it was last year as well (93 degrees and sweltering humidity to be exact). Several of us almost fainted. There are people who will try to convince you that the clothing of that time is actually cool as it “wicks away from the body”. Don’t know about that. I do know that Jane Austen and company were wearing the same clothing in England, where it was most likely 30 degrees cooler.

Each year the Jane Austen festival grows. This year was the best so far. The tea was upgraded and it was just fabulous. Bingley Teas were served, which include teas named after Jane Austen characters. I sampled “Marianne’s Wild Abandon”, which quickly sold out. The scones were especially nice. We visited a Regency Ball, which was fun. The dancing is great exercise.

I must admit that I am not fond of Regency bonnets in general, perhaps because I feel I look silly in them. However I did trim one this year, with help from my friend Natalie. She found some wonderful purple silk which was just the thing the bonnet needed. We had an enjoyable sewing night at the hat studio, working on our respective headpieces, going until past 10:00 p.m.

I wanted to do a turban for the ball, but was so hot in my outfit that I decided to wear modern clothes in the quest for being somewhat cooler. Next year, I would like to make a dress similar to the green one, pictured below. This dress was lovely.

Ladies have always worn hats to weddings, especially summer garden weddings when protecting oneself from the sun is an issue. However since the Royal Wedding back in April, wearing hats at weddings have become even more popular. What I am noticing is that many more ladies are embracing fascinators and saucer hats as wedding accessories.

A hat or fascinator is a great way to stand out at the event. I think more than ever I find clients wanting that personal touch in their accessories. Below are some of the hats that I have designed for my clients to wear at weddings.

Many times, a client will email us a photo of her dress. We can design the hat or fascinator to the dress, which results in a fabulous ensemble.

I am finding that more and more brides are requesting that their guests wear hats to their wedding. The most important thing is to love your hat or fascinator and feel comfortable wearing it.

For years, I’ve designed hats for Opening Day at Del Mar. On July 20th, hordes of ladies will descend upon Del Mar Racetrack for Opening Day festivities.

Del Mar Race Track’s tag line is “where the surf meets the turf”. For those of you who have never gone, I encourage you to visit this race track. It is considered one of the loveliest tracks in the United States.

Here are some clients at Del Mar over the years.

For a number of years, I designed hats for TVG’s Christina Olivares to wear at Del Mar Opening Day. Here are a few of the designs.

What would I wear if I was going to Del Mar Opening Day? Probably a hat like Heather, shown below.

I fell in love with saucer hats awhile back. It’s so much fun to watch ladies try them on and just be amazed at how easy they are to wear. It’s a nice alternative to a big hat. For those of us who are used to large hats, it’s a welcome change. Don’t get me wrong, there is nothing more flattering than a huge hat, but it’s always fun to switch things around.

The hats can be done in most any color, using simple trims. My most popular this year was Flutter By.

Here are a few more. Saucer hats can be worn on a headband or with a comb. Most of us agree that the headband is the easiest and most comfortable alternative.