Hats on. Way on.

Ever heard the phrase, "You only have one head"? If you did, it was probably an admonishment for not wearing a helmet during a bike ride. And there's truth to that statement; yes, you do only have one head. But the good news is, there are plenty of hats.

Hats may be my favorite accessory. They can completely change the way your face looks, add instant allure, and dress up any outfit. Simple black dress? Put on a hat, and bam! You belong on a runway. I have a very large straw hat that I wear pretty much whenever the sun is out. Not only does it protect my fair complexion and hair color, but it turns heads whenever I wear it. It seems even to make other people happy, or maybe they just think it's silly. Either way, the big straw hat is a summer staple.

And in talking about hats, let's not forget fascinators. For the uninformed, a fascinator is essentially a very large barrette. Usually there's some height to fascinators, created with feathers or netting. Some are big enough that they really do resemble little hats, and one of the great things about fascinators is that they're great for gals on a budget. Millinery is a serious art, and as such, beautiful hats can cost some serious money. Which they should. And this is not to say that people who make fascinators are less artistic or talented than people who make hats, but as a general rule, fascinators are simpler to construct, and require less materials.

There are some truly wonderful hat stores, and indeed, an afternoon spent trying on hats is one I dream about often. One of my favorite shops is one which I rarely visit--only because my willpower is that weak when it comes to hats. I know that, should I cross the threshold of The Hat Shop at 120 Thompson Street in Manhattan, my credit card is as good as maxed. So it's the window for me.

Which is why Etsy is another one of my favorite places to shop for hats. Although I love Etsy and try to do as much of my shopping there as possible, I hate the search function. At this moment, 66,751 results are found when I search for "hat" in "handmade"; a search for "cocktail hat" in the same category yields 769 hits, and the first ones that show up are all headbands. But through many hours of searching and making wish lists, I have found a few stores that I love, among them Noxenlux Chapeaux, Rocking Retro, Bethany Lorelle and Topsy Turvy Design. (I know there must be many, many others...please share your favorites!)

So go. Get a hat. Be it functional or shocking, may it resemble a pancake or a Richard Serra sculpture, find yourself a hat!

been a bad, bad girl

I know, I know...what good are apologies for my constant disappearances when they seem to keep happening? So, this time I won't offer one, but I did want to pop back up and let you know that everything is okay over here. This blog is still on. Thanks for your comments of concern.

The reasons for the absence may be of little consolation, but they include major home renovations and a move, and a one-month sentence to grand jury duty which has caused innumerable frustrations and many long days. All the while, I'm trying to keep up with the job that pays me, after spending 8-9 hours in a Brooklyn courtroom listening to the horrible things people do to each other. Then there's my volunteer work, and my laptop seems to work only when it feels like it. I am, however, pleased to report that in true pinup-lover form, my man presented a gift to me yesterday of a trip to Mario Badescu for a facial, to help calm me down and do something for myself after the stress of the last month (or two?).

I'm running late, so I have to move on...but I hope to be back in full force soon.