New Carriage Driving Hats!

[RhineStone]

On another thread, someone asked if I was going to post photos of my new driving hats I bought the other day. So I decided to take photos of all of them! I took most of the photos from the front of the hats, except for the one labeled otherwise. I used to only wear my helmet, but some of our vehicles just didn't lend themselves to that look, so I broke my own rule and started wearing hats for certain classes. Now it is just too much fun!

This is a new one from Macy's. It has a fun angled brim that looks pretty cool. I will need to make sure that I have a little white in my turnout to go with the trim on it. I paid too much for it, but I was afraid it would be gone after Easter when hats go on sale. It was the only one like it. After Easter is the BEST time to get fancy hats cheaper! They are much cheaper than the hats from the carriage supply companies.

This photo is taken from the side of the hat. The puff is supposed to be in the back. I bought it from a consignment shop and it was labeled a Vintage KY Derby hat. It was made in KY. I think it is really cool and pretty versatile! I can't wait to use it!

I got this gray one on sale at Boston Store. (I didn't know they had these hats until the other day!) I don't know what I would wear with it yet, but my friend thought it matched my eyes really well. She got one the same shape only in beige, and it is really neat! I might have to borrow her's sometime. She wants to borrow my derby hat, too.

This is my favorite hat. It looks really cute (I hate that word

) on me! I got it at Macy's. I love it with my blue cart, and I wear it for Reinsmanship and when grooming for Kyle (son). There is a photo on our homepage of me in this hat.

This is my other favorite hat. It's from Macy's. I wear it for Turnout b/c it matches my blue cart pretty well. It is very hard to see around, though, so I like it for style, but not function. I added a clear bra strap to hold it on my head. The strap goes under my chin and behind my ears.

This was my first fancy hat from Macy's. It is pretty, but too white. Maybe with a gray horse or something. It might look good someday with our bay mare with four white stockings and a blaze, but she isn't ready to go yet. I added the gold trim trying to break up the white. It didn't work.

This is one of my first hats. I got it at Kohl's for $12. I put the trim around it to match my turnout and change it as needed. It is kinda like an old standby. It works great for crappy weather and for obstacles, b/c the brim isn't very wide, so it doesn't catch the air. It's pretty comfortable, too.

Same hat in cream. Pretty versatile, not much style.

This is my least favorite hat. Macy's. It is comfortable and warm, but I don't like the rounded top and the cream is too white. I did wear it this year to judge a sleigh rally with a cream winter scarf underneath over my ears. It worked good for that, b/c it is not "over the top" like some of the other felts.

OK, all done. Let's see your hats!

Myrna

 

[Minxiesmom]

OMG! OMG! OMG! My favorite thing...HATS!!!!!!!!!! Love yours! Very classy! They are all very nice, but I think I like the first black one and the gray one the best!

I am not quite as conservative as Myrna. Here are some of my latest creations:

I buck the system in the show ring and wear my hats. It is the only time I get to wear them! I try to have a new one for every show, but have a few favorites that I am not sure I can sell. Most of mine are a little too "much" for the driven dressage ring, although I think the beige one would be fine.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

What hats?

Not only do I not have the face or figure to pull off most of those, but our CDE's are very low-key around here and we don't have any pleasure shows. My eyesight is bad enough...I can't afford to be blinded by my hat!

Leia

 

[RhineStone]

Diane, you do a MUCH better job at trimming than I do. You are right, I tend to be pretty conservative. I have to buy most of my hats already trimmed! I LOVE the beige hat! Did you do the satin rosettes on the sides? Those are cool! I like the feathers, too. A friend of mine keeps pheasant feathers that he finds on the side of the road for any ladies that need hat trimmings.

Leia, you'd be surprised at finding a hat. I used to think the same way that my face looked terrible in hats, especially ball caps! I also used to think that my hat HAD to turn up at the brim. You just have to go find a store that carries a few and go have fun with it! The brim shouldn't be wider than your shoulders, so you would probably have to find a smaller hat. I can't pull one off that is too tall. Those look TERRIBLE on me!

Myrna

 

[Minxiesmom]

I did not do the satin rosettes, but I have been studying them and want to give it a try! I am lucky, I found a friend of a friend that is 20 miles away and she is a wholesale exotic feather dealer! I get to go into her shop and look at all the wonderful feathers she has. Of course, I can't get out of there for less than $50...and that is wholesale!

I like the unusual feathers.

 

[susanne]

Myrna and Diane,

Your hats are positively delicious!

I love hats, and have always loved scouring the vintage clothing stores, but sadly I have a big head and tons of hair, so few ever fit me...sniff, sniff...

I've always loved the story of when Princess Diana was being fitted for a new hat by a young milliner's assistant. Measuring Diana, the young girl blurted out "My, you have quite a large head," then turned crimson, horrified by her faux pax. "That's quite all right," replied the princess, "there's very little in it."

 

[MiniHGal]

Ohhh, hats are fun!!! And I LOVE that beige one, Diane!!!

Myrna, you're lucky that you can find hats...I generally have to get them custom made or get really lucky--my head is larger than large. And man, some of those are just gorgeous! I am quite partial to the one in your avatar--the black with blue.

Some of my hats (my three main beauties). I am too lazy to pull out the hats and photograph them...so all I have are show pictures.

The red one:

And a close up:

The green one (which I got just for this turnout--the marathon vehicle is dark green, so I couldn't wear my other hats--well, that's how I justified it!):

And feathers aren't really appropriate for marathon vehicles...but whatever.

And the blue one (I LOVE this hat!!).

The whole turnout:

Driver (and groom!) only:

Closeup--this was actually with the large pony for cones, not that you can tell:

I have a couple others, but these are my really fancy hats.

 

[hobbyhorse23]

Hmm, Breanna, I think I recognize that groom in the closeup!

Leia

 

[Minxiesmom]

The red one:

And a close up:

Breanna,

That is a beautiful turnout!!!

That red hat is DELISHOUS!!!

Good job!!!

 

[michele80906]

Love all your hats...fetching. My hat is going to be my helmet. I can buy some covers...lol. Michele, Colorado

 

[Sue_C.]

Michele, don't think you cannot dsress up a helmet...you can do better than "just" a cover.

If you have any second-hand shops around you, this can be done quite cheaply. I have done this several; times for the youth that drive my horses.

I buy old wide-brimmed felt hats, (doesn't matter how rough they look) and cut the brim off them at the bottom of the band. Then, depending upon the size of the helmet I want to put a brim on, I will cut the hole larger, but still too small to fit the helmet. After that is done, make five or six "slash" cuts around the circle, and push the brim down over the helmet until it sits where you want it. Then it is just a matter of putting some tule/material over the top of the helmet, and a wide enough ribbon around the headpiece to cover where the brim and helmet meet, stick a feather in your cap...and voila...a nice looking hat/helmet.

 

[ClickMini]

SueC, need pictures!!! Sounds interesting!!!

 

[Sue_C.]

Pictures....and therein lies the problem. all of my pictures were on the old 3/5 discs, and my desktop crashed. My laptop doesn't "do" floppys.

I will check some old CD's tomorrow, I might be able to find a picture or two.

 

[MiLo Minis]

I have to admit I am a hat JUNKIE!!! I LOVE hats and we happen to have had a store in town that sold vintage hats. I was a frequent visitor

I have over 2 dozen hats in pretty much every colour, unfortunately I also have a camera that isn't working at the moment (should be able to pick it up from repair today though) My favorite hat is one that I picked up when we were in Buffalo for the AMHR convention at a black lady's shop - they had hundreds of really wonderful hats for very reasonable prices.

MiniH I love that green one of yours and would have put a green outfit together to go with it. I wish I could wear the taller hats like that as I have seen several that I really liked but they look dorky on me.

This is my favorite hat shown at a breed show but I also use it for carriage driving. Funny thing was that I got a ton of compliments on my hat as I was just about the only woman wearing one at Nationals this past year. I don't feel dressed to drive without one on!

 

[Minxiesmom]

Lori,

I remember seeing you show, when I watched the Nationals on my computer. I thought then that I LOVED to see someone with a hat and pretty jacket showing at this level. It is so much more elegent and proper than wearing an evening gown, especially for us

more mature women. You even got a ribbon that matched your turnout!

It is funny that so many people complimented you, as they realize how beautiful that look is!!! Keep it up! We are trend setters! Many gals around here have started wearing hats to drive in shows.

 

[susanne]

I LOVED to see someone with a hat and pretty jacket showing at this level. It is so much more elegent and proper than wearing an evening gown, especially for us more mature women

Amen!!! Halleluia!!! I hear you, sister!!!

Of course, I was ripped to shreds when I voiced my opinion on people wearing prom dresses in breed shows a few years back...

 

[RhineStone]

Breanna, I LOVE the green hat, but like Lori said, it would look awful on me! Too tall for my face. I have the other problem with hat sizes, my hats are all too big. I have to stuff the liner to get them to fit. I wear a size Small Troxel helmet (no comments from the Peanut Gallery about the size of my head in relation to what's in it!

). Having the clear bra strap under my chin helps hold the hats on my head, too.

I have also seen dressed up helmets that look great! Check out this Jr. Driver's helmet: http://www.mischkapics.com/Equines/Driving...602573_P56td/12 If you scroll to the bottom, you can see a close up.

Lori, what a great turnout! I agree, it is WAY more elegant to dress as you did than have bare shoulders sticking out of an evening gown. Blech!

Susanne, all it is going to take is one person to smoke Nationals in a "traditional" outfit, and the evening gowns will go out the window. That's what's so nice about more "traditional" turnouts, you don't have to get wrapped up in "trendy" stuff and can look great in what looks great on you!

Myrna

 

[MiLo Minis]

I always envision what those bare arms and shoulders will look like if they get in a wreck

There is a reason for long sleeves being traditional. I think you can look pretty elegant without resorting to practically strapless and a hat certainly does add to the picture. I really wish more people would get back to wearing them but then it doesn't hurt to stand out some of the time.

Myrna, I found some self stick foam strip insulation at the hardware store. You just cut a couple strips the right length for your hat, peel the backing off and stick it to the inside of your hat. It is comfortable and holds your hat on nicely.

 

[Minxiesmom]

Myrna, I found some self stick foam strip insulation at the hardware store. You just cut a couple strips the right length for your hat, peel the backing off and stick it to the inside of your hat. It is comfortable and holds your hat on nicely.

Lori,

Great tip!!! I am off to the hardware store. Some of the people I sell hats to have smaller heads and I was at a loss to how to fix that.

 

[MiniHGal]

I never thought that a 'tall' hat would look good on me either, since my head is so big already...but this one works! I really enjoy wearing it, especially with that pony, since he is such a dark brown chestnut, it just goes so well.

And I am so jealous (well, sort of) that you have a tiny head, Myrna--at least your hats will fit, with some adjustment. Most hats just perch on top and there is nothing I can do about it. My red hat had to be made out of two hat felts....

Plus, you'd probably be able to pull off a hat-covered helmet better than I would. That is actually a very nice job on the helmet on the Jr Driver. Most of those modifications I am not fond of.

Lori--that's a great turnout--good job!