How to wear a vintage hat part 2 or... hat yourself like a style icon movie star.

I must confess I don't believe I have a head for hats - I think I look ok in floppy sunhats, wide brimmers of any material & berets and that's about it. Maybe that fact (and I shall spare you the photographic evidence of my claim) may help explain my affection and uncontrollable attraction to all sorts of vintage hats and the compulsion to collect & acquire them (and hopefully, consequently sell some to "hat head people" who have an in kind appreciation for the timelessness of the vintage hat).

In my buying forays I'm certain I'm subconsciously influenced by the costumed characters of the film stars in the movies I've seen again & again over the years and that have made certain styles of hats synonymous with a time period and evoke a certain look or mood.

Let me illustrate with 4 examples :)


If you're looking to generate an air of playful sexiness a cloche is most definitely the hat style for you, as worn so coquettishly by the fascinating 30s film star Louise Brooks. This hat style blends easily with the close sleek bob hairstyle of the day, deep red lips & and a pair of heavy lashed, smoky shaded eyes peeping coyly from underneath the brim.


(In this photo her look is as current today as it was almost a century ago)

Or if you're pining away to radiate an air of mystery,sultriness and intrigue the ever classic fedora style such as the one worn dipped over one eye by Ingrid Bergman in Casablanca may be the right choice for you. It comes with a money back guarantee to never ever go out of style...



(and quite possibly a tall dark stranger).
I don't know why but this hat off the hat page at Mystique Vintage instantly reminded me of Eliza Doolittle from My Fair Lady - as fleshed out in costume in this illustration of Julie Andrews here . Maybe it's the black velvet or floppy rakishness that make me think of the Cockney princess in waiting.




And last but certainly not least this feathered confection conjures up only one colorful movie character in my mind - in the person of Audrey Hepburn's Holly Golightly from Breakfast At Tiffany's. The feathers & whimsy of the design communicate an aura of high style and drama so succinctly embodied by Holly (and Audrey).



A unique, one of kind vintage hat, dress, bag etc. can assist in the construction of your own personal style - if you're inclined to do so. Even just a single piece can go a long way in such an effort.
And... as a side effect it may conjure up an instant fashion flashback in the eye of the beholder. In the case of any of the aforementioned examples that certainly can't be a bad thing.

These Boots Were Made For Walking.

Not something all boots were meant to do really.

But these were.

Recently acquired and much to my lament just a bit too big they join the regular inventory of Mystique Vintage shoe department and they would have been in my humble estimation the perfect pair of Fall boots (for this season anyway) . Velvety supple, neutral sand colored, superior quality leather (with a deerskin feel finish) and just a bit of old Western styling (but not over done) perfect with denim of course but easily blendable with dresses and skirts.

Made in the USA by the Frye Boot Co - a favorite of mine through the decades - ogle their newest, latest styles and merch here. They've been around forever (like all good things) and their boots to me anyway are instantly recognizable anywhere they're found. Frye manufactures the type of product that retains it's wearability, quality and value no matter where they're at (thrift shop, corner vintage haunt, or web boutique). Making anything from a bit of broken in wear to just plain almost beat perfectly OK to the prospective wearer, especially if he or she has a taste for preworn or vintage.

If you're a Men's size 7½D or about a Ladies' size 8½B these would be your gain and my loss.