Whenever I travel, I usually end up with a hat from one of the countries or one of the ports of call that I visit. I have two well-loved chapeaus, which bring back amazing memories whenever I wear them.
The first hat came from a department store in Finland and I think it was called Stockmann's or something like that. (The Rick Steves' guidebook says the store is the Nordstrom's of Helsinki.) And, not only is the hat so amazing that one beautiful, younger chick in London told me that I had a wonderful hat, but whenever I see the the hat in my closet, it reminds me of a cold, but inspiring Baltic cruise.
The second hat (similar to the hat in the photo) came from a little shop in the corner of Piazza San Marco in Venice. Not only is this hat beautiful, but it reminds me of Venice, and Venice reminds me that I didn't want to go to Venice because it sounded kitschy and touristy to me...sort of like a Pirates of the Caribbean ride for grown ups. And, remembering that I didn't want to go to Venice but I acceded to my husband's insistence because he likes to add little pins to his map of the world and Venice needed to be ticked off his list...well, seeing that Venice hat reminds me that I need to try new things. I need to try new things that I don't think I'll like because Venice was the highlight of our trip. Venice turned out to be a truly romantic, deteriorating illusion of grandeur and decadence, the likes of which I've never seen. (And, I mean that in a good way.) But, it wasn't all Disney-ish illusion and facades, it was old world, solid and real...and crumbling...and sinking...and still standing when it had no right to be...if you know what I mean. So, my black and white hat reminds me of Venice and how I need to keep trying new things.
Well, back to the title of this post, because I seem to have wandered off track a bit. I buy most of my favorite toppers at LouiseGreen.com. Her charming hats are a bit spendy, but they're made as well as anything I've ever bought in Europe and they last forever, so you'll probably end up handing down your favorites to your granddaughters or grandnieces. Hats from Louise Green don't come with the same memories as hats purchased while you're on vacation, but hats from Louise Green are easier to buy and you don't have to worry about how you're going to get your purchase home without it getting smashed.
I also buy hats from other online stores like Village Hat Shop, Samuel's Hats, Macy's, Bloomingdale's and other places. There are other stores, but I look around to find the best prices, and I can't remember the names of all the shops. The only kind of hat I wouldn't buy would be one that's a non-refundable, final sale, because you can't tell what a hat is going to look like until you actually try it on.
And, if you haven't become a hat-addict yet, you might want to read more about the subject.
More Articles:
How to Wear a Hat - Women's Hat Etiquette at Restaurants & Parties
Different Types of Hats for Women - Fedora, Cloche, etc. & When to Wear
