Dissertation

As most people know, 4th year means dissertation. I am a 4th year and dissertation is become a nightmare.

My mentors decided that as I have a slight obsession with hats, that it would be best to focus on them. So two titles I'm juggling are:

Hats: The secret love affair?

Size does matter

Haven't decided which one is best but I'm pretty sure its an investigation into if hats could be reintroduced into every day wear. Course people wear hats as accessories. I wear berets most days during the winter but I'm talking big hats and fascinators from the past. I know its pretty unrealistic but I'm more interested in the history and the social status of hats.

I will look at the history from right at the start of headwear to a few decades ago. I think i will look at the Glasgow Hairies which will incorporate both the history and social status of hats. Of course I have to look at royalty as well as royal ascot. It wouldn't be a millinery dissertation if I didn't include those.

I really don't know why people stopped wearing hats. I see people wearing little fascinators in their hair if they are brave enough but I do sometimes wish I was born in the past where it was all about glamour and elegance.

Im going to take a chance with this and try and get case studies from professional milliners. I did a course with the amazing Jane Smith this summer and I'm hoping that if shes not too busy she won't mind me contacting her so I can bend her ear and do a case study on her.

Writing 15,000 words on something I love will not be hard. But for some reason I feel like I'm being over whelmed already.

And it begins...

So, I finally decided to join the world of the blog.
Not sure what I'm trying to achieve by doing so, but at least I can look back in years to come and think what on earth was I blabbering on about....

Yesterday, at work, I was told my manager had been invited to a bridal boutique that was having an exclusive opening. I knew months ago that this was a bridal shop and had been eyeing it up for months, trying to pluck up the courage to pop a letter under their door. This was finally my chance to speak to these people face to face.

The place did not disappoint. Dresses were absolutely gorgeous and I'm sure if I had the chance, I would snap up that dress that was in the window. Never seen such a simple, yet stunning dress in my life. The details in the lace and the slight train at the back is exactly what I've had in my mind for my ideal dress since I was 12. Alas, it will stay a dream for a good few years yet.

Understandably, the room was full of family members so it made it a tad uncomfortable but the owner (and mother?) came straight towards me and introduced themselves instantly. Amazingly lovely people. I, of course, had an ulterior motive for being there. Soon as I had mentioned hats, I knew I had to just sneak in my comment about me starting out in millinery.

That conversation went very well. Very well indeed seeing as I'm now surrounded by my entire material collection and putting together some bridal fascinators.

Although I've dabbled in millinery for the past 3 years, I've never really focused on experimenting with trimmings.

Stupidly I didn't buy the ebooks from how2hats.com when they had a half price sale on so paid £12 for a trimmings one. If any one's planning on buying their ebooks, I'd recommend waiting until the sales back on. I just felt that it was a tad too much for the few trimmings they show you even as detailed as they were. I did, after a good few hours of faffing around with sinamay, create what looks like a lily. They are so simple to make and do look stunning attached to the side of a headband. If I ever work out this blog site properly, I will attached photos of the shambles I create.