A Hat Chat with Polly Singer
photos courtesy of Polly Singer
In eager anticipation of our third annual Hat Tea with Polly Singer, we caught up with the milliner herself to discuss her favorite topic – creating and styling beautiful hats!
Polly shared a few insights with us about the magic of millinery and how anyone can incorporate hats into their wardrobe, whether for special occasions or the everyday.
HH: Who likes to wear hats? Does it take a certain kind of personality?
Polly: All kinds of people! People who like to stand out and people who prefer to be under the radar. Think of all those actors wearing fedoras and sunglasses, trying to hide. Or at the other extreme, the ones who want to be seen.
When you’re wearing a hat, you get so many compliments. Hats are an icebreaker; it’s like an intro to talk about other things. Many friendships have been started by a hat.
Women who wear hats carry themselves a little differently. Like a movie star, so confident and sometimes a little mysterious too. Hats can really elevate the way you feel about yourself.
HH: Outside of events like the Kentucky Derby, what are some popular occasions to wear a hat?
And does one need an occasion?
Polly: Weddings, especially outdoor weddings. Holidays like Easter. And I don’t know if you need an occasion, but it’s nice to have a friend along when you’re dressing up so you’ll have company. I’m in a tea group and we wear hats when we get together every month. It’s fun because it gives us a place to dress up. We went to brunch at Holly Hill Inn recently and the other guests wanted to take pictures of us. It really elevates the everyday.
But I also see hats at places like the farmers market or weekend lunches, especially casual hats like a basic fedora which can be worn with jeans and a jacket.
And now with social media, folks like to post fun pictures that stand out. Because the hat is on top of your head, it draws the attention upward and can’t be missed!
HH: What hat styles are currently popular?
Polly: It’s interesting. I had really been seeing fascinators everywhere but then I was on a live show when we did an online poll. And more than two to one, the responses favored hats over fascinators. It’s so funny. You never know. If you’re petite and have short hair, fascinators give height. But classics like big hats never go out of style. Because who can keep up with trends? I don’t have the energy. I like to invest in nice things and get my mileage out of them.
HH: Are there hats that never go out of style?
Polly: Fedoras, like our design with the gold bridle bit. A classic wool cloche for winter. Wide-brimmed Audrey Hepburn styles. The basic sailor hat with round crown and straight brim. All these stand the test of time.
HH: You’ve brought up a couple of interesting points about sustainable fashion.
Polly: I did an Earth Day project with former Kentucky First Lady Jane Beshear where I refashioned a hat I’d made for her. If you have a good hat, it’s really easy to update it with new flowers or feathers.
So much of our newer fashion is flimsy and doesn’t wear well. I think people want something really nice that they can wear a lot. That’s kind of the European way; to buy a good outfit and then update it with accessories. People are tired of fast fashion.
We all just want simplicity at some level. To me it’s very freeing and takes the stress away.
HH: What would you say to someone who’s intimidated by the idea of wearing a hat?
Polly: I’d ask them what they like to wear; who their favorite designer is, how they’re most comfortable. If we’re communicating online, I might have them send me some pictures. I always try to gauge their comfort level. When I was working with Mrs. Beshear, we started out very conservative.
So I might begin with a simple, pared-down look that can be added to. Having done it so long, I’m pretty good at picking up on preferences. My biggest tip is to try on as many styles as you can. Because you don’t know. And you need people to help you place it on your head. When I was still in design school in NYC, I stopped in a Fifth Avenue shop to try on a hat. There was something about the way they positioned the hat on me that was just like adding spice to food.
HH: Your 2023 spring line is inspired by Queen Elizabeth II. You refer to her as the Rainbow Queen; are there particular colors from her wardrobe that you were especially drawn to?
Polly: I’ve always been a pink person but turquoise really stood out and now I can’t get it out of my head, especially paired with a strong bright pink. And the yellow, vivid blues and orange. But it was the turquoise, yellow, and orange that popped out the most.
We’ll have the entire line at the Hat Tea, along with our new fabric hat boxes; they’re denoted with a gold crown. The boxes are beautiful; they were made by a company in New Hampshire and we just got them in.
HH: Before we wrap up, tell us more about the Hat Tea at Fasig-Tipton.
Polly: It's really the only chance in April to see and try on the hats in my collection. We’ll have staff there who really know hats and what will look good on you. It’s a great opportunity to dress up and have fun with your friends.
You’ll be able to get away and escape the pressures of the world. You can relax and be a little silly. Indulge your inner Audrey, that person inside who wants to be glamorous and feel elegant. Be pampered with good food. Try on pretty things and laugh a lot.
We’ll have teas like Cherry Rose and Audrey that were featured in Tea Time magazine. You’ll get to taste teas that aren’t usually served everywhere.
It’s an all-Kentucky tea. You can’t get any more Kentucky than this. Bluegrass, Fasig-Tipton, Ouita Michel. It’s a tea party and a fashion show that features women creators, combining food art with hat art for an event that’s truly Kentucky-unique.
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Hat Tea at Fasig Tipton
Enjoy our springtime-in-the-Bluegrass twist on a classic English tea — a seasonal, four-course luncheon of soup, savories and sweets accompanied by a pot of freshly brewed Polly Singer Artisan Tea.
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