Zara Phillips & Mike Tindall: Another 2011 Royal Wedding. . . English Beauty: Millinery & Landscape

Zara Phillips (1981) is the 29 year old second child and daughter of Princess Anne and her first husband Mark Phillips. Zara is Prince Williams' cousin and the oldest granddaughter of Queen Elizabeth II. Zara and her fiance, Gloucester Rugby player - Mike Tindall, announced their engagement last December. Tindall proposed to Zara at their home in Cheltenham.

I absolutely adore this town and the Cotswolds area at its perimeter. The Montpellier area of Cheltenham is quite Parisian, and the Cotswolds absolutely breathtaking and magical. I am compelled to digress a bit to share some visuals of this gorgeous area of England. I am so missing England right now. . .

As best as I can tell, there has not yet been a formal announcement of Zara and Mike's wedding date. Speculations in the media cite May, others July. I will be looking for more developments on this front, and we will eavesdrop when the time arrives! In the meantime, I thought it would be fun to sample some of Zara's millinery style. Lovely looks ahead. . .

Best wishes in the months ahead, Zara & other 2011 brides,

as you plan your nuptials.

Zara Phillips & Mike Tindall: Another 2011 Royal Wedding. . . English Beauty: Millinery & Landscape

The millinery arts are alive and well in Hollywood, CA as evidenced by the dizzying Hollywood Legacy fashion show that took place this past October in association with LA Fashion Week. From the classic elegant designs of veteran milliner, Louise Green, to the sassy playful looks of new designer (Project Runway - Season 8), Mondo Guerra; there was something for everyone!

Louise Green

Mondo Guerra

Enjoy some highlights of this amazing show. . .

Although this video is marked on YouTube as the Spring, 2011 show, it is the Fall, 2011 show.

The Millinery Guild

Hollywood, California, United States

The Millinery Guild of Southern California is a membership group of Professional Milliners organized to foster interest in Hats, Millinery and Hat Wearing through Lectures, Instructional Workshops and a variety of classes in all aspects of traditional and contemporary millinery. We will sponsor activities, sales, Fashion Shows and charity events.

It is inspiring to see what this guild of 14 millinery designers has been inspired to organize. This was the guild's 2nd runway show, and I hope to see more such events in Southern Cal, as well as other US locations. It is time for the fashion world to recognize the importance of millinery contributions, as well as time for us to again recognize the importance of and fun in framing our most important assets, the true seat of our unique selves. Why would we pay more attention to the style at our feet than the style about our faces and heads? The mind boggles.

Watch out for those mouse traps!

Best,

Wearable Art Exhibit . . .

Taking us back to an era when every detail was important. . . The Brooklyn Museum and Metropolitan Museum of Art have collaborated on an exhibit that features 85 designs of American and European designers, including accessories. The American High Style: Fashioning a National Collection exhibit opened on May 7th and will be available for viewing until August 1st at the Brooklyn Museum.

Polyvore has joined in on the fun, making photographs of the exhibited designs available for the creation of your own collections! Below are several favorites from this new exhibit.

I am hoping to get to New York this summer
and will definitely try to take in these classic designs.

If you are able to go yourself, please, share your adventure with us!

Wearable Art Exhibit . . .

Kentucky Derby Time . . .

Next weekend brings much fashion (and equine!) excitement to Louisville for the 136th Kentucky Derby. . .

The Kentucky Derby is a stakes race for three-year-old thoroughbred horses, staged yearly in Louisville, Kentucky on the first Saturday in May, capping the two-week-long Kentucky Derby Festival. The race currently covers one and one-quarter miles (2.012 km) at Churchill Downs; colts and geldings carry 126 pounds (57 kg), fillies 121 pounds (55 kg). The race, known as "The Most Exciting Two Minutes in Sports" for its approximate time length, is the first leg of the Triple Crown of Thoroughbred Racing in the United States. It typically draws around 155,000 fans.

A video shares some of the fun from a previous race. Breeziway has made designs for the predecessor of the Derby, England's Royal Ascot. We have also helped add to the flair and color of Derby Parties nationwide. . . It's all good fun!

Hoping you are enjoying this early Spring weekend!

Kentucky Derby Time . . .

Hat Watch . . . Cloche sightings. . . .

Credit: Demis Maryannakis/Sipa; Xposure; Bauer-Griffin

Updated: Tuesday Feb 09, 2010 | 06:00 AM EST By: Melissa Liebling-Goldberg

People Style Watch reports cloche hat sightings on Kelly Osbourne, Victoria Beckham and Elizabeth Banks. . . looking much like one of my Winter toppers. . . except my black felt cloche is stepped up with purple peacock feathers!

Hope you are all finding ways of keeping stylishly warm,

Hat Watch . . . Cloche sightings. . . .

LA Fashion Week Millinery Guild Fashion Show

The millinery arts are alive and well in Hollywood, CA as evidenced in part by the deliciously dizzy Hollywood Legacy Show associated with LA Fashion Week this past October. Enjoy the creations of the talented members of the Millinery Guild of Southern California; from the classic elegant looks of seasoned designer, Louise Green, to the playful looks of a new designer (Runway Season 8), Mondo Guerra. There is something for everyone! . . .

Louise Green

Mondo Guerra

The Millinery Guild

The purpose of The Millinery Guild of Southern California is to foster interest in Hats, Millinery and Hat Wearing through Lectures, Instructional Workshops and a variety of classes in all aspects of traditional and contemporary millinery. We will sponsor activities, sales and events that will enable our members to enhance their skills and share their expertise through public sales, exhibits and Fashion Shows.

Watch out for those mouse traps!

Best,

LA Fashion Week Millinery Guild Fashion Show

Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones - Part 1, Victoria and Albert Museum - London

Enjoy the photos of people who attended the opening of the Exhibition, "Hats: An Anthology" at the Victoria and Albert Museum in London. . . and the video interview with the creators of this historical exhibit, milliner - Stephen Jones and curator - Oriole Cullen.

Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones - The Private View from Victoria and Albert Museum on Vimeo.

"A hat makes clothing identifiable, dramatic - and, most importantly, Fashion. . . Its the cherry on the cake, the dot on the 'i', the exclamation mark, the fashion focus. Everyone from showgirls to dictators knows that by wearing a hat they will be the centre of attention." Stephen Jones

Enough said. . . I hope you enjoy the video!

Hats: An Anthology by Stephen Jones - Part 1, Victoria and Albert Museum - London

Hat Watch. . . Rhianna rehearsing for New Year's Eve

Credit: Splash News Online
Published: Sunday Dec 20, 2009 04:45 PM EST
http://www.people.com/people/gallery/0,,20331967,00.html

Rihanna is all smiles in the snow as she rehearses in New York's Rockefeller Center in preparation for a segment for New Year's Eve with Carson Daly.

Very nice. . . and what will you be wearing New Year's Eve?!

Hat Watch. . . Rhianna rehearsing for New Year's Eve

Mischa Barton in Ring-neck Pheasant

As a native Londoner (later, a naturalized American), it is no surprise that Mischa Barton would feel as free-as-a-bird wearing her jaunty chloe cap covered in feathers from the ring-neck pheasant. The photos of Mischa taken while playing with friends in Primrose Hill, London this past spring were provided by http://www.hollywoodrag.com/.

There are 35 species of pheasants, with each bird creating a complex array of feather colors and patterns (10+). They are gorgeous birds, and this past summer was spent in part learning more about the unique and broad array of feathers worn by various species of pheasant. We have processed many pelts of beautiful materials for future designs.

The ring-neck pheasant shown below is the species whose feathers were used to create the hat worn by Mischa and the stunningly-shaped chloe shown below.











I look forward to wearing my own pheasant feather hat this winter and hope you will each find a way of keeping toasty-warm in the months ahead.

Best,

Mischa Barton in Ring-neck Pheasant