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Choice of Hat 01/02/2025

 

With the Christmas decor no longer around January could have proved a little dull. But in no time at all, deep snow carpeted the landscape so wonderfully white which brought a new kind of light. The big freeze that followed lent a shiny luxurious lustre to each and every surface. Those icy days brought memories of my hat design called “Winter” which was showcased at the Gok Wan fashion show and exhibited at London Hat Week.

When the snow finally disappeared, mid-January brought clear blue skies and plenty of sunshine – in more ways than one.

The build up to the Annual Growth Community Awards on Thursday the 16th of January was indeed an exciting one. I had been selected as a finalist, a proud moment whatever the outcome. My choice of headwear for the day was a felt beret design which I hoped would bring a little bit of extra luck. I was delighted to win the Most Transformed Award in front of just short of 100 people, with 70% of the Growth Community able to attend.

Back in the workshop it was time to think in terms of hats and headpieces for Spring and Summer weddings 2025. A switch from felt hats to flowers, from flowers to fascinators. Time to push a few more boundaries… create new headwear…. all beret nice!

 

My Millinery Journey 02/01/2025

 

As 2024 came to an end it was good to reflect on my Millinery journey over recent months. Interestingly during the wedding season came an increase in a return of requests for the traditional hat with a crown and brim for the Bride and Bridegroom’s mother. A chance to pull out those hatting skills from my earlier years, a trip down memory lane. It was also a time for feminine flowery fascinators rather than the feathery fascinators seen in previous collections. Exaggerated asymmetrical designs enhancing the flirty flower forms added an attractive twist… very much my thing!

Growing my network of contacts has also provided both professional and personal growth that I am proud of. Well-being workshops with organisations who encourage creativity for recovery, respite or just simply to enjoy have been key. I have also delivered a very structured approach transferring skills when timing is tight for budding Milliners. Working with Wentworth Woodhouse, Creative Recovery, East Peak Countryside Associates and many more.

The Autumn saw me being selected for three awards, the Creative Bee award for small businesses, the Growth Community member of the year award along with the most transformed member award. I was thrilled to win in the final at the Creative Bee Christmas Awards at Barnsley on the 13th of December and I have now a small wait for the announcement of the winners of the other Growth Community Awards at Holiday Inn, Doncaster in mid-January. Perhaps time to select my own headpiece?

 

From fun fascinators to Santa’s hat 01/12/2024

 

The festive season brings a colourful mix, a time for giving with the hope of extra joy and laughter at just the right moment.

Spending lots of hours creating bespoke headwear is all part of the service, but it’s also a great gift to deliver a creative workshop when decisions are made quickly with no time to wait. There is nothing quite like spontaneous creativity to give such a good feel factor. Well-being classes for the well-being!

Festive fun fascinators bring smiles all round and of course can be brought back out each year, returning customers having the advantage of many different hats to wear.

Planning a wedding hat though can be a serious business, with attention towards the style that suits the special occasion. Most clients arrive with their outfit or a photo of their outfit and may also have their accessories on hand too. Sometimes a Bride or Bridegroom’s mother waits to choose the hat colour before purchasing her shoes and handbag. Each item tells its own story, my customer’s focus is often on the hat.

As we edge towards the end of the year it’s time to think of which hat to wear for 2025 weddings, races and other special events. If you would like me to design and make an individually designed hat it would be lovely to hear from you. Bookings for an appointment for a couture hat or headpiece are now being taken for mid-January onwards.

 

Which Hat to Wear 2/11/2024

 

Which hat to wear? Felts, fascinators or a fondness of the vintage styles? With many leaves already shed, it seems only natural to adapt to those late Autumnal tones, or even to hijack the bold Christmas colours a little earlier. The discovery of the shade that suits your skin tone along with your other colourings can help make the choice of colours to be chosen. I must confess to enjoying plenty of colour but feel it’s the shade of the colour that really counts. The options for winter headwear for a special occasion are endless. There is nothing quite like the smart traditional felt hat for a church wedding with its beautiful soft texture creating a wonderfully warm feel, such a distinctive look. Nowadays, many people opt for a headpiece or fascinator, particularly if the venue is inside or in a hot climate. My aim is to work around each individual, consider their outfit to be worn along with all its colours and most importantly their personality. Hat wearing is very personal, each shape of headwear has its own story. Fabric choice telling the tale to be told, along with the trim. I’m finishing on a personal note. I am a great lover of the Pill box and the Percher hat, especially when they are a little quirky. The vintage vibes never really leave me.

 

Picking the Picture Hat 25/09/2024

 

Hat lovers often enjoy the wide brimmed hats, most favouring the elaborate trim, whilst others like to see a beautiful shape with a minimal trim. A Picture Hat is a great way to frame the face and add that little extra romance, a sure way to catch the photographer’s eye.

Hats with brims can be scaled up or down by the hat maker. It’s always important to work with each client, designing to their individual needs. When I’m hatting I work around the outfit to be worn, the occasion at which it’s to be worn and most important of all the personality of the client. Over the years there have been many different ideas about the rules of wearing headwear regarding a person’s height and size. As a Milliner, I’ve always enjoyed listening and learning right from my very first Millinery experiences. However, whilst expert advice is always good, there is nothing quite like trying headwear on with an open mind, whether it be a hat with a brim, a cocktail hat or fascinator. From the large hats to the perched pill box, posing in the mirror usually tells us a story and it’s good to read our body language. When something suits us, we usually like it!

So whether it’s a hat for the mother of the bride or mother of the bride groom, a headpiece for the bride or a quirky fascinator, hats are good to give the wearer confidence….. and a confident customer can wear the hat so well….

 

Hats for weddings 20/08/2024

 

The chosen headwear for September and October weddings for the bride‘s mother and the bridegroom’s mother at hats by Sherry has been largely the traditional hat with a brim. The saucer hat shape has also been requested, but there have not been the usual fascinator requests. It’s lovely to get these variations designing for each season, a constant reminder that nothing really stays the same. It’s always interesting to fall in with fashion.

The impact the shape of the hat makes would be up for discussion between the client and hat maker. Millinery fabrics used when designing can make the same style look so different. Stiffer fabric trims often bring a sharper image whilst softer fabrics generally create a more delicate look. Adding a bold colour can create the drama, whilst a pastel colour gives a more subtle effect.

The good news being by having so many options the bespoke hat service is born. When items are handmade it allows the designer to put their own stamp on each creation, often called “Model Millinery”.

I love three-dimensional design, so it’s exciting to be planning some samples for my next workshop at Wentworth Woodhouse on Friday the 18th of October. This event is part of the Big House Heroes campaign. The corsage will have a country vibe, but with a chance for attendees to add their own personal touch.

After enjoying such a hot spell, we have seen a change in the third week in August with both day and evening temperatures. Time to make the most of the rest of Summer, along with a little prep before Autumn calls!

 

A Bespoke Hat Service 17/07/2024

 

As a Milliner it’s great to be part of the customer’s journey in finding the right headwear for their special day. Whether it’s an individually designed hat, headpiece or fascinator it’s great to get the creative juices going when the choice has been made.

Choosing your headwear is down to many things, the outfit you are going to wear, the shape of hat that suits you and of course not forgetting your personality! This great combo gives us your own unique headpiece and why a Bride, a Bride’s mother and mother of the Groom opt for this service. Of course, I meet people who have many different reasons for choosing a headwear designer, but weddings and races are the largest call here at Hats By Sherry.

I’ve been doing a lot of reminiscing lately, thinking of days when the telephone was the way a customer got in touch. This still happens but initially my customers usually message by email or through Insta, Facebook and LinkedIn. I’m wondering if the fast pace of life means we message when we can, both in terms of sending and receiving. The message to request an appointment with the date the hat is required and a description or photo of what the customer is wearing provide me with a chance to do a little homework and get back in touch.

Colour plays an important part of why people pick a Bespoke Hat service. The appointment is an exciting time for both customer and hat maker, a chance to think about different styles of headwear for that special day. Each Bride and Bridal party are unique, with their own individual requirements.

Here in Yorkshire, we have both the York and Doncaster races with Ebor and St Leger just around the corner. A perfect way to see such an amazing array of stylish hats and fascinators being worn. There is also chance to visit Wentworth Woodhouse in South Yorkshire to see their largest exhibition to date “Beneath the surface: George Stubbs and Contemporary Artists”.

Sherry Exhibiting two hats at Wenworth Woodhouse in Major ‘Contemporary Artists’ Exhibition

This exhibition starts on Monday the 29th of July. I am delighted to announce that I will have two of my couture hat designs on display there, another proud Millinery moment. With the wedding and race season in full swing, it’s great to have another feather in my cap!

 

From Foiled Fancies to April Showers 23/04/2024

 

With the welcome of longer days, it’s good to see that Spring is well and truly here. I took the decision to ignore the April showers in hope that they would eventually go away, but alas it was not to be. We’ve had shoots from roots springing up all over, with everything well and truly watered it’s been a super-fast time to grow. The blooms so bold in their beauty, making their own tribal call. Every poised petal has the potential to make us smile, but it’s the colourful collective clusters that really create the waves.

With a focus very much on the formation of flora I’m working with a lovely lady called Carole Foster at Wentworth Woodhouse for our Flower Fascinator Workshop on Saturday the 8th of June. I’m proud to be part of the Big House Heroes initiative.

My workshops have taken me to Wellbeing Centres and Community groups with such rewarding results. The increase in my Bespoke orders have meant that I have had to extend my waiting time for Headwear designing and making from 6 to 10 weeks’ notice. The fashionable flower print on many a dress as almost lead me astray. This is the time to check the notes and follow the Brief before adding my own bit of stamp to create a signature style.

Talking of labels, I recently shared an old story about me as an infant who was sent to the “juniors” to receive a prize. I was rather frightened as the judges were there in a big hall ready to greet me with the prize for the Best Easter bonnet. I had forgotten all about this bit of glory until recently talking of childhood memories, Easter eggs and Foiled fancies. You may be visualising a yellow hat with a few chicks and flowers for my bonnet, but what I constructed was a magic roundabout from the regular TV program at that time with the likes of Florence, Zebedee and co. riding round on the roundabout attached by strings. Making something Tailormade for a child of that time did bring on a smile, whilst a dear friend nudged me and said, “Sherry you are on the path you were always destined to be”.

 

‘Unlocking the Door’

 

The arrival of January comes with much talk about plans, actions and skills, embraced by many and questioned by few. As we wave goodbye to the first month of the year here in South Yorkshire, there’s been no thick carpet of snow, but we’ve had quite a few chilly coatings along with the winds and rain! Ticking down the lists as February knocks, I’ve grabbed a moment to make sure that I’m on the right track.

Most of us get a real buzz out of learning something new. On my Insta profile I mention being a tracker of traditional skills as well as a collector of new ones. We are usually driven by the motivation of better career prospects but sometimes it’s great to have experience of learning something simply just to enjoy the new experience as then it comes without all the pressure. I have done a wide variation of courses myself over the years, the creative courses have given me the biggest buzz! From the more formal, longer courses run by institutions to short intense workshops run by companies offering Tailor-made sessions. Fashion, Millinery, Art and design, Handbag making, Belt making, Shoe making I’ve been there! All have helped me in my progression as designer, but a few were chosen just for my own personal development. It is still amazing to me that I’ve now found creativity in the digital world, something totally unavailable to my younger self.

My two-day course in March (two consecutive Saturdays, 9th and 16th) allows the freedom to explore and create, you can be as wild or as tame as you want. Experience in sewing or crafts is an advantage, but I’ve had great results from complete beginners. All materials are provided, so there is no pressure of shopping before you arrive. All is good from a practical point of view as you take away your own finished Sinamay headpiece.

Diary dates give us something to look forward to, plans keep us moving forward and education in whatever skill form provides another key to unlock that door. I’m into taking photos of new doors, so watch this space!

For course details:   https://hatsbysherry.co.uk/sinamay-courses/

 

‘A Bit of Wishful Thinking’

 

If your fairy godmother was in front of you right now, what would you wish for?

A recent post of a Facebook friend brought a tear to my eye when she said, “what I wouldn’t give to have an hour with my mum again” … For me this really puts the wish list into perspective. The things to love, the things to cherish and the things to strive for.

In a world where there is so much pressure for perfection with absolutely everything … it’s assumed that everything will be different upon its arrival… but would it really?

I have a habit of always hoping for sunshine but sometimes getting the rain. It’s easy to welcome a downpour with open arms in a period of drought, but not when the river is already too high. It is always wise to keep things in perspective.

So, it’s great to embrace the good stuff and make sure we live in the moment as much as we can. I must say how delighted I was to get the good news to be a finalist in the Growth Community Annual Awards. I joined the Barnsley group over a year ago, I feel very humble to be nominated for the most transformed member of the Growth Community and now reaching the final. Thank you to all the members who put me forward. I have had such amazing support throughout this journey.

With December already upon us, I had a unique moment in a special place with time to think about what really makes a great gift. The staircase I was fortunate to find myself sitting at the bottom of provided a wonderful photo with me looking rather at home. I must confess though that the staircase in the picture doesn’t belong to me and the carefully wrapped luxurious boxes are probably empty. In reality, I was at Wentworth Woodhouse with my grand-dog Betty after a tasty bite in the dog cafe, followed by a lengthy walk enjoying the views. Experiences being well up there in my eyes when wanting the wand to waft.

As we are now in the festive season and the pace gets just a little faster, its best wishes all round!

 

‘A Hat For All Seasons’

 

The exhibition that I have been very much part of “ A Hat for all seasons “ at Bankfield Museum at Halifax finally finished at the end of September after 7 months of showing. Jane Austin’s exhibition “Three Miles from home “ being ready and waiting to take it’s place.
There was a chance that I could have felt really sad, but having been invited to the preview evening on Friday night by Jane, it was a lovely opportunity to see the new show and collect my hats for their safe return back to my own tribe here in South Yorkshire.

The outing became a triple bonus as we made a stopover at Sowerby Bridge, the place where my father originally came from and also lived until his early teenage years . Tales now long passed making a comeback accompanied by an impressive mighty downpour !

Jane is a talented watercolour artist and local to Halifax (hence the title ) It is an impressive display if you are thinking about making a trip .

Reflecting on some of the comments made about my exhibits was a very rewarding experience. My design “Adora “ in the first picture, inspired by Spring being the favouite, with Berry and Hazel also in the running.