Continuing on with focus of accessories, let’s move on to HATS. You may simply refer to them as hats but they are classified as newsboy, cloche, balaclava, baseball, beanies, fedoras, trilby, cowboy, pork pie, derby, top hat, trapper, beret, aviator, or skull cap. To think these are but some of the styles that are available to you during your everyday retail travels and that includes online as well. Hats make a great gift at this time of year as well as a much needed accessory in the cold climes.

Most ubiquitous on the streets of New York City, and almost everywhere, has been the fedora for all of Spring and Summer on men and women and with no ages left out. As the Fall season takes hold and moves rapidly into Winter, there are already signs that the beanie, skull cap and the trapper varieties, from knit to fur, that will be crowning the heads of almost everyone and not just for protection of the cooler temperatures as hats make a fashion statement with no extra added attachments.

As the great milliner Stephen Jones has stated, “A hat can be the exclamation point for your outfit.” He would be very pleased to see that so many have heeded his words and spoken very emphatically by their choice of head gear. It doesn’t matter if you buy your head covering at Wal-Mart or Neiman Marcus, the statement will speak for itself. No matter where you make the purchase, the silhouettes remain constant and your look is up to you. As always my suggestion is to have alternatives, different mood – different hat, different weather – different hat or match them to your outerwear.

So the question remains, what will your “exclamation point” look like?

FASHION BY THE RULES: Baby It’s Cold Outside

By some strange quirk of “retail fate,” just when all the cold weather gear has gone on sale, the weather has turned cold and in some cases bitterly frigid. So I thought it might be a good time to give you some options on how to stay warm while still being fashionable regardless of your budget.

BOOTS: there is some sort of phenomenon going on that has made UGGS the “IT” boot but there are so many options, let alone versions of the boot. Your boots can be ankle, mid-calf or up to the knee, just make sure they are lined and have a rubber sole.

HATS: perhaps this is the most fun of all as there seems to be a infinite variety of silhouettes and materials as well as a huge price range to choose from. My hat of choice in brrrrrrrrrrr New York City is cashmere in any variation which I combine with some style of ear muffs for the particularly bitter days.

SCARVES: be they silk, cotton, wool, cashmere, fleece or any combination thereof, you just have to wrap them around your neck and in some cases your head as they provide great protection against these arctic elements.

The point of all this is to stay warm, but the subtext is to stay fashionable and to have some fun with the styles, colors and combinations. It will make the coldest days seem just a bit better.

A couple of things remain totally up to you will be your choice of outerwear and gloves. I am a confirmed down jacket/coat wearer who believes there is nothing warmer and easier to wear as they have no physical weight. As for gloves, I am a cashmere glove collector who finds them to be the best protection against the elements.

Whatever you decide, you must consult shopstyle.com as a one stop shopping destination for all your winter needs and remember, IT’S ALL ON SALE!!!!!!!

Terry Graziano makes “beautiful multifunctional hats for women using eco-friendly mill-end surplus fabrics.” A 15-year veteran hat designer, Graziano personally handcrafts each hat with individualized care and attention in her New York City studio. Each hat is purposefully designed to be worn in many different ways allowing its wearer to custom-create her hat to fit her mood and outfit. Eclectic and eco-savvy, Terry uses only surplus fabrics. Every hat is silk-lined for comfort and adjustable for big heads to small heads. “For me, it’s all about flexibility. A shirt, a skirt, a pair of pants: these can be worn many ways— why should hats be any different?” They shouldn’t! Thank you for artistically and eco-friendlily teaching us that, Ms. Graziano!

Russian born, Anya Caliendo is the epitome of old world romanticism with everything from her obsession with  black and white photos of royal families to her chosen profession of couture millinery.

Her creations are nothing short of spectacular pieces of wearable art that can instantly transform a woman.  And who wouldn’t feel transformed in those breathtaking hats she makes painstakingly by hand using traditional methods and only the finest of materials?

Her New York atelier must be filled to the brim (pun intended) with treasures destined to be worn by the city’s most elegant women.  In addition to making everyday wear hats she also designs for theatrical productions, fashion photoshoots and runway shows.

Here is a ten minute glimpse into the world of a modern day milliner with old world beauty. Enjoy!

Oligoville:How did you discover you wanted to be a milliner?

Anya: During my first visit to New York I found myself precisely in front of the Oscar de la Renta boutique. That moment marked the beginning of my love affair with Fashion. New York was unexplored territory, and I immediately fell in love with it. New York was incredibly generous to me and has opened the doors of the Parson School Of Design, the Metropolitan Museum of Art, and many other brilliant exhibitions where I spent countless hours studying fashion design, the history of fashion, and attending numerous seminars and lectures. Ultimately, I discovered that my true passion lies in the field of millinery arts. My most treasured experience in studying the art of traditional millinery came from my long stay in Great Britain. There, I had the privilege of being taught by one of the most legendary names in the field of millinery arts, Mrs. Rose Cory. A brilliant lady who, as well as making hats for many eminent people and theatrical productions, created hats for Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother.

Oligoville: Whom or what inspires your designs?

Anya: My inspiration can come from anywhere, the list is endless. Old photographs, the cinema, a box of chocolates, colors of the fall, vintage gloves, books, french pastries, people, music, a rainy day. I live my life full of wonderful little inspirations and then put them into hats. There is a little story behind each and every hat in my collections.

Oligoville: Describe a typical day for you?

Anya: My life revolves around hats. I have the privilege of working out of my own millinery atelier old fashion style. I spend my days creating little creations for my clients and working on new collections. I design all my hats by hand only with extreme attention to every detail and to the highest standards of millinery art. It is often a very demanding and time consuming process. Despite the difficulties, I often find myself carried away and working from the very early hours into the evening. I spend my evenings and weekends with my family, visiting friends, taking weekend trips, going to Museums or Broadway.

Oligoville: Describe your fashion style to us.

I would describe my fashion style as a refined chic. I never deny myself the luxury of wearing a hat. Hats have an amazing power of transformation. The face of a lady becomes so much more beautiful when framed with the brim of a divine hat. It brings such an air of mystique, a sense of class and style.There is a hat style for all seasons, moments and occasions. It is an ultimate accessory.

Oligoville: Tell us about some unexpected setbacks you have faced since starting your business and what you learned from that.

I have been lucky enough so far not to suffer any negative experiences. I attribute it to the fact that I do not produce hats for mass consumers. Instead, I choose to make one of a kind creations that will live beyond fashion for a specific clientele.

Oligoville: What has been the most rewarding part of your career so far?

Anya: The process of each hat is a wonderful journey from the first sketch to the final result. My greatest sense of reward comes for the expression of  pure joy on my client’s faces when they open a beautiful hat box, and for the first time see the final result of what originally was a dream. There is nothing more special than that.

Oligoville: Tell us where you expect to see your business in the next 5 years and what are some goals that you have for your brand?

Anya: I have so many plans in mind! I would love to open my own boutique showroom somewhere in Manhattan. I would love to start producing hats for theatrical productions and runway shows. Finally, I am looking forward to bringing my brand to Fashion Week in New York.

Oligoville: What celebrity would you love to see your creations on?

Anya: I would love to create something very elegant for Chalize Theron.

Oligoville: What advice do you have for aspiring milliners out there?

Anya: I would advise to never be afraid of trying new color combinations, experimenting with fabric and texture, shape and volume. Never be afraid of your own imagination.

Oligoville: What song never fails to make you happy?

Anya: I enjoy many different genres in music. One of my all time favorite songs is ” Sous le Ceil de Paris” by Edit Piaf.

Music Playlist at MixPod.com

Lately I’ve bought into the hat craze like never before. There are just so many to pick from and its hard to settle on just one.  Make no mistake this is an investment worth splurging on ( and yes $25.00 is splurging to me). You will turn heads everywhere you go by styling up your outfit, while keeping your noggin warm. If you have to stick to one, my advice is to go with a basic color like black, gray, brown or beige. The actual style of the hat depends on your personal taste and style. You can say I’m a fedora girl. My hats off to anyone else out there willing to step out of their comfort zone and proclaim they are indeed ‘a hat person’.

hat shopping!!!!!! by T.A.S.H.A

Work by dirtgirl