Remember the hat feature we did about the royal wedding? Remember the elegant, grand and overtly stylish hats worn by the nobles and the gentry? Would you believe me if I told you that hats in similar style are available here in Kenya?

Some of us have had the distasteful experience of seeing someone else with a hat just like yours especially at a wedding. Sometimes, even the mother-of-the-bride has this horrific experience when she, of all people should be exceptional.

Well, worry no more because Drop of a Hat has literally come to the rescue. Every single hat is unique and has absolutely no replica. Drop of a Hat will be showcasing their classy, tasteful hats at the highly anticipated Samantha’s Bridal Wedding Fair.

DROP OF A HAT

Drop of a Hat is a local bespoke hat business, designing exclusively elegant, stylish hats for the fashion conscious lady. Using mostly locally sourced materials, all the hats are handmade and finely hand stitched leaving no detail to chance. The name; Drop of a Hat came about when Chloé Mitchell made a list of suitable names all with the word –hat- and got friends to vote for their favourite. Drop of a Hat was the most voted hence it became the name of the brand.

Chloé Mitchell’s Bio

Taught by Rose Cory, the appointed milliner of the late Queen Elizabeth the Queen mother, Chloé Mitchell, founder and CEO of Drop of a Hat, kicked off her career after inheriting her great aunt Dora’s antique flower stamen business, a stable and solid foundation to pursue her new found passion of becoming a milliner. Mitchell founded Drop of a Hat -a couture millinery- when she relocated back to Kenya after advancing her skills with Louise of Louise Pocock Bespoke Millinery in the Cotswolds, UK.

Mitchell is involved in charity work and  is currently working with a young handicapped girl, whom she has trained to hand stitch. Mitchell is making plans to work with and to use materials made locally by handicapped persons.

About the Hats

With the use of materials such as rabbit fur felt, wool felt, straw and sinamay, the hats, which include fedoras, fascinators, fashion sun hats, turbans, buttons and headpieces are of high quality with a grand and fine finish and provide a wide variety for both men and women. With prices ranging from Ksh 3,000 to Ksh 24,000, every client is catered to and can boast a bespoke hat with no –one- hat looking like the other; complete with a name as Mitchell names every one of her hats.

Drop of a Hat caters to all styles and occasions and the elegance exuded by the one-of-a-kind hats is sure to make heads turn in every instance. below are pictures of some of Drop of a Hat’s pieces…

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

HAT ETIQUETTE

Hats have over the years gained popularity in fashion, reaching an unrivaled high after Kate Middleton strutted her hat fashion with almost every outfit she wore and while there are guidelines, proper topper protocol is by far the most complicated out there.

Women’s Hat Etiquette

• Fashion hats should only be removed in an office, if blocking anyone’s view at the theater or at a wedding, or if you so wish.
• Anything attached to the hat band, for example a flower, should be on the right-hand side.
• Women can keep their hats on throughout, indoors or outdoors, be it at a wedding, a funeral, a tea event, in church or at a polo event and can stay on even during the national anthem.
• Large-brimmed hats are inappropriate for night time as they are only to be worn out when it’s sunny.
• Small-brimmed or no-brim hats can however be worn at night time and in restaurants as well.
• Fashion hats are not worn with evening or ball gowns; fascinators, small veil hats, fancy combs or cocktail hats are.

Men’s Hat Etiquette

• Men should remove their hats in-doors i.e. offices, church, classrooms and also when the national anthem is playing.
• Anything placed on the hat band, should be on the left-hand side.
• Men should tip or remove their hats at the presence of a woman especially when being introduced for the first time. It is however unnecessary to tip your hat for women you are acquainted to.

Etiquette Exceptions

• Any religious head coverings are exempted from the etiquette rules and can be kept on wherever, whenever.
• Any hats or head coverings worn to cover results of any illness such as hair loss or albinism are also exempted from hat etiquette rules.