Fascinators (Women's Hats)

The Royal Wedding showed off its finest.  Some links for your enjoyment are included at the bottom of the post relating from fashion to the sanctity of marriage.

But first, let's talk about the hats almost all wedding celebrants were wearing yesterday.  I learned from a television commentator a new term for those hats that sit on the side of the head: "fascinators".

The hat style, as SIL Charlotte remarked, it not new.  In fact, fascinators were quite in style in the 18th and 19th centuries.  Here is Marie Antoinette in what could be called a fascinator on her head:

Hats are not required to sit atop the head, but can be an adornment to an elaborate hairdo.  Marie shows her up-do to advantage with the fascinator adding at least 10-12 inches to her height!

From yesterday's ceremony, note the hat that Posh Girl wore yesterday with a sleek pony tail:

Kate Middleton has generally favored Philip Treacy as her favorite hat stylist.  Now that she is Catherine, Royal Highness, the Duchess of Cambridge, Mr. Treacy will likely continue to be a designer icon world-wide.

Remember Catherine in this Philip Treacy hat?

So an old made new style is coming back for hats.  The Fascinator!  Let's all run out and buy a few.

Satanica on Etsy has these lovely fascinators for sale at a reasonable price; swing over to this page to see more and/or to purchase on Etsy (everything hand made).

As promised, web links, courtesy of Living the Grand Life:

• The Commitment
• Wedding and War
• Stunning in Lace and Satin
• We See an Ideal, Not a Fairy Tale

Top Down Summer V Neck Sweater #2

Finished is Heidi's Top Down Sweater, rendition 2, with a lace inset under the neckline:

While listening to the Knitting Pipeline, Paula mentioned that BConstanze on Ravelry uses Picasa to make collages of her knitting projects, so I thought I'd give it a try and came up with this:

All Pink!

Details on this sweater can be found here.

Updates on the Tea Party for the Royal Wedding (from Ravelry)

Sharing updates from the Anglophile tea party group on Ravelry...

Queenie, complete with this avatar she has on her informational page, said

As you can guess by my user name, I think I am royalty. I have always said that I just need the birth certificate to prove it. That said I have backed out of a girls weekend, and tickets to the opening night of the Joffrey so I can devote the entire day to my pretend world. Years ago my DH bought me a tiara with genuine cut glass “diamonds” so that will be atop my head all day long. I am a sad sad sad individual

And Auntsugar adds:

While I wish I could come to your tea party I suspect I will hostess one of my own with the neighbors across the road. I will also be making pastry cups for the curds I preserved last summer,both made with the luscious very dark large egg yolks from her mothers chicken eggs, and the fresh, huge raspberries off their bushes! This is an Easter treat for her whole family. I wonder if the weekend figured in the bride and grooms decision to marry that weekend? The commute for me would be too long even in the virtual world. So do enjoy and savor you lovely scones and creme.

I added:

Yesterday I cruised over to WalMart for the weekly haul, strolled through the kids’ toy section, spotted a rhinestone tiara, thought hard about it, but then walked on by.

I am still thinking I should go back and get that tiara and wear it at breakfast.

Cristi adds:

I’ll be watching the wedding in real time.. since I live in England.  I’ve been getting wedding “fever”.. I’ve just finished watching the William and Kate special on BBC1. I’ve got all my wedding kit. :) and the day off.. because the day has been made a bank holiday.. yay!!

I took this picture in Sainsburys the other day.. yes I’m a saddo.. but I bought a bit of everything.

Looking forward to Friday..

Our Colorado/English breakfast menu is still being discussed.