Exciting Fashion Challenge: Hats!

So, in exciting non-recessionary news, my husband just got a freelance job doing graphic design for a polo event on Governor's Island, which means an opportunity to a) look at fancy people dressed up fancy, and b) dress up faux-fancy myself (it's free to the public unless you want to pay for a VIP picnic ticket). The "polo style tips" page emphasizes "hat first; outfit second" and advises a large brim and some sort of flair that "amuses" (yay!). And so, here is a short list of hats I am considering for either buying or inspiration: I may just MacGyver my existing H&M floppy straw hat with some fun gussying-up materials. Any hat I buy has to be extremely cheap, of course, because that's how I roll, i.e. not in hats, unless it's a costuming situation. Which I consider a polo match to be, or, really, any event involving horses. And so, perhaps:


So here's your basic fedora with a cute colored ribbon: French Connection Shamble Hat, $39.99. Of course, this is easily customizable if you DIY it. Colored ribbon plus cheap hat = done.



Sundried hat from Anthropologie, $128. This is one hundred percent DIY-able; just get some raffia and start tying. The only question is where does it fall on the cuteness scale?



You could probably just go to the dollar store and wild out, too, as demonstrated by this Juicy Couture "Pompom Tassels" hat, $88.



Pansy field fedora from Anthropologie, THREE HUNDRED AND TWENTY-EIGHT DOLLARS. Seriously. Again, dollar-store doable. And cute!




A white hat would also be cute for summer. Here's a really basic white straw fedora from Tilly's, $12.99. Ribbon and done.



Or...handy with a grommet gun? Try to re-create this seriously cute Eugenia Kim grommeted fedora, $297.



Or add some sparkle with a sequined scarf, like Eugenia Kim did with this "Craig" sequined straw fedora, $315. I don't have to say that you could DIY this, right? Cough cough.

If you don't feel like doing any work and just want to spend a few bucks on a hat, here are some nice inexpensive options:



Forever 21 two-tone fedora, $8.80. (I'd probably still switch out the ribbon though...maybe?)


Aeropostale plaid-print fedora, $7. So sweetly preppy! I might just get this just because. It's seven bucks!



Torrid silver straw fedora, $18. Bling it out!



Tarnish floral overlay fedora, $38. Actually classy. I could totally see my friend Michelle T. rocking this.



Eugenia Kim for Target fedora, $16.99.

Now for the ridiculous:


ASOS bunny-ears fascinator, $33.82. This exists.

Finally, I am all for Betsy's tiny hat idea, which she executed wonderfully. I'd even go so far as to suggest pinning this item to your head if you really hate hats:


Blue and white straw hat, $2.50. (OMG.)

I would not, however, recommend bringing your, um, rat to this event, as the seller notes: "Never leave your rat unattended while dressed. While they can slip out of the outfit if needed, harm could still come to them if you are not there to watch them. Please note that it sometimes takes a few tries before some rats will keep their clothing on." Ain't that the truth!

I'll leave you with this fun fact: Carl will be taking direction at times from a star polo player named Nacho who also models for Polo. His assistant is also named Nacho and will also be contacting Carl. This is not going to lead to any hilarity at all!

Chuck It

I don't know why I'm such a sucker for "design it yourself" thingamadoos. And yet I can easily kill 20 minutes dorking around with these things. And then not placing them in my cart. Here's what I created that I may or may not eventually place in my cart:





(Just feeling navy, I guess.) This is the slimmer, more feminine version of the classic Chuck Taylor: the All-Star Light Ox Canvas, $58. There are lots of colors—and not-recommended prints—to place hey-willy-nilly all over the shoe. And you can do this with lots of shoes, including crazy neon ones. Kill your 20 minutes today! Buying incentive, though: Everything at Converse is 20 percent off with code CHUCKS17 (expires May 25).

The Total Franklin Street Immersion, Y'all

I am somewhat weirdly excited about what's in store (pun intended!) for me this afternoon. My friend Amy and I, and with any luck our man-friends, will be hitting Greenpoint for the Total Franklin Street Immersion, a come-to-the-neighborhood push that involves a punch card, store discounts, and drink specials.



Drinking and shopping on a sunny Saturday! What could be better? I'm psyched. Read all about it at Brooklyn Based, who planned the whole shebang.



I'm hoping Dalaga has these cute swingy shorts, $58 (with 10 percent off today) and that they look cute on me. (UPDATE: They did, and they do.) I'm also looking for a change purse (didn't find), some new sunglasses (ditto), and maybe a new book at Word (I got Let the Great World Spin and The Girl Who Played With Fire). And it's 30 percent off at Binge enabler Hayden-Harnett (I got a skirt and a dress from their Cheap Thrills Pop-up Shop or whatever it's called for a grand total of $70...cheap thrills indeed!). Wish me luck!

I'm also hoping they don't run out of beer (I only got one mini beer, and even though I filled out my entire card, I didn't get a tote bag of gifts because they ran out.) Free Brooklyn Summer Ale!

See you on Franklin Street! (I'll totally be back.)

Non-Fash-Related Info: VCR Show Tonight @ Cake Shop

We interrupt the ushe fash blogging to report on a non-fash event.

Super fun dance-punk band VCR (FULL discloshe: Tamron Lohan's sister is in the band) is playing tonight at Cake Shop in the Lower East Side. It's a paltry $7 for a sickeningly, almost obscenely good time. They go on sometime after 10, so BE THERE!

Listen to the goods here.