Fancy Hats & Eva

As we approach the summer months, we step into the tea party season, and I love tea parties! They’re so enchanting, refined, and delightful. Tea Parties are a social occasion and offer a chance to step back in time and experience what the women before us enjoyed.

Through the years, I've hosted many tea parties and been delighted by their whimsical enchantment. A requirement for entry was that all guests wear a decorated hat of their choice. Personally, I always enjoyed making my hat and encouraged others to tap into their creative gene as well. You can start by choosing a very plain, inexpensive hat. Vintage hats create a touch of nostalgia, while classic wide-brimmed hats provide style and sun protection. I've even seen decorated fedora's and pretty snazzy cowgirl hats.

Once you have the hat of your choice, you can embark on to the exciting part, designing your hat. An assortment of ribbons, bows, flowers, birds, tulle, fabric, beads, feathers, and whatever inspires you can be added to your hat.  Designing your hat is fun, and it personalizes your look and adds a unique touch to the event. Some guests also wore gloves and coordinated their dresses for the event. My tea party was a yearly event, allowing the guests an entire year to capture their creative edge. Of the 40 or so guests, several invitees identified with their competitive edge when creating their design.

Each guest could showcase their lovely creation on the catwalk during the tea party. I presented prizes to the winners in multiple categories: funniest, most elegant, audience favorite, and most creative. A panel of judges (casual or formal) ensured fairness and objectivity in the evaluation process. Organizing an event with multiple award categories is a great way to encourage participation and recognize various talents and efforts.

Hats are such a delightful addition to a tea party! They can really enhance the atmosphere and add a touch of elegance or whimsy, depending on the event's style. And don't worry if you don't know anyone at the Tea Party. Hats are a great conversation starter. Below are a few hats I created for my last tea party. I wore one of them and placed each of the others onto a tall candlestick holder for centerpieces.

Do you have a fancy hat? Feel free to share your pics.

"A lady's hat speaks louder than her words."