Wednesday, September 9, 2009

Teatime Hats


Last week my friend Maureen wore a pretty hat to tea, and it made me want to pull out one of my hats to wear the next time I go to Holly Cottage Tearoom. Except that I don't really have any "modern" hats, and my vintage pink hats are all decorative only. But then the other day the mailman arrived bearing this "new" old hat, and I must say it is one I would actually wear when cooler weather arrives!


When I first discovered eBay a decade ago, I began looking for things with "Newnan" or "Coweta County" in the name, but other than a vintage magazine mentioning our famous Dunaway Gardens, I'd never bought anything. Then, an eBay seller in a neighboring county offered this hat a few weeks ago, and I won it!


This hat is an interesting mix of textures and colors, with the mauve crown, salmony pink ribbon band and bright fuchsia brim.


It's in great shape, and I was pleased to be able to find out so much about this hat just from reading its interior. It was made in Austria, and ...

... the Cavender's store it came from (no longer in existence) sold clothing for Ladies and Teens. Interesting!

And while I loved the hat and the original hatbox, I have to say I was *thrilled* to find the original receipt tucked inside the box, telling me when this hat was purchased, who purchased it, and how much it sold for! Twenty dollars seems like quite a lot for a 1968 hat! But I still have one question just for you, dear reader. Do you ever wear a hat when you go to tea?

10 comments:

  1. I don't wear hats to tea. I only wear them to the Kentucky Derby and to Churchill Downs during Derby week. I have a nice collection of "Derby Hats."

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  2. Yes, I have wore a hat once to a tea party held by a friend only because everyone was asked to. I do provide hat's for my guests at tea parties if they do not have one, only if the guest of honor asks that everyone wear one.
    Blessing's
    Donna

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  3. Angela, your "new" old hat is tres chic. I love the pretty pink ribbon and the hat fabric. Isn't it great that it was from a (now defunct) Newnan shop.

    I will have to meet you for tea this winter so you can wear that lovely hat.

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  4. When I first got into going to tea I thought I would wear hats and actually collected a few. But no, hats to tea is not my thing.

    I did wear one when I met Pearl Dexter of Tea a Magazine, but I think that is the only time. She still remembers my hat, a vintage, wide brimmed straw hat with a black bow and the top open.

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  5. I have never worn too many hats. I do often wear a hat in the garden but it would not be suitable for tea.

    I do remember shopping at Cavender's. They had a teen section upstairs and I could only afford things that were on sale. Last year I visited the costume shop that was located upstairs in the old teen shop location. I remember the downstairs shop, too, but not as well.

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  6. Oh, it's gorgeous! I love to wear hats and this is a beauty! I love the local connection, too.

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  7. No, I am not that dreaay a person and any hat I like is either too small or makes me look like a mushroom. Sigh

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  8. I love to wear hats to tea, but I don't always do so. My favorite one to wear is the Jane Eyre hat from the Victorian Papers catalogue. I've had it for over 10 years now I think.

    Love the local connection with your new hat! She must have been a stylish woman.

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  9. LOVE the hat. I just got a great one a TJ Maxx of all places, so it looks vintage but isn't.

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  10. I adore hats and really like the one you've shared on your awesome blog. Great find!

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