hat of the day (fit for a Queen)

I've got a bit of a conundrum. Perhaps you could help me. In the process of running around shooting streetstyle, I often find other fashion-related fun things to shoot & talk about. My husband, Mr. Dot, is really adamant I stay on topic & every time I wander off the reservation, it's a whole Thing.

What do you think? Should I keep this blog strictly to streetstyle shots, and do the rest on a separate, sister blog? Or can I continue to combine the two under the same umbrella?
For example, I shot so many of these floral hats at a great competition at the Chelsea Flower Show. Even the Queen was inspired, as it says here in the Times. I'd like to feature a Hat a Day til I run out of shots (it was really hard - I wanted to shoot them all!) but is that going to put off the punters?

I've really been struggling with this. Please tell me what to do: stay on topic, or widen the net. Leave a comment if you'd like, or email me (jill@haybooks.com - it's on my profile). Your vote counts! Many thanks.

fair trade

Just when I started thinking 'I've got enough friends' I've discovered that one of the best - no, truly, the best- things about doing this blog the past few months is the astounding number of real friendships I've formed in such a short time. Some with people - fellow bloggers - I haven't (yet) met, due to geographical logistics, but others - like Carry Sommers, shown here - who, with her husband Mark, below, and a friend, have been literally mobbed at their stand last week at the Chelsea Flower Show. I'm glad my husband met them both, too - we all just got on so well.


I first met Carry & their daughter when I shot her at Spitalfields market last month and we became instant friends: one of those generous spirits who you just feel you've known forever. If you compare the two photos you'll see a great example of true style: she's wearing a different dress, cardigan, even different red shoes, but this is a woman who stays true to her personal style.



As for the hats: they were literally flying off the shelves at the show. It was a feeding frenzy and difficult to get a clear shot of the couple. I can't wait to buy mine, I'm going to wear it with everything this season: floaty nude dresses, everything. (I knew hats would be huge this spring, even before I shot Peony in a fedora last March.)


Pachacuti hats are fair trade, ethical, made in the Andes, classic, stylish, and beautifully made. They're perfect for staying cool in the much anticipated and eagerly awaited heat wave in London: thank you, global warming. We're all set.

head & shoulders

Went twice to the Chelsea Flower Show last week - once on my own and once with Mr. Dot & met friends. The flowers, as expected, were stunningly beautiful, and I've never seen such an assortment of floral prints in one place - but not all of it was a good look, trust me. The biggest hits (and most photographed) were a contest of hats made out of flowers, and Carry Sommers' fabulous fair trade Panama hats (more on that tomorrow). I did like this combination of spikey hair and bright print top - from the shoulders up.

God Bless the Queens

Another day, another hat from the Chelsea Flower Show. I loved each and every one, and wish I'd shot them all. I also wish I'd shot the people photographing them - it was quite bizarre, and almost spiritual, as if we were worshipping at some kind of shrine. A rite to spring, in a sense. Funny how my two favourite events at the Chelsea Flower Show this year revolved around hats. The other being, of course, Carry's panama ones (see 'fair trade').

I'm not the only one fascinated with these real floral hats, apparently. As reported in the Times here, so is the Queen. Why do I find this article so fascinating? They also talk about a garden for the show, made of scents originally created for a previous Elizabeth, the 1st, made of cloves, purple fennel for its seeds, Pinus mugo, a dwarf piine species for its needles, iris and roses for their fragrance and elegant white cedars. God Bless the Queen, and God Bless the RHS.

yummy plummie

The sun's out, we're finally shedding our Victorian mourning black here in London. I love this plum and lemon combo dotted recently in Spitalfields Market.
Speaking of yummy, my fabulous friend Amanda Diamonstein-Cieplinska, blogger extraordinaire of all things nuptial, has me all intrigued about Violet Cakes, incredible cupcakes by Claire Ptak, a Californian via Chez Panisse. It's all in here her blog, Stellina Events. I realise this isn't fashion related, but a girl's gotta eat!

Off to the Chelsea Flower Show, to shoot the flora and the fauna. Saw a lot of bold prints yesterday, as predicted. And, of course a lot of fashion don'ts. It is lovely, however, to see everyone out in their most flowery attire! Floral prints at the CFS are like hats are at Ascot: not always in the best of taste, but guaranteed to be fun.