Overcoming Fear… of Hats! (And A Contest WINNER)

Right after I delivered a baby girl in the 1980s, a friend
told me if I wanted her to wear cute hats and headbands then I needed to put
them on her as a newborn.  I followed her
advice and even today my daughter loves to wear hats and berets.  Maybe that is why I have always been
self-conscious in hats…I do not remember ever wearing them in my youth.
Only sense becoming a blogger have I yearned to be a
fabulous hat- fashionista and walk out with the same confidence as a Judith Boyd of Style Crone.  In the last two years, Judith has
become one of my style icons and someone I strive to emulate as I grow older.  She is beyond amazing with her style!  Also, so many incredible women have donned hats in classic movies, but somehow all I can remember is Meg Ryan in You’ve Got Mail, telling Tom Hanks that a butterfly got off the subway to buy a hat at Bloomingdales, and that it would be a mistake as all hats are!
So, last week when I tried on this hat at Soft Surroundings,
I fell in love immediately and thought, “Now is the time to be courageous and
step out in this hat! Forget the butterflies!”  I planned my hat
debut for the blogger event I was invited to at Neiman Marcus on Saturday.  But, it didn’t go down easy!
Hat and Sweater Tunic: Soft Surroundings
Leggings: Coldwater Creek
Black Flats:  Goodwill SA
I actually sat in the parking lot for 20 minutes watching
people enter.  The first ten minutes…no
one wore a hat….then a gangly Cowboy with a white handle bar moustache
sauntered by and I thought, “OK, at least he has on a hat”…still no women
exited their cars in hats.  Finally, a
woman in a wonderful, multi-colored turban entered the store, so I shook my
head and sat up straight…”COME ON, CHICKEN…JUST DO IT!”  It was time to face my hat visibility fear head on!
Necklace: Kohls
Once inside the store, though I saw no one in hats
immediately, I somehow felt accepted…at home. (No one in the store knew I had
hat-fear or that I was wearing shoes I purchased at Goodwill!!)  I put on one of my smiles and began to search
for my 2:00 appointment.  Later I spied
at least three other women of a certain age in hats, but by that time, I was
feeling pretty fine….a new hat lover has been born!!  OK, I confess, I left it in the car when I
stopped at the grocery on the way home…Baby Steps, Baby Steps!
I really loved this woman’s look and her presence just helped to make me more comfortable.
Tomorrow, I am going to introduce you to someone who is a loss for New York
and a gain for San Antonio!!  I met three inspiring over 50 people on Saturday and I hope they will inspire you as well.  So, please
stop back by.
Also, the winner of the gorgeous Soft Surroundings Casablanca Topper is
….Jennifer Comet Wagner!! 
Congratulations Jennifer!  Enjoy
your topper…I know I love mine!
Now, please go visit the other wonderful bloggers from VISIBLE MONDAYCREATIVE MONDAYSMONDAY MINGLE and have a Monday full of holiday magic!

http://notdeadyetstyle.blogspot.com/2012/12/visible-monday-76-spot-of-animal.html

http://www.bonbonrosegirls.com/2012/12/monday-mingle-sparkle.html

37 Comments

  1. That is a beautiful hat, and you look great in it! I know how you feel, though. I always feel a little conspicuous in a hat, but I notice them on other people because they usually look good.

    And I'm sorry for the grammar nerd in me coming out, but I have to correct you. When you said you "immolate" Judith you're saying you set her on fire. The word you want is emulate. Again, I apologize – I can't help myself:}

  2. I laughed when I read your comment…do not apologize!! I am writing my posts so quickly lately, I am not surprised that I missed a word. Thanks for the correction!!

  3. I do have to overcome my fear of wearing hats. Even though I don't mind how I look in them, I feel like they will make me stand out too much.

    Also, I'm very excited about winning the contest. Thanks.

  4. i think you look quite fetching Pam!!
    loving that necklace as well
    i do love hats, but my freakishly small head makes it an almost impossibility for me to actually wear them
    how fabulous does the lady in white look??? she looks as though she could have stepped out of one of those movies you mentioned that women are always wearing hats in. 🙂
    brett

  5. Oh, Pam! I have the same fear! I just don't feel comfortable in hats. I have always thought my head was too big anyway and wearing a hat would make it SO much bigger!
    You really do look GREAT in this hat…honest to goodness! I'm also a BIG fan of Judith, she inspire me, and so do you!

  6. Pam….the hat is perfect for you and very flattering. I used to have hat fear….but I'm over it big time. I love hats and feel fine wearing them.

  7. Brett….I have a small head too. I have had some great luck finding great hats lately…you might want to give it another try. You have to play with the positioning to get it just right…but once you do you will be hooked.

  8. I love hats too! Took me a while to get the courage up, but now I'm braver or maybe just don't care so much what other people thing. At the end of the summer my husband complained because I had 3 hats in the back seat. I'm brave at wearing them out but somehow they always manage to land on the back seat………..Maybe,,, not so brave after all!

  9. My first experience with hats was a child forced to wear those damned torturous, toothed Easter bonnets. I am extremely tender headed and they hurt like the dickens. But when I was in my 20's, I fell in love with a fedora. I thought I looked great. It gave me panache! I've worn many a hat since. You do have to have a certain bravado to carry off a hat. But be free–your little cloche is lovely–WEAR the hat. They are great conversation starters.

  10. Pam you look absolutely lovely in your hat! Welcome to the hat loving side! Judith has been a tremendous style inspiration for me as well! I love her innate style and elegance as well as her ability to push hat boundaries so chicly. I actually just thanked her for her inspiration and my donning a top hat. We all have limits that are fun to push!

    PS a great hat is such a time saver on a bad hair day!

  11. You look smashing! I wore hats a lot in my 20s, but not at all since. Now that I'm seeing hats everywhere, I'm looking for the right one for me. Congratulations on finding the right one for you!

  12. I absolutely adore your hat, Pam, and it looks great on you! I've always loved hats but I've only recently overcome my shyness about wearing them so I completely understand your 20 minutes in the parking lot! I have the opposite problem to you; I come from a family of big headed people and most hats are too small for me but in recent years I've managed to find a few that fit well.

  13. I think hats are quite weather dependant. I never wore them in New Zealand (no-one really did in my part of it the country except maybe sun hats at the beach) but in the UK they're essential as it's jolly cold! I've found one that doesn't squash my hair too much and I'll be wearing it everytime I step outside when it's cold enough along with my coat, scarf, gloves and boots!

    Cheers,
    Eleanorjane

  14. The last time I wore a hat someone asked me where I was going. I said 'here' why? They said it was because I looked like I was going to church!

    You look fabulous in your hat and it is good you overcame your fear. Don't you know there were other women looking at you and thinking of how fabulous you look and how they wish they were as fearless as you? You have inspired me to get my hat out and wear it!

  15. Pam, you look absolutely gorgeous in the hat from Soft Surroundings that 'softly surrounds' your face. A beautiful choice for your first hat wearing experience. I loved your story and admire the courage it took to get out of the car, and then to begin to feel comfortable. That hat will get you a great seat at a restaurant and many compliments, along with one of your smiles of course.

    Thank you so much for the mention and I am honored by your kind words. I think we all have fears to confront, and each time we take one on with success, we are stronger for it. Congratulations for conquering 'hat fear.'

  16. You look AMAZING in that hat! I know it takes some cajones to step outside of the comfort zone- I'm so glad you did! I love the look, and here's to more hats in your future!

  17. Survey says … "The Hat looks great on you". There. Really it does, and you wear it well. Go forth and find more hats before spring comes. But then there are the spring hats to see, and the summer hats to find. New habit to nurture!

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