A Hat to Take a Walk in

I don’t always know what draws me to design a particular hat until I am several hats into my new obsession. As Lego and I walked this morning through Lunenburg, Lego leading the way, it dawned on me that the new Franny hat on my head was the perfect walking hat. You can see the current available colours HERE.

Here in Nova Scotia, we are still in a very restrictive lockdown. Most of the shops and restaurants on our main streets are closed. We can only gather inside with our immediate family. School has shifted to online learning. But there is one joy that has not been taken away. We can go for walks and as long as we maintain our distance (or wear a mask) we can walk with a friend.

I’m a firm believer that people should wear what makes them happy. So, if walking in athletic wear brings you joy then that’s the perfect outfit for you, but sweat pants bring me no pleasure. I am always on a quest for clothing and accessories that combine functionality with beauty. To me, donning a pretty hat is a way of honouring a beautiful day. Dressing is a celebration of being alive.

My new canvas cloche is a perfect combination of pretty and practical. It’s made from cotton canvas which I dye myself. I think of it as rugged glamour. A “look pretty as you are being chased up a tree by a bear” kind of hat. The three pansies are made from organic cotton and hemp jersey remnants. The hat is meant to fit a bit loosely, so that it stays cool on a summer day, but the depth of the hat keeps it on the head nicely. That said, I also designed removable ties that can be purchased separately if you would like to wear the hat on a windy beach or to go sailing. The flowers come off the hat, so that the hat can easily be hand washed and it’s also fun to move them around the hat, or maybe not wear them at all if you find yourself over flowered. I had to take them off this morning when I looked in the mirror and realized there were flowers on every garment I was wearing. Celebration is a delicate balance between happy and maybe a bit too happy.

The Franny hat will be equally admired by those walking towards you as those trailing behind you. This adorable feature on the brim is actually very functional. It means that when you wear shawls or coats with a collar it will not be pushed up.

I’m making this hat in several sizes, so if you would like to order one please let me know your head size. I have dyed up a good amount of green and blue, so I can make plenty of those colours, but the other colours have only one of each available. I ordered more canvas to dye up, but it might be a couple of weeks before it reaches me. I have been talking about this hat quite a bit on Facebook and Instagram and it seems that others love it as much as I do. (That’s always a plus.) Perhaps walking is in our collective consciousness at the moment.

I will leave you with a short video from a recent walk in Blue Rocks…5 km. from my home. There is no place I would rather be locked down than right here.