Testing the Over-the-Top Hat Trend in New York City

by Lindsey Schickner (Subscribe to Lindsey Schickner's posts)
Posted Jun 29th 2010 at 8:45PM

black veil black and white polka dot flower philip treacy hat road test

Two ladies can't get enough of my Philip Treacy headpiece as they miss the walk light to stare at my topper. Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

After causing quite a stir with my no-pants road test, I decided to take a stab at another current couture craze -- the avant-garde hat.

So, in other words, this test was more about crazy tops than barely-there bottoms.

Hats! Thank god, was all I could think.

If I was going to look like a total nut, at least this time, all eyes would be up top. (Way up top.)

Lady Gaga once again served as style inspiration. This time, however, it wasn't her lack of pants but her over-the-top head gear that intrigued us.

When Gaga decided to add statement-making hats to her wacky wardrobe, the envelope-pushing fashion maven went straight to the, er, top -- celeb milliner, Philip Treacy.

Hey, if he's good enough for Gaga, I figured he was the man for me. I opted for his small black straw "beano" with dramatic veil detail and a polka-dot silk flower.

Treacy has a great deal of prestige, having designed haute couture hats for the likes of Alexander McQueen, Givenchy, and Chanel.

black veil black and white polka dot flower philip treacy hat road test hotdog stand

Extra ketchup, please. Lunch in NYC on an intern's budget. Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

Best known for his crazy hat creations for the late Isabella Blow, the over-the-top designer has also concocted pieces for Sarah Jessica Parker.

Gaga was so inspired by Treacy's quirky take on fashion that she applied for an internship with the lauded artist. "She sent her CV [resume]," Treacy spokeswoman, Alessandra Greco, confirmed to StyleList. "She is looking for an internship but we need to see her skills before!"

SJP was the other muse behind our headpiece road test. The queen bee of New York City fashion wore a custom Philip Treacy topper to the London premiere of the first "Sex and the City" movie.

So I channeled my inner SJP, and with the "Alejandro" beat coursing through my body, I hit the New York City streets.

Although donning a funny-looking hat was a lot less uncomfortable than tromping around Manhattan in designer "butt huggers" and mega heels, this road test came with its own degree of awkwardness.

black veil black and white polka dot flower philip treacy hat road test dry cleaners

Just picking up the dry cleaning during my lunch break. Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

I kept my head held high -- literally! -- in order to keep the bird's nest from tipping over; I felt like I had a Christmas tree ornament attached to a propeller on my noggin and that I might take flight at any time. (The windy day didn't help the situation.)

From the hot dog stand on the corner of 8th Street for lunch to cruising down Broadway to pick up my dry cleaning, and a stop at the local pizza place to grab a pie for my co-workers, I looked ahead as guys raised their brows and women whispered and pointed critically.

One lady made zero attempt to lower her voice as she turned to her friend and said, "Does she think she looks good in that thing?"

Tourists craned their necks from tour buses to take pictures of me, proud that I would be the image they would show their friends, reporting back that, indeed, "New York City is full of the strangest people."

black veil black and white polka dot flower philip treacy hat road test pizza place

Grabbing pizza for my co-workers, as a good intern does. Photo: Jolie Novak, AOL

A couple of men and women shouted "nice hat" and the man at the pizza place said it looked "lovely."

One guy even shouted, "Nice hat and nice head too!," though he wasn't exactly looking at my topper, if you know what I mean.

Although my new headpiece added some height and SJP style to my stance, I wouldn't opt for the topper as an every day accessory.

Maybe I'd wear it for the Kentucky Derby or a celeb-studded affair, but when all was said and done, this accent piece made me feel more doofy than dapper.

Meanwhile, check out how to wear summer hats.

Read All Comments

Filed under: Accessories, Fashion, News, How to Wear
Tags: hats, Lady Gaga, new york city, philip treacy, PhilipTreacy, polka dots, road tests, sarah jessica parker, sex and the city, trend test, trends, TrendTest, veils

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READER COMMENTS

(156)Add A Comment

imoutrageous, 6-30-2010, 2:04PM

Get real!!! Every hat needs to be accompanied by the right outfit. This was certainly not IT!!!

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Sharon :-), 6-30-2010, 5:03PM

in total agreement with u...she surely didn't try with this one!

Wendy, 6-30-2010, 7:02PM

Well the way I see it, people can wear whatever they want as long as it's not too revealing & slutty!

thatsome12, 6-30-2010, 7:56PM

i agree with you!

Hannah, 7-01-2010, 8:13AM

Who's the hat lady. She looks an awful lot like my hair dresser who lives in New Hampshire!

Alu, 6-30-2010, 2:08PM

I actually love the hat!!!!

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TJK, 6-30-2010, 2:08PM

YOU AND SJP BOTH LOOK LIKE MORONS.....................

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Rosedon, 6-30-2010, 2:40PM

Maybe with a nice polka dot dress and black pumps it wouldn't have looked like such a forced fashion "statement". As part of an ensemble, the hat would probably not have attracted such questioning attention, but would have looked like, what it is, an accessory. I love hats, though wear them rarely, but they have to go with your outfit to look stylish. BTW, I think the hat is quite attractive on the author.

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almasearch, 6-30-2010, 3:31PM

Yep, I was thinking the same thing... Not a bad hat, just the wrong outfit...

ANGELOCOOL, 6-30-2010, 2:11PM

AMY WITH THE FAT PROBLEM WHO CARES

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Jessica, 6-30-2010, 2:35PM

I actually like that hat. I really like people who dress fun! Who wants to look the same as the rest of the heard of cows..... you know?! :)

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Tina, 6-30-2010, 4:53PM

Ha ha love it,thank you for making me laugh.

rhonda, 6-30-2010, 2:23PM

shez bringin "SEXY" back!

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DEE, 6-30-2010, 2:25PM

I totally agree with........imoutrageous 6-30-2010 @ 2:04PM.

In order for a hat to "work" you have to have the right outfit that complements the hat and the hat, in turn, complements the outfit. Wearing "that" hat with "that" outfit didn't really prove a thing about "Testing the Over-the-Top Hat Trend in New York City".

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mike, 6-30-2010, 3:48PM

Amy and ft, no one CARES about your agenda!

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Ricki, 6-30-2010, 2:28PM

I like that hat (not so much with the outfit though). I really enjoy it when I see people stray outside the 'what normal people wear' box and try something different. I wear a very different/not seen that often style a few times a month when I'm going out (it's a style from Japan), and the stares are abundant. People just need to get over what society thinks people should wear and embrace it when someone wants to try something different instead of looking like everyone else.

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Kiki, 6-30-2010, 2:31PM

It looks like one of my Great Aunts church hats that she wears lmao.

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pete, 6-30-2010, 2:31PM

she will make it big. Stick with it you have to be different to make an Impression. I couldn't care less if it matched , from a male view and a bussiness point of view we say go for it . Some woman are jealouse spinsters. Some woman make men look stupid becouse of their Intelagence.
Your a Statement Maker keep it up!! there are plenty of woman who would pay high prices for your Ideas. Don't let ANYONE discourage you. Keep up the good work . you look Fantastic .
Pete

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leonanoar, 6-30-2010, 2:31PM

I’m from the city, and I would totally wear something like that. I think you can only wear something like this in NY :). I think that she looked amazing in this hat. She should have worn another outfit to tie in the look. I guess she wanted the focused to be on the hat, but a white dress to match the polka dots would have been much nicer than the nude outfit she wore. The hat is gorgeous and I would wear it any day of the week.

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