Garden Party

Hats take an outfit from everyday to special occasion.  I'm wearing a simple tea-dress in these photos that I picked up in the car boot sale.  It's a dress I would wear to work, or wear with flat brogues or pumps for casual days.  Top the look with a hat though, and suddenly I'm ready for a garden party.

Hat: James Egleton, via charity shop

Dress: New Look, via car boot sale

Shoes: J Shoes, from TK Maxx

Sunglasses: Polaroid, gift.

Brooch: vintage, via car boot sale

The hat is from a Luton based designer called James Egleton who was open until the 1990s but I don't know if he's still in business.  He's mentioned in this very interesting article on the history of the Luton hat industry on this link here, it's a sort of hat trail.  I found the hat in a Cardiff charity shop, only a few quid.  My Mum hasn't yet got a hat for my wedding, perhaps she'll borrow this one.  What do you think Mum?

The little dancing lady plastic brooch (who I've named Marlene) seems to be missing her cane.  I picked her up with two other brooches for about 50p the lot.

On the day these photos were taken, my thoughts were turning to lazy days on the lawn, to Pimms, and freshly picked strawberries.  As I write this, I'm back in tights and it's been a very wet and chilly day.  Just think, the day I wore this hat could have been the British summer.  I feel glad I've captured it on film.

Linking up with: Street Style Sunday, Share in Style, Funday Monday,  Visible Monday, Style Sessions, Reasons to Dress, Random Wednesdays, What I Wore Wednesday, Throw Back Thursdays, Thursday Fashion Files, #WIWT, Passion for Fashion, Friday's Fab Favourites, The Style Files