terry graziano

Amazing vintage designer hats

Mr. John, available from calloohcallay

 

Lily Dache, available from sweetdesignerhats

 

Elsa Schiaparelli, available from sweetdesignerhats

XO,

Terry

win a trip to Paris

 

Win a trip to Paris for New Year's Eve from YSL!  Details here.

Good luck!

XO,

Terry

Sample Sale

 

I hope you are having a terrific weekend!  Just a quick note to say that I've created a Sample Sale section in the big cartel shop.  I've added several fall/winter styles & fabrics from last year, so you can get them now at terrific savings and wear them right away!  I'll be adding more from time to time, and if there is a particular style/fabric that you are hoping for, don't hesitate to send me a note and if I've still got it, it's yours :)

XO,

Terry

New fabrics - delicious wools

Happy Friday!  Just a few more hats to tell you about this week: beloved styles in delicious new wools are happily ensconced in the shops here and here.  And then, I swear, we can stop looking at my face because I for one, am sick of seeing it!  I've got some fun features planned for next week, but until then, a little coziness to start your weekend...

Acappella in lightweight grey wool:

Confidante in mulberry wool:

Fedorable in teal wool:

I hope your weekend is warm and relaxing!

XO,

Terry

New style - Accomplice

Good morning!  

I've put a lovely new style in both shops: The Accomplice.  

It is the ideal hat to wear for all of your capers!  Accomplice is a cozy cloche with a twist, a pleat, an asymmetrical brim. Look like a sweetheart one moment, a tough-as-nails broad the next, you'll only be identifiable by your unerring sense of style.

Pictured below in black wool:

 

 

 

 

In camel wool:

 

 

 

 

 

In fuchsia wool & mohair:

In chocolate wool & mohair:

All four are now available here and here.

Thanks for visiting and have a fantastic Thursday!

XO,

Terry

design process - Thinking Cap

I've never been much of a sketcher, so I've never really kept a proper sketchbook.  Some traumatic early art class experiences convinced me that I just couldn't draw, so I've found other ways of working. Usually I just imagine something in my mind and then start draping and patterning.  Lately though, I've really been trying to, at the very least, document that process, so I can see where things started and how I ended up at the final piece.  It's more like a design scrapbook then a sketchbook, so that's what I'm going to call it from now on.  Ready?  Below are a few pages from my design scrapbook - you can click on each image to view a larger version. 

For this hat, the "Thinking Cap", I had a great jumping off point: a photo of actress Ina Claire from 1932 in an Elsa Schiaparelli hat called a "Mad Cap".  (I love that little jacket too!)  

 

Schiaparelli is one of my very favorite designers and this hat was one of her most popular designs - a knitted tube of fabric that could take on almost any shape.  I loved the shape of the hat in this photo, especially the pointed crown.  I always try to have at least three different draping options in every one style that I design, so I decided to combine the sweet pointed crown with a cozy hood and also a more masculine shaped hat, and to do it all in a woven wool fabric instead of a knit.  

Once those decisions were made, I did a couple of quick drawings to play with possible shapes, perhaps a brim, and seam placement.  I knew that all of that may change, but this was a place to start.  Then I got to work on the pattern.  Sometimes I'll start by molding paper to the shape I want, other times I'll start with fabric.  This time I decided to start with paper because it would be easier to get that point in the crown.  I used pattern paper, though sometimes I'll use kraft paper, tissue paper, or whatever I have lying around the studio.  Pictured below are some of the earlier versions of the patterns.  In my process, the patterns will get refined as I go along, seams will change shape, and new seams will be added or taken away.  Each pattern gets a test cut in fabric which is then stitched up.  Then I play with the test hat by draping, pinning, cutting, etc., all in an effort to see what construction will give me the most versatility in style.  I have mirrors all around my studio, so wherever I'm testing I can always just turn to look and see what's working and where I need to go from there.

 

Sometimes I'll cut pieces apart and just re-sew, joining different edges together.  It's always fun (and many times quite laughable!) to see what happens.

I also played with the idea of a detachable scarf, but nixed the idea for now, though it may end up on a totally different hat later on.  The pieces pictured above got cut apart and reshaped several times.  But all the while I kept one of my goals in mind: I wanted no more than four pieces to the hat, to keep both the fabric and labor costs down. 

Several revisions later, I found that version #8 was the final winner.  That's actually pretty quick for me!  Sometimes it will take as many as 30 versions before I get what I'm really after.

Thank you for reading about my process.  I hope you have a beautifully designed day!!

XO,

Terry

Hello October

Hello again!  I hope you are enjoying Autumn so far.  I adore the cooler weather and have really been trying to get out and enjoy it as much as I can.  In between, I've been designing & sewing up a storm, using lovely wools & eyeing some gorgeous velvets.

Here is one new hat style in the shop that I've been excited to share with you:

the "Thinking Cap"

Perfect for dreaming, thinking, scheming.

In black wool:

In plum wool:

In cream wool & cotton blend:

In olive green textured wool:

And in cinnamon brown textured wool:

Tomorrow I'll share a bit of my design process for the Thinking Cap.  Until then, have a fantastic day!!

XO,

TG

psst...

Big End of Season Sale on over in the Big Cartel shop only - 

up to 40% off selected styles & fabrics!  

Get 'em while it's hot!! 

on hiatus...

Hello friends.

Just a quick note to say that I'm taking a little hiatus from the blog for the remainder of August, so that I can finishing up some wonderful things that I have planned for the fall season. 

I hope the rest of your summer is fun and relaxing!  See you in September...

XO,

Terry

Hat of the Week

Happy Monday - time for a new Hat of the Week! For anyone not already familiar with how it works, here's the deal: each week I feature a hat, and offer 20% off the price of that hat plus FREE SHIPPING WORLDWIDE, for the entire week. 

 It has been crazy humid in NY and that trend looks to continue.  It's really summer!!  So in honor of the weather, this week I give you the Styliste in white cotton with grey sparkle trim.  I do believe the Styliste is the most beautiful and versatile visor you will ever wear, and it packs like a dream for easy summer travel:

  

If you'd like to take advantage of this offer, visit either the big cartel shop or the etsy shop - no special code is needed, discount has already been applied.  Please note, this offer is valid on this hat only and only on the price of this hat, while supplies last, from now through Sunday August 9.  Free Shipping worldwide included!  Any applicable taxes are extra and will not be discounted (sorry NY'ers). 

Thanks for stopping by!

XO,

Terry