Store Blog

VIP Events for our loyal patrons!

Join us for our Shop Local Customer Appreciation Night!  VIP events including trunk shows, live entertainment, and designers on hand!  Canapes from Edible Canada and wine tastings from Liberty Wine.  A percent of all proceeds will be donated to Farm Folk City Folk to help keep the shop local movement rolling! Click on the graphic to register now as space is limited!

Tags: entertainment, event, food, Granville Island, Net Loft, party, wine

Edie Hats parlour has had a makeover!

A thought occurred to us…it has been a while since we have put pen to paper (or fingers to keys) and showcased what is happening in our beautiful little store.

While the last few years have proved to be an adventure, we have found ourselves on stable new feet and are marching tall into the future.

Keep your eyes peeled for your favourite little hat shop’s items featured in some major ways .  We are partnering with many interesting and talented hat oriented folk for some exciting new ventures…stay tuned!

Tis the season for receiving beautiful new spring/summer stock and anxiously awaiting the return of Borsalino in the fall!  We are featuring more Canadian made designs than ever before.  What better way to showcase them than to give our beautiful store a fresh face!  So please accept this formal invitation to come by and say hi, we’ve missed you.

2011 saw the revival of many classic styles, a trend set to continue well into the new year. From fedoras to espadrilles, lace to pencil skirts the look was chic and grown-up. We raided Grandma’s wardrobe and came out with treasure.

Perhaps the most notable return to the catwalk was fur. Whether real, faux or vintage, from full length coats to a touch of trim, the timeless elegance of fur is back without any sign of disappearing soon.

There are few hats that can so instantly make a woman feel like a turn of the century Russian Princess as quickly as a fur hat. Something about the simplicity of the style and the luxury of the fur combines to give that rare feeling of cosiness and glamour. You could match it with yoga pants and still feel like a sophisticated style icon to be worshipped and pampered! The silky soft texture, unbeatable warmth and the promise of a lifetime of wear (with proper care!) makes this an essential piece in a Winter wardrobe.

Likewise, a fur lined bomber is about as old school Canadiana as one can get – outdoorsy coolness.  They are playful and will keep your brain warm while you run about in the great Canadian wilderness! These two from Betmar are made from raccoon (tan) and rabbit (plaid). Cold ears? No more. Be smug about it.

We understand that not everyone is comfortable with fur, which is why for our vegan friends, the wonderful people at Lillie and Cohoe have come up with a great range of faux fur pieces. These are lovingly hand-crafted in Nelson.

Tags: betmar, faux fur, fur, Lillie and Cohoe, Vancouver, warm, winter

It’s the little things.

Details can make all the difference. A flower in a buttonhole. The strawberry on a glass of champagne. A beautiful dress and a fascinator.

Not quite a hat, not quite a hair band, fascinators fall right bang in the middle of too much and too little. You have the dress, shoes and purse. The occasion calls for something a little more. Something playful yet elegant. A bit of colour. Eye-catching but not attention seeking. It’s not every day you get to wear feathers in your hair and so when its done, best to do it in style!

We love our new line of fascinators from Oh Dina! The wonderful thing about these pieces is their timelessness. To be purchased with love and cherished on many special days over a life-time.

Looking good isn’t important. It’s everything

A British fashion icon has arrived in Vancouver.

Born in London in the early sixties, Ben Sherman is synonymous with cutting edge style. Leading the way in Mens fashion, it has remained true to its musically inspired, Carnaby Street roots and still enjoys cult status not only in London but throughout the world. Adopted by the mod movement of the sixties and chosen by musicians for decades since for its distinct, edgy style.

Stiffs went to Saville Row, those with attitude went to Carnaby Street. Their wide collars with extra buttons and their distinct patterns and colours allowed men to look smart and cool at the same time – an appeal that has not waned.

Notorious for their marketing stunts and finger on the pulse love of music and pop culture, Ben Sherman is bringing a bit of London-town to Vancouver!

Tags: 60's, ben sherman, fashion icon, Hat, london, men, Style, Vancouver

Hats are funny things in that they have the power to kindle parts of our personality that might otherwise remain dormant. A change in our outlook or feelings can be triggered simply by what we choose to put on our heads.

For this reason, we love that this Summer sees the welcome return of the 70’s floppy hat. This is a hat that evokes all the right moods for long Summer days. They are at once romantic and glamorous, casual yet sophisticated – something you can throw on your head in the morning, feel like a superstar all day and turn heads in the bar at night.

That Seventies Hat (as worn by Mila Kunis)

Practically, their wide brims offer shade and UV protection, while their unstructured nature are a nod to the informality of hot days. Seventies floppy hats (or flopenties!) were actually born in the Summer of Love, 1969, their debut came at events like Woodstock.

Travelers on their way to Woodstock, 1969

The strain of war and confusion led the young and idealist to embrace everything ‘Au Natural’, a return to the land, the sea, the simple. A floppy hat is as basic as one can get in millinery and is known in the industry as a ‘capaline’ – an unstructured base the wearer can adorn with emblems of their own personality. They became symbolic of free spirits, a connection to the earth and a carefree attitude towards life.

Karen Carpenter on the cover of Rolling Stone

Musicians like Janis Joplin, Karen Carpenter and Carly Simon were drawn to them and their wordless ability to express a liberal philosophy. It was a time of hope, a belief that people power could turn the tide on all the woes of the world and that good things were on the way. Worn with a flower stuck in the side all along the West coast, they soon travelled the globe bringing with them that feeling of the Never Ending Summer.

Carly Simon

On the flip-side, Flopenties also offer more than a pinch of glamour. Movie stars in maxi-dresses and large shades dashing around New York City in their platform wedges, style icons like Faye Dunway and Bridget Bardot understood the power of a seductively drooping brim and the ‘dont look at me but look at me’ effect of a Floppy Hat.

Brigitte Bardot

In more recent years Jenneifer Lopez did her bit to bring the look back. Adding this hat to an outfit of funky shorts and simple shirt upgrades the look instantly from street to chic.

Wear with: Shorts and shirts, wide leg denim, maxi-dresses.

Tags: bridget bardot, faye dunway, flopenty, floppy hat, janis joplin, jennifer lopez, karen carpenter, seventies, Style, summer 2011, trend

One of this Summers hottest fashion trends is without question the return of the Edwardian straw boater hat.

Straw boater - img. The Cherry Blossom Girl

These hats instantly conjure the fuzziest of Summer feelings – hazy, lazy days, cool grass on your feet, cotton dresses, al fresco eating. Born in the late 19th Century, these hats were initially worn as part of school uniforms in Commonwealth countries, the colour of the ribbon denoting the loyalty to the wearers institution. They were quickly adopted as part of the dress attire of many sporting activities, as the upper classes became pre-occupied with the leisurely life-style which marked this brief period in post-industrial, pre WW1 history. Garden parties, boat races, afternoon tea on the lawn were the mark of a pleasure seeking classes and were always graced with the Straw Boater Hat.

A sea of boater hats in London

Like so many other things in fashion, style doyenne Coco Chanel took it upon herself to re-invent this look. It is well known that Chanel began her career as couturier almost accidentally. Her hand-made outfits were much admired by the fashionable and famous ladies of Paris who adored her quirky take on hats in particular. Her simple boaters adorned with a Camellia were the perfect antidote to the large, fussy and heavy headwear of the time.

Today, these simple round hats with a flat top have again taken on a new life and sprung back into fashion. Marc Jacobs may have brought them back in ’09, but their popularity is only growing and the fashion world has fallen in love with this simple and elegant look.

Marc Jacobs SS '09 collection - still going strong!

Whether its a day at the beach, BBQ, or evening drinks this hat can be taken through the day. Add a fresh or silk flower to match an outfit for a sophisticated touch of detail! Edie Hats is stocked to the ceiling with simple, plain boaters or wonderful extravagant pieces as hand made my Edie herself!

Wear with: Denim dresses, pleated skirts, shorts and white tees, flats, heels.

“A hat is a flag, a shield, a bit of armor, and the badge of femininity. A hat is the difference between wearing clothes and wearing a costume; it’s the difference between being dressed and being dressed up; it’s the difference between looking adequate and looking your best. A hat is to be stylish in, to glow under, to flirt beneath, to make all others seem jealous over, and to make all men feel masculine about. A piece of magic is a hat.” (Martha Sliter)

Hats turn heads. This is an unquestionable yet often neglected fact of fashion. A good hat can hold the attention of an entire room, much to the envy of those unhatted heads. Long before Scarlett ‘O Hara used a green bonnet to charm Rhett Butler, women have been using hats as a playful part of seduction.

A hat is a great tool for flirting. Wearing something eye-catching is your way of giving yourself permission to be looked at. Hats are safe, you can hid or highlight.  A flick of a brim or some drooping veiling entices onlookers, inviting them to attempt to discover what lays beyond the barrier. The occasional flash of an eye that is easily concealed again with a slight lowering of the head is a gauntlet hitting the floor, a playful move that says , ‘I dare you’.

Hats help create the persona one wishes to achieve when attracting a partner. Confidence and curiosity. Such is the power of a well selected hat that wearing one instantly creates an aura of mystery. The vast population has lost its confidence in hat-wearing, so in doing so you evoke an air that comes with knowing a secret (The secret simply being that all you need is to figure out what shapes and colours work for you – just like dresses or jeans or any other fashion item!).

We are drawn to those who are confident, and few fashion items speak more highly of ones sense of self than a hat that reflects their character and mood, boldly on display for all to see.

Wearing an out-standing hat creates a distinction between you and all others, making you easily identifiable and almost definitely commented on. It gives you the freedom to be bold, and if nothing else, an easy ice-breaker with ‘Nice hat!’.

Tags: flirting, Hat

The best gifts we receive are those carefully selected items that once unwrapped and your eyes clap upon it you wonder how you ever got so far in life without it. A good hat very much falls into this category. Hats are fun and playful, and because getting the right one for someone can be tricky as it is such a personal choice, success reveals a level of intimacy and knowledge between gifter and giftee. Naturally, when any Vancouverian thinks of hats, they think of the one and only Edie Hats! Here is our guide to help you avoid that disappointment on Christmas morning when a lovingly selected gift, bestowed with glee is actually utterly wrong. With this in mind, we issue a caution to those considering the gift of a hat this year.

Size does matter:

Most hats come in different sizes and purchasing one for someone should be considered in the same fashion as a pair of boots. Would you undertake this without knowing their size and style?

‘I dont know their size but know they would LOVE a great hat’

If you don’t know their size but feel a fabulous hat would be the perfect gift for them, we suggest a beautifully presented Edie Hats gift certificate. If you are reading this, chances are you have been to our store. You had fun, you played with the different hats and our fabulous Mad Hatters advised you on shapes and sizes. With an Edie Hats gift certificate, you are not only giving them a great hat, but a theatrical experience and trip to Granville Island too!

‘Yes, but they live in Timbuktu and won’t get a chance to pop in soon’

Fair enough. Edie Hats has an array of gifts that don’t require sizing.

For her, a beret. We carry Canadian made berets in a dazzling array of colours. Berets are actually simple hats to wear once played with a little bit. Great for squishing into purses or covering just ‘done’ hair from Vancouver rain, these are stylish hats which can be dressed up with a little brooch or sparkly something.

Toque – the quintessentially Canadian casual hat. With Bula line from Montreal you get a great piece on Canadian history in their Core du Bois (army of the woods) line. these hats are  hand knit and fantastically cosy. You get so used to wearing one, you feel naked without it!

Cashmere scarves. This Scottish line are an absolute treasure to open. Bright plaids, pinks, yellows – perfectly match everybodys winter basic black coat.

Animal Hats. Perennially popular and always result in a fit of giggles!

‘I do know their size but can’t think which one to get’

Well done. Guessing that if you know their size they are probably a ‘hat person’. Why not get them something they would love but might not have the courage to buy themselves?!

Top Hats. The Top (ahem, pun intended!) of every Hatters wish list! Sophisticated yet fun. Can be worn formally or as a bit of fun. It is a perfect hat for winter, parties, new years – so many occasions to be dressy!

Bowlers. You know they want one. Channel their English gentleman with a hat that today is worn casually. We’ll even throw in a feather.

Drivers. An everyday hat thats much more stylish and interesting than a ball cap! Warm and stuff-into-pocketable. We have a huge selection, Herringbone, multi-coloured Irish tweed, cosy ear flaps and much more.

For more suggestions and assistance, please feel free to pop by and speak with one of our sales associates!

Tags: animal hat, Beret, bowler, Christmas, driver, Edie Hats, Granville Island, Hat, Hat size, scarves, shopping in vancouver, Top Hat, toque, Vancouver

Sitting in the Edie Hats office looking for some mundane item such as a stapler and discussing everyday affairs Edie stumbles across a large piece of Victorian lace under a folder and exclaims something like ‘Oh, I can’t wait to see what kind of hat this makes!’.  Like any artist, Edie’s craft is always on her mind and she is continually examining shapes and fabrics to discover their possibilities.

Hand stitched black veiled piece with hand dyed Indian silk (Photo by White Album Weddings)

Her home is speckled with hat-making schmutz. Veiling sits on top a bookshelf, glass beads linger next to tea cups and a guest should always take care to ensure no needle has been stood up on a cushion. Most of us pack swimsuits and clothing for holidays, Edie packs a bag full of ‘blanks’, feathers, fabric and threads.

Edie attempts to pack for a vacation to Nova Scotia!

For Edie, hat-making is more than a commercial enterprise. It is a passion and a meditation which consumes her completely. The process itself is, in her own words, ‘a tactile conversation’ between her and the hats. The experience can be exhausting, as she will rarely put down a piece until it is completed. Once completed that piece is over, with a new one already burning in her mind. Often, she may not even recognise her own hat later on!

There is a priceless element to some of Edie’s pieces.  The materials used are not always found at the local haberdashery. A recent hat contained a brooch that belonged to her mother, stage actor Joan Orenstein. Another contained Victorian glass beads of unestimatable value. Edie will gather flotsam from her travels, her home, her life and weave them into the stories of her hats. She will take apart older hats or costumes and re-construct them into something new and truly unique.

 

Folded veiling sitting on a shelf, waiting...

In combination there is a touch of magic and maddess in making these hats. They require an unflinching focus. Edie is at her best when creating her art. Energy flows and she is grounded. The rare periods when hats are not being made is a time for concern for those who know her best. Luckily, these times are seldom and after a brief departure from her craft in recent years she is back creating her famous pieces of millinery art!

Edie Hats Staff wearing hand-made pieces. (Photo by White Album Weddings)

Tags: Art, Edie Orenstein, Hat-maker, Milliner