Last Thursday I decided to reward myself with a present. A long desired one: a felt cloche hat.
Hats are not much used in Italy, except for men of a certain age. My dad for example never parts from his hat.
Actually I made the first attempt two days before. For weeks I had been looking with deep yearning a beautiful model in a shop window. Finally on Tuesday I decided to go in and ask to try it on. But… it was a “one size fits all” hat. One size fits all my… beeeep! It does not fit ALL. Certainly it didn’t fit ME. What a disappointment! I knew it, that’s why I was hesitant. My God, my head is too big. I’m all big! And to think that I dreamed to look a bit like a Downton Abbey character!
Discouraged, I came home thinking that my dream to attend an afternoon tea in the garden with the Dowager Countess was over. But then it came to my mind that there’s another maybe less prestigious but not less equipped hat shop at a stone’s throw from the first one. So I took a chance. I went in and immediately said to the lady: Hello, I’d like to try a cloche but I have a big head. She (I reckon her name is Gioia, I heard the other lady calling her) was so sweet.
She reassured me and said she had hats of all sizes. Yay! Well, The second hat the gentle Gioia (which in Italian means joy) passed to me was the one, precisely as I’ve always wanted it: cloche form, felt material, bordeaux colour. Perfect. But most of all it fitted me! And it even looked fine on me. I wanted to cry… I’m very emotional. It is a hat made in Italy, more precisely in Florence (Bettina brand). The shop is Cappelleria Callegaro & Doriguzzi (via Fiume, 8 – Padova).
Ok, let’s face it, I can totally pull it off! Ah ah ah, that reminds me of Ted Mosby and his red boots in How I Met Your Mother.
I so wanted to make you see how I look that I started taking selfies along the way home. Above you can see some carefully selected pics of me with the new hat on. Many many shots were necessary to obtain the last pic, the only one in which I see myself looking good. Notice the glasses always twisted and the 50 shades of brown of my hair: I dye them myself… and it shows.
Anyway, with the cloche I definitely felt like a real lady. What do you think? Do you use hats?
Discussion3 Comments
You look fabulous! There appear to be so many hats from which to choose. Your selection suits you. The “search” is often as much fun as the “catch”!
Absolutely adorable in a funny way! Shall we organizew a “hat chase” blogtour in Padua? Just imagine the selfiesssssss
What a beautiful hat. I’m so glad you found one that fitted you. I too have a big head. I’ve been wanting to get a similar hat for ages but thought it wouldn’t be possible. You’ve encouraged me!