Suzseams | Re-Enactment

SUZSEAMS RE-ENACTMENT / CUSTOM HATS

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There has been an increasing number of custom hat requests that are historical in nature. Many members of historical re-enactment clubs want a really authentic replica of a hat. Not the bulk off-the-shelve styles. Some are from movies or old photographs. I really love the challenge of these assignments.

Emily Hat

Emily Hat
Movie customer requested a reproduction of a “Prop hat” to recreate a 1915 era look. The provided fabric was a wool and silk velvet, which was stitched to match the original hat. Three hats were made to fit and create the match to an ensemble worn in a scene in London.

Steam Punk Hat

Steam Punk Hat
Customer requested a “Steam Punk” hat primarily for display in his Hair Salon.
I created this “ Mad Hatter” style hat make on a buckram frame out of leather and vinyl. It features loops for Scissors and Bottles used in his industry and a working pocket in one of the panels. The headband is a functioning zipper.

Dynasty Hat

Dynasty Hat
Customer requested a reproduction hat from a photo. They chose a light grey which I created in wool felt to match the photo, including veiling and a felt embellishment on top.It was to be used in a scene.

Brooke’s Hat

Brooke’s Hat
Client requested a cloche hat to match her dress for a specific event. She made a choice after trying 3 in stock hats and obviously made an excellent decision.

Grey Hat

Grey Hat
Customer with a small head size requested a light grey fur felt with a brown ribbon to coordinate many options in her wardrobe.

Brown Fedora

Brown Fedora
Customer with a small head requested a fedora of brown fur felt with three colors of ribbon trim for more versatility.

Fur Tam

Fur Tam
Customer brought her mother’s mink hat in a out of date style and asked to have something more updated that she could wear with her mother’s redone mink coat.

Grey and Lavender

Grey and Lavender
Customer requested a hat matching the dress for her mother’s viewing. We decided on the lace from her dress and I sewed onto an existing grey toy hat that she chose.

Carol's Hat

Carol’s Hat
The hat was custom made for the mother of the groom, requesting a similar embellishment to the picture she sent. We decided on a smaller brim with a round crown blocked in fur felt. The ribbon colors were chosen to fit her palette and allow for a wider range of dress colors.

Judy's White Hat

Judy's White Hat
Client requested a similar hat to the blue, in white and with a shorter back to accommodate a ponytail. I chose the same Visca straw and met her smaller head size for a custom fit.

Kentucky Blue

Kentucky Blue
This project was for the Kentucky Derby 2016 by a woman who identified herself as “not a hat wearer.”
She provided me with 2 dresses to match the hat. After some exploration of my hats we decided on this style and I created a custom fit hat, hoping to change her view of her beauty in a hat.

Kentucky Brown

Kentucky Brown
This woman requested a hat similar to the hat worn by Kim Kardashian last year at the Kentucky Derby.
She had the dress and shoes and wanted a color to accommodate her wardrobe. Due to the straw material being different and her size I was able to give her a similar look custom made.

Wedding White

Wedding White
This wonderful bride wanted a 50’s style picture hat with a large sloped brim for her wedding. It was fur felt blocked in two pieces and wired to give it the slope. She wanted a simple ribbon trim that would not compete, but compliment her dress. I felt privileged to receive a picture in action.

Mobcap

Mobcap
Designed and created an 18th Cap or Mobcap created fro presentation in “Costuming” Track for Anachro Con.

The George Washington

The George Washington
Customer requested a tricorn hat as worn by George Washington. He wanted is as authentic to his style hat as possible.

The Wide Brim

The Wide Brim
Created a turn of the century hat with a puffy crown and large decorated brim made in green silk. This style was typical until the late 19I0’s. I chose feathers and a large bow on the side as minimal embellishment. The intention was to create a hat which the customer could easily add extra trim per their taste.

The Fontage

The Fontage or Frelange
Created this headdress worn in the late 17th century and early 18th century in Europe.
I created the wire support typical as how it was originally made, and used a tea stained lace with an internal silk cap to result in an authentic look.

The Tyrolean

The Tyrolean or Alpine
Created an 1880’s Tyrolean hat in black felt, with added interest by making vertical pleats in the crown. The small brim is typical of this period which holds combs to attach to the hair. I added a feather, antique buckle and ribbon to create a look much like the picture.

Sarah Cloche Sarah Cloche Sarah Cloche Sarah Cloche

Sarah Cloche
Client requested a cloche with a pleated crown and asymmetrical brim, with chosen Felt and embellishments she provided from her Vintage pieces.

The Drawn Bonnet

The Drawn Bonnet
Customer requested a bonnet typical of the period from 1840’s to 1860’s, made as they were typically made. I created a buckram frame, and wove the straw using two contrasting styles. The inside brim is ruched with silk and the outside is modestly trimmed to be conducive to the range of time requested, lending itself to further embellished.

The Squared Crown Cloche

The Squared Crown Cloche
Created this less well known cloche style hat with a squared crown popularized in the late 1920’s. I created a buckram frame and covered It in brown satin. It is lined and trimmed in ribbon and velvet buttons.

The Laura

The Laura
Hat worn by Gene Tierney in the 1944 film Laura. Client requested this hat be replicated in a specific size, of a plain fabric of Ivory or Khaki.

Movie Hats

The Movie Hats
Client requested 10 hats be blocked in specific styles of men’s hats in provided felts: Bowlers, Stetson, Fedora and Homburg..

The Beefeater

The Beefeater
Client requested a Doctoral Academic Beefeater made from a plain black fabric instead of the traditional velvet, with a black tassel

John Phillips Hat

John Phillips Hat
Custom order was a Fur Hat as worn by John Philips of the Mama’s and Papa’s.
Silver fox fur hat which began with the creation of a buckram frame, made to fit. It has an interlining and a fashion lining.

The Titanic

The Titanic
Created the hat worn by Madeline Astor on board the Titanic for client with matching hat for her dog.

The Royal Martha

The Royal Martha
I created a similar hat worn by Carole Middleton in Chosen Red straw braid.

Garden Party

The Garden Party
The client chose her style and size based on the Trilby style hat. Her request was a light color straw and embellishments to match the dress she was wearing for the Party.

Ann's Custom

Ann's Custom
Client requested a toy hat to match the Black toy hat, but smaller and having some height as in the lighter color straw. She also requested a feather as the embellishment.

Bonnie Bell

Bonnie Bell
I created a straw hat in chosen straw based on one of my felt hats in custom size, per order with no embellishment.

The Marilyn

The Marilyn
I created a new hat for a customer in chosen straw based on an existing hat that was worn out.

The Mutsumi

The Mutsumi
Client requested my felt slouch brim hat in chosen straw and custom size.

Custom Black Camel

Custom Black Camel
Client requested a two toned cloche using camel and black. She wanted an easy to wear hat that covered her ears.

Phyllis Custom “Fascinator”

Phyllis Custom “Fascinator”
Client requested a small hat or “fascinator” for a wedding in Ireland. She asked that it use flowers that were made matching her dress, and netting as an accent. I created this using blocked fur felt hat using all the elements.

Georgia Aquarium Halloween

Georgia Aquarium Halloween
An Elizabethan “Tiara” created for the Georgia Aquarium Halloween show. It was created on a Buckram frame and then covered in provided fabric. It was left plain to be embellished to match costumes.

Blue Cloche

Green Cloche

Orange Cloche

Gold Poke

Green Poke

Purple Poke

Red Poke

Mink Fur

Custom Mink Fur Hat
Client requested a “bucket hat” made with pieces from her mink fur coat. It was custom made in her size, with fur inside so that she could flip it up. It was lined with a fabric similar to her original coat lining.