| Frequently Asked Questions Ordering How long will my order take? Selecting a Hat What is my Hat Size? Face shapes and hats Matching a Hat with Your Outfit General Hat Questions Straw Types A note about Vintage millinery materials Customer Comments Designer Biography About the Designer Custom Design Ideas Wondering exactly what kinds of custom work can be done Link Partners Link Partners How long will my order take? In stock items will ship 1-2 days after your order is processed. Hats or hat sizes that are not currently in stock will be custom made to the size and specifications you have indicated on your order form. The average hat size for women is 22 1/2 inches. Many of the in stock hats you see in the store are this size. If you need a hat in a different size, this is considered a Custom Order. Prices are as stated and no additional fees are charged to make a hat in your size. Custom orders usually take about 7-10 days to ship. Please ORDER EARLY for any important affairs or events. International orders: All of the above applies. Ship time will vary depending on country destination. All hats are shipped in a hat box and then packed in a shipping box. Please be sure to measure your head for a proper fit! If in doubt - Please email us at couture@couturecreations.net or for direct customer service call us - 215 766 2163
Back to Top What is my Hat Size? To measure for your hat size: Place a soft tape measure approximately one inch above your eyebrows ( or just about the center of your forehead), wrapping the tape measure around your head keeping the tape parallel to the floor. Dont pull to tight or keep it to loose as this is how your hat will feel on your head. This is your hat size in inches. A common hat size is about 22 1/2 inches and many ladies hats are finished to this size.  Back to Top Face shapes and hats These guidelines will not always apply, but should be considered as a starting point for choosing a hat.
For example:
If your face is: If you have mature skin or shadows under your eyes, wear hats that open up your face like up-swept and profile brims. Droopy brims will emphasize shadows. Back to Top Matching a Hat with Your Outfit Fashion trends seem to break all the rules. In todays modern times there are no strict rules for wearing hats. The general guidelines are that the material of the hat should be appropriate for the season, the style of the hat should be appropriate for the occasion, and the color of the hat should co-ordinate with your selected outfit. Following are some guidelines for selecting an appropriate hat shape for your outfits silhouette. Long and Full: Try large-brimmed hats first as they balance the width and length of the skirt. If the top of the outfit is very fitted and slim, you might also try an extremely small hat. Short and Full: Try brimless or small-brimmed hats first. With a large hat, you may risk looking top-heavy. Narrow: Try a small hat first. This may be a brimless hat or a hat with a small brim however, this does not mean that the hat must be small! A large-brimmed hat can achieve a more romantic look. Inverted Triangle: Try a large-brimmed hat that looks proportional to the width at the shoulders. A-line: Small and medium hats may be your best bet. Back to Top Straw Types PARASISAL & SISAL: Delicate in texture but resilient in wear, takes dye well. The prefix "para" means a 2x2 or herringbone weave whereas sisals are a 1x1 linen weave. These bodies are "graded" in quality from grade I to VI although we use only the higher grades I and II for our hats. The quality relates to the fineness of weave and absence of faults. FANCY SISAL: As the name implies fancy sisals are made from sisal material. The Wicker sisal is a very large hood. It is the most popular in this range. The crown is solid 1x1 weave with the brim being woven in an open "wicker" weave. They make up into a beautiful lightweight and transparent hat. PANAMA: Very cool to wear, resilient to crushing. Panama straw comes from Ecuador, however in recent years Chinese bleached palm fibre is increasingly used to emulate the original. Normally a bleached finish, however it can be dyed to pastel colors. Our Panamas are hand woven in Ecuador. PAPER PANAMA: This straw is woven from Japanese Toyo paper. Normally seen in cream or white although sometimes dyed. Made in a simple blocked shape without wire in the brim edge, this straw can be rolled and packed without damage. SINAMAY: Comes in two forms, flat sheet or cloth and loosely woven hoods. Both types need stiffening before it can be blocked. Sinamay cloth hats are generally made from a number of layers and are blocked using the same method as fabric covered hats, woven hoods are blocked using traditional blocking methods. Back to Top A note about Vintage millinery materials Generally speaking the vintage materials noted on my designs are circa 1900 to 1940's. Some are earlier and typically noted as "Antique". Many modern materials pale in comparision to millinery items of yesteryear. There was a time when materials where made specifically for millinery and hat making use and the industry thrived. While there are still manufacturers that make ribbons, felts and such, it is far and few industries that make "millinery" specific materials and trimmings. Manufacturers processing were different and raw materials were often of better quality. Many of the designs found on these pages incorporate made for millinery materials of yesteryear even though I may not make a specific note of it. All the vintage materials are unused old stock sometimes found in its orginal packing or original label attached. I thrive in the excitement of the latest find and the touch and feel of these items once they arrive and feel connected to a simpler time of life when quality was more important than quantity. The same applies to the tools, hand forged of iron or wood, enginered for their specific purpose, knowing that many a hand has been part of their journey. Worthy of mention are all the wonderful people I get to meet along the way wether buying materials or designing a hat its usually an enriching experience. In closing allow me to quote:
"The problem with the world today,
There aren't enough people wearing hats." Customer Comments Dear Mary Ann, Your hats arrived this evening. Thank you so much. They are exquisite I am so excited. The purple one is a beautiful color. I love all of them and look forward to wearing them soon. Thank you once more it was a pleasure doing business with you. Kind regards, Debbie. Perth Wa, Australia ~~~~~~~~~~ Dear Mary Ann, Yvette just arrived and she is so fabulous. You did it again. Your work is wonderful. I have loved hats my whole life and have purchased many however none fit and they would always leave me with those tight forehead marks, and headaches galore too. No more . . . thanks to you and your beautiful Couture Creations. Again thank you. India, TX. ~~~~~~~~~~ "Thank you for designing and crafting this wonderful hat. It perfectly coordinated with my outfit and late 1800's sporting carriage to create a spectacular turnout during a recent pleasure drive as part of the PA Hunt Cup. Your millinery design skills and attention to detail are superb! Liz Kwasnik  I've received many packages in the mail, but few have been so pleasing to open as the hats I ordered from Couture Creations. They were well packaged in both the outer and inner boxes. But it was what was under the tissue paper that was best of all. The quality of the fabric and design of each hat was stunning. These are distinct and unique pieces. Someone asked me if they were vintage pieces because she hadn't seen such "properly designed cloche hats" like that in ages. I would strongly recommend Couture Creations. Mary Ann spent time discussing color combinations and fabric choices. She also gave detailed and easy to follow instructions to insure the best fit.
Back to Top About the Designer I am a self trained milliner and have been making hats for 6+ yrs. My goal is to provide high quality millinery using the finest of materials. The purpose of this site is to provide a boutique experience from the comfort of your home. Please ask questions! I love to hear from you. As a lover of vintage millinery I incorporate what is referred to as "Old - New Stock". This is stock that has never been used. These vintage items have been found in retired millinery warehouses, small museums and private collections across the country including the European marketplace. All hats are hand blocked and hand finished using traditional millinery techniques. Mary Ann Koch, Couture Creations Back to Top Wondering exactly what kinds of custom work can be done Here are some examples of custom work made for individual customers.
The Mad Hatter Hat was created for the Bucks County Local Derby Party. A yearly event held in conjuction with the Kentucky Derby Race to benefit the James A. Michener Art Museum:
Here is Juliana with alternate style crown covered with vintage veil and beaded trim. This design was a custom commision for a wedding hat.:
Or maybe something with a little color like Diamanta:
Perhaps you saw a style you would like in a different color like Hana shown here in blue with three Cala Lillies:
Or perhaps you prefer Black and Cream. This customer selected an alternate crown and stripped coque feathers bursting from the lillies for the Kentucky Derby Races:
Planning a wedding or attending one. The bride wanted something large and showy and this is the wedding hat that was created for the occasion:
Link Partners Proud to be an exhibiting member of the Electronic Cottage Online Arts & Crafts Gallery! This site lists artists by their name The Fedora Chronicles - Current news for vintage aficionados ~ Updated daily The Hat Ladies: This a nation-wide Organization of Ladies of all ages who combine their love of hats (of all colors) with their desire to volunteer. They represent the best of fashion and compassion and fun. IQnection - IQnection is a web design, hosting, and advertising company located in Doylestown, Pennsylvania, just north of Philadelphia. UGA media internet guide. Fast keyword based internet directory, we help you explore the web! We're Friends of The Angel of Fashion The Fashion on the Web - Official Directory © 5150 Bar and Grill - After Hours Observations / Shot Glass Wit - A casual online forum covering various topics |
