Here, Kitty, Kitty...

Yes, I totally just went with the Big Bang Theory-themed kitty print.  What can I say? I know my readers.

You know what I haven't done in a long, long time?  Posted some kitty hats.  I think I am officially going to remedy that right now.

First up, here's these fleecy kitty-ear hats, which I like not only because they look like they'd do a great job of keeping one's head warm, but because of the contrasting fabric sewn on the insides of the ears.  It makes 'em stand out a little more, I think.

Then there's this sweet little kitty-eared hood, which looks like it was straight-up inspired by the song referenced in today's amuse-bouche.

And just because I can't resist a good scoodie, here's a cheerfully bright kitty-eared one.  And even better: it's reversible, so you can have the funky patterned side out if you want.

Of course, if you're going to wear a kitty-ear hat, you might as well go with one that has the whole kitty face.  Go big or go home, people.

And just because (again) I know who my readers are, here's a zombie kitty-eared hat:

Because apparently not even cats will survive the zombie apocalypse, so it's only right that kitty ear hats reflect that.

And on that note, see you Wednesday!

Hittin' The Road

Note: The roads I'm gonna be on aren't going to look anything like this print, but I like it anyway.

Well, Internets, it's that time of year again. No, not tax season (although that is true)--it's time for me to go head up to Canada for the annual Re-Christmas vacation, which means I'm taking the week off from the hat blog so that I can focus on the important stuff: hanging out with good friends, having a great time and preferably not freezing to death before I head back home.

So here's wishing you all a great week, and see you next Monday!

Let's Throw In A Tiara

When it came to today's post, it was either this or any one of the numerous of the Keep Calm prints.  

For those of you who follow the exploits of a certain paragon of relevancy by the name of The Bloggess, then chances are pretty good that you are well-aware of her Traveling Red Dress (and if you're not, then that  link right there will pretty much tell you everything you need to know,) which is both heartwarming and moving.  And since inspired things tend to beget other inspired things, Geek Girls Book Club has been moved to create its own movement of reminding us of our self-worth, except instead of the aforementioned red dress, they have chosen instead something a bit more regal but no less outrageous as their reminder of our own awesomeness: the tiara.

Now, speaking honestly for the moment, I am not a fan of tiaras.  I have worn exactly one in my entire life (a wired pearl one with an attached veil for my First Communion, natch,) and promptly decided that it was Never Again The Tiara Times for me.  However, I do understand the need to remind ourselves from time to time that we are worthwhile, wonderful human beings, and that sometimes the best way to remind ourselves of that is by wearing something a little outré.

How do I know this?  Because I used to have a cape that I would wear when my ego needed a serious boost.  It wasn't a very fancy cape (if memory serves, it was a clearance cape from Spencer Gifts,) but when I fastened that thing around my neck, I felt like a superheroine and that I could take on anything and anyone.  And while I'm sure I looked ridiculous as I swooped around, swishing my cape with all the dramatic gravitas of a B-movie cast member, the fact is that just putting on that cape did more to raise my spirits than all the baby animal videos in the world (and yes, that includes baby otter videos.)  If clothes truly make the man, then that cape really did make me a superheroine, even if I couldn't really leap tall buildings in a single bound.

And that's where the tiara, the traveling red dress and my cape intersect; because there's something empowering about putting on something fantastically fabulous, and their value can only be felt, not measured.  So it is in the spirit of my long-gone Super Caela cape that today's post is about tiaras, albeit with a bit of a HH twist, obviously.

First up, there's this starched lace tiara, which is delightfully simple but still has that regal touch all at the same time.

For those of you who dig on nature, you may be interested in this bronze tiara made from pine cones.  Yes, you read that right--freakin' pine cones.  Doesn't hardly look like it, does it?

I like the peacock coloring of this sweet little sequined tiara.  Jewel tones make everything look more opulent, in my opinion.

Then again, why settle for subtle ostentation when you can rock a tiara made of stars?

But if you are looking for a tiara that looks more like a classic tiara, here's a tiara-shaped tiara made of repurposed vintage milk stones:

Because wearing a tiara doesn't mean you have to limit yourself to rhinestones and paste jewels, dang it.

And on that note, that's it for this week.  See you Monday!

What The Lump, HH?

This pretty much says it all, honestly.

As some of you may have noticed, there wasn't a hat post this morning.  Heck, there wasn't even a blog by 9 AM, because I took the whole thing down.  The reason for that is (as those of you who follow my Twitter account are already aware,) I've been talking a lot about two American bills,  called H.R. 3261, AKA the Stop Online Piracy Act (SOPA) and  S. 986, AKA PROTECT IP Act (PIPA) how much I don't like 'em.

Now, on the face of it, these two bills are nothing to worry about.  In fact, they seem pretty good, as that their intents are to stop piracy and counterfeiters from profiting from their misdeeds.  However, the problem is that the way these bills are worded is so vague that, in their current form, are going to do more harm than good.  And by "harm," I mean "ruin the Internet as we know it."

And I wish that was just knee-jerk hyperbole talking, but it's not.  Particularly in the case of SOPA, where proxy servers, virtual private networks, open-source software, the integrity of the DNS servers, "safe harbor" protections, user content hosting sites are all in danger of being obliterated by SOPA.  Why?  Because if they're not made outright illegal (re: proxy servers, open-source software,) shut down (virtual private networks,) or compromised (DNS server integrity, "safe harbor,") then these things will be delisted from search engines and blocked (that'd be the user content hosting sites, a la the Chinese Great Firewall.)

Again: User content hosting sites such as Etsy, Flickr, and Vimeo could be delisted and/or straight-up removed from the Internet, all because of this imperfect bill.  If that doesn't make the hair the back of your neck stand up you must not actually use the Internet, because this is like proposing to carpet bomb a neighborhood instead of using a bug bomb on a roach-infested house, and that's just too stinkin' dramatic of a step to take.

Don't get me wrong--I am all for respecting copyrights and intellectual property.  As you'll find on this very blog, I have a Creative Commons license, protecting my rights and interests when it comes to my own words.  But I want to have the ability to use my words, and SOPA could very well take that away from me. And yes, I know SOPA has been shelved, but as someone on Twitter said, "SOPA 'shelved' does not mean 'dead'.  All it is is them saying: Oops--you were paying attention.  We'll try again later."

So today, Reddit, Mozilla and several other websites decided to go dark in protest of PIPA and SOPA. And since I'm  the kind of person who likes to put my money where my mouth is, Heinous Hats went dark, too.  Granted, I don't think it was probably as missed as some many all of the others, but the fact remains that it went dark just the same.  Hey--just because my sphere of influence is about the size of a shooter marble doesn't mean my voice doesn't count, dang it.

So if you would rather not have days like today, where your favorite sites have been shuttered, then contact your local representative and senator in protest of SOPA and PIPA.  Because online piracy sucks, but censorship sucks even more.

The Bold And The Bearded

This print: Insinuating that beards are community property since, well, whenever this print was made. 

Let me tell you, Internets, it is cold here in Centraliana today.  Really, well and truly freakin' cold.  And considering that it wasn't all that long ago (try a week ago) that it was about 50 degrees Fahrenheit here, suddenly seeing temperatures that are barely cracking the teens just proves something I've said for a long time: Es gibt keinen gerechten und liebenden Kartoffel.

And you know what?  IT'S TRUE.  But I digress.

Anywho, now that it's starting to look act a lot like winter around here, that means bundling up big-time.  It seems like everybody around here has finally broken out those thick winter coats that make 'em look like the Michelin Man, the scarves that put the Fourth Doctor's to shame and the crowning glory of winter gear: the ski hat/balaclava.

Well, that is, if said person doesn't have a beard.  Otherwise, they just let that thing grow wild and woolly, therefore insulating their faces with their own hirsuteness.  And dang it, I'm jealous.

But then again, I can at least take comfort that, while I may never grow a beard myself, I could always get a beard hat.  Which is why today, we're going to be looking at beard hats again.

First up, there's this rather impressive beard beanie, which I like not only because the beard matches the stripey bit of the beanie, but because that is one honkin' beard.

Of course, if you prefer that the bearded part of the beard beanie clings a little closer to your face, you could always go with the this model.  And even better, the mustache part of the beard is all curly and stuff, for that added bit of panache.

Is it just me, or does this beard beanie remind anyone else of the old-school Captain Birdseye?

Going back to mustachey bits again, I'm liking the handlebar on this bearded beanie.  Something about it just  says "I'm just a few strategic snips away from being a biker beanie."

And because I like to go out with a bang, here's a beautifully bountiful beard:

Wasn't lying, was I?  And better still, this sucker can be worn with any hat of your choosing, so you don't have to wear a beanie in order to have the beard.  Sweet!

And on that note, see you Wednesday!

Eight-Legged Cuteness

So what do you get if you take the old guy from the Monopoly game and cross him with a plush octopus?  These guys.

...Do I even need to kick this off with an opening paragraph?  It's octopus hats!

First off, let's get the obligatory Obey My Brain bit out of the way.  Because they're highly awesome, and I'm pretty sure it breaks several Internet laws to write a post about octopus hats and not mention them.

There we go, and bullet: OFFICIALLY DODGED.

Next up is this charmingly knit octopus hat, which I absolutely adore.  It's the button eyes, folks.  Button eyes are Cruise Control to Adorableness.

I like the abstractness of this octopus beanie.  It's got an octopus on it, but the abstract rendering of the octopus makes it really subtle.  It's like a stealth octopus hat.

Meanwhile, this knit octopus fascinator is anything but subtle.  In fact, I'd almost be tempted to wear this as an earwarmer, because "fascinator" just isn't big enough a word to describe it.

And just because I feel like ending this on a loud and long note, here's an ornate-like-whoa octopus top hat:

I wasn't kidding about the "ornate" bit, was I?  And you really should embiggen this, because it is just loaded with details.  I think even the details have details.

And on at note, see you next week!

Blue Birds Of Something

I like this print but in all honesty, I can't read what's written on there without mentally 

adding "and pooping on my car" on to the end.  And now, you can't, either.  You're welcome.

Have you ever gone on the Internet to look up something in particular, and then, after many hours later, you find yourself looking at something else entirely and you have no idea how the crap that happened?  Yeah, that would be me right about now.

See, I was originally looking for hats made out/involving computer cables or floppy disks (what can I say--my muse is weird,) and after hours--freaking HOURS--of searching, I somehow found myself looking at blue bird hats.  Which, I might add, is not even remotely what I wanted to be looking at, but due to my not being more mindful of the Internet's propensity to suck time, the aforementioned time is now at a premium and I need to get this post written up and done, which means it's blue birds hats today.

And I will freely admit this post is going to be kinda skimpy, and for that, I apologize.  But hopefully, there's at least something in here that you'll think is cool, and if you're not, know that I'm not really pleased with this, either.  Which isn't to say that the hats on here today are bad--they're just not what I wanted to post today.  To put it bluntly, this post is like craving cookies but eating cinnamon graham crackers instead; no matter how good the substitution is, it just ain't gonna come close to what you really wanted.

So on that note, here we go:

First up is a blue bird bobble hat that I actually kinda want, mainly because it would go so well with my Toronto Blue Jays jersey.  And yes, I have one.  Shut up.

The next two hats have the following three things in common:

1. They're both from the same shop
2. They're both done in the same 1930-1940 style
3. They both feature birds on a bluish background, as opposed to being blue birds.

But again, there's a time crunch to consider here, and I think they're rad, so here they are:

Boo

Freakin' YAH.

And now, to wrap this post up, here's a hat of Mordecai from Regular Show, complete with accompanying Rigby hat:

Mind you, this show can be just as crazed as Adventure Time, but I actually like Regular Show better.  Because minding two kids between the ages of five and 13 on a regular basis turns everyone into a connoisseur of children's programming eventually, and those two shows are the top-shelf stuff, folks.

And on that note, I'm gonna go get some cinnamon graham crackers.  See you Friday!

Rack 'Em Up

Well, how else can you start off a post about hat racks and such except with an arty print of a spice rack, I ask you?

So the other day, a friend of the family that--in the tradition of ready-made Internet anonymity monikers--I'm going to call K-Nem (who also owns an Etsy shop full of creeperific dollies/statuary, so if you're into that, I highly suggest checking it out) left this message on my Facebook:

"Not sure if you've been accumulating hats due to the blog, but I saw this and thought of you."

And the she left me a link to a website called Decor Hacks, which had a lot of really nifty hat storage ideas, such as this one made from an old, upturned umbrella:

Which, frankly, is pretty sweet and I like very, very much, so it makes sense that some of you out there would like it, too.  However, while I have somehow managed to amass a respectably tiny collection of my own hats (meaning, I own three, but that is subject to change,) the fact remains that I simply don't have enough to justify having that much storage for them.  

Which is why I started thinking about hat stands, and decided to go looking for some.  And that's how I found this nifty metal one:

And this one (which I'm pretty sure is going to make TH's head asplode when he sees it, but whatever:)

Seriously, I can hear him bubbling with rage about the indignity this hand tool is suffering, and he hasn't even seen it yet.

And lastly, while I know that lots of people like to use mannequin heads as hat stands, I would like to humbly submit this as the best hat stand made of felt:

And even better, these are just instructions on how to make your own.  So, y'know, if you're the crafty type, you can make your own felted mannequin head and have it look however you want.

Now if only there was a way to make it look like a stormtrooper, that'd be perfect for me.  And while I'm dreaming, I'd like a pony a car a pony-car.

See you Wednesday!

The Yeti Strikes Back

These may well be my official holiday cards for next year.  

Because nothing says "holiday spirit" like a yeti catching snowflakes on its tongue.

You know what I haven't done in about a year?  Posted some yeti hats.  And seeing as it's Friday and I Love The Yeti is most likely going with its theme of Not A Yeti Friday, I don't think they'll mind too terribly much if I step up to the plate and post some yeti hats.  And if they do, I humbly apologize here and now for stepping on their yeti turf, but I love me the yeti too, which is why I follow their yeti blog in the first yeti place and I need to get this paragraph over and done with because at the rate this is going "yeti" is beginning to no longer look like a word.

So, yeah.  Yeti hats: let us look at them already.

First up, there's this yeti hat by Knitwits, which the Torontonian contingent will be happy to learn is available at Trove in Bloor West Village.  So if you happen to swing by there and like it, feel free to thank me with one of these hats.

Next up is a little something for you crafty types: this DIY yeti hat, complete with instructions on how to make your own.

You're welcome.

Then there's this crocheted yeti hat, worn by a kid who appears to have already mastered the Kubrick Stare.  Which, frankly, I find a little unsettling, but the hat is adorable, so it evens out.

Then there's this earwarmer, which is described as being a "monster" earwarmer (and that the color is "Candy Floss Pink,") but you know my rule: if it has the familiar symptoms of yeti, it's a freakin' yeti.  And due to the presence of blue horns, I declare this a yeti earwarmer, and IN THE POST IT GOES.

My reasonableness: Let me show you it.

And just because I like it, here's a hood of Bumble, the Abominable Snowman from that Rankin-Bass Rudolf Christmas Special:

And honestly, I'm not sure which is cuter--the kid, or the hood.  What do you think?

And on that note, that's it for this week.  See you Monday!

Big 'Ol Faker

Y'know, as opposed to REAL Pretty, whatever that may be.

Confession Time:  You know how some people have been traumatized in childhood by Disney's Bambi, and therefore refuse to hunt deer/eat venison as adults?  101 Dalmatians did that to me when it comes to being asked to wear fur.  It doesn't matter how well the stuff keeps out the cold or how nice it's considered to look or even the fact that I have never even seen a dog-skin coat; all I can think about Cruella de Vil and her Ahab-like obsession with getting that puppy-pelt parka, and frankly, that's just a turn-off.

Now, before you all think I've gone over to the PETA side, I'd like to state for the record that I have zero problem with leather.  The reason for that is not because Disney didn't bother to make movies about crazed fashionistas putting out hits on herds of cows (because Disney probably definitely knows all too well about marketing and What Measure Is A Non-Cute,) but because I'm of the opinion that if we're going to be raising such things for food, we might as well make use of the rest, too.  Meanwhile, the critters farmed for fur are not likely to be found ground up and packaged in the meat section of your local grocery store, so that just strikes me as wasteful.

Which is why if I wear anything fur-like, it's gonna be fake.  And yes, I know that faux fur has a bad rep for looking, well, fake, but it can be done rather nicely.  And today's post is proof of that.

For starters, there's this fake fur hat, which is pretty snazzy.  I particularly like the antique lace bits, which gives it a bit of a funky touch, I think.

Then there's this faux fur hood, which might be the most decadent-looking thing I've seen in a long while.  It just looks so soft and warm that I'd be tempted to wear this thing to bed every single night, although bets are good that TH would take umbrage with that.

Of course, if there's anything fake fur does well, it's make for some awesomely wacky hats.  To wit:

Just look at this fake fur monster scoodie and tell me it's not awesome.  The danged thing's even got pockets, and claws, for crying out loud!

And just because I like it, here's a faux fur goat hat:

What can I say?  I'm a sucker for horns.

And on that note, see you Friday!

Getting Back On The Case

I like this print, as that it strikes me as both ethereal and yet somehow familiar.

So, Internets.  As you probably noticed, last week I dropped off the face of the universe after Monday's post.  If you were following me on Twitter, then you probably already know the reason why, but just on the off-chance that you don't, allow me to explain why with something that is purported to be worth a thousand words: a picture.

That, my dear Internets, is a picture of my dad and me, taken by Youngest Sis A at the hospital last week.  Why was it taken in a hospital, you ask?  Because Dad Rue got into a severe traumatic really freakin' gnarly car accident, and hospitals tend to be where they send people who get into such accidents if they're lucky enough to survive them (and trust me, he is a very, very lucky guy.)

Also, in that picture?  He is as high as a kite.  I'm pretty sure that's the only reason why he allowed for it to be taken in the first place.  Morphine: Great for pain management, bad for judgement skills.  But I digress.

Suffice it to say, I spent the majority of last week up in Michiana with family, visiting my dad in the hospital and trying to help out in any way I could, which didn't leave any time for writing up blog posts about hats.  And while I feel like a bit of a jerk for that (I mean, I could've at least written a post before I left, explaining why there was a blogging blackout,) but I think now you all can understand why that was the farthest from my mind.

But now that Dad Rue is well on the road to recovery, I am back at home and regular posting will begin again on Wednesday, because I am still trying to process/decompress.  But I promise--there will be hat posts again soon.  Just not today.

Thank your for your understanding, and see you Wednesday.