Tips

How to take care of your hats

Storing

A hat that you wear regularly deserves generous space on the hat shelf of your wardrobe. A special hat stand designed to spare the brim of your hat and perfectly support its shape can be purchased from our branches.

Overwintering

*A straw hat can be stored in a similar manner. In order to prevent the straw from drying out, it is recommended that the hat be placed in a plastic bag, which should be blown into to optimize humidity and create a protected environment.
*Store your felt hat as well in a plastic bag, to prevent the moths to enjoy your hat. We recommend putting a few cloves in the bag with felt hats, as moths do not like the smell of cloves.

Cleaning

*You can clean the inside hat-ribbon by using a few drops of pure alcohol or benzene-moistened corner of a clean towel. You dap the front area to remove make-up, creme, skin residue and sweat.
*Some stains on a hat are almost impossible to remove like spots from dirty rain, stains of grease and wine.  For these and other stains, we recommend that you contact us asap.
*We advise you not to wear your pale pastel or ivory felt hat in the rain. Nowadays, the rain is dirty and leaves spots on light coloured felt hats.
*Dark coloured felt hats in both wool and fur felt can be worn in the rain. You should refrain from drying them in a warm room nor near the central heating. Felt hats may shrink if they dry in a warm room.
*Hats that are made from natural straw should not be worn in the rain, nor washed. The dried natural fibres absorb moisture and the straw hat will lose its firmness and shape.

Service and maintenance

We will gladly assist you with in-depth styling advice and knowledge regarding hygiene, cleaning and comfort. We also offer an additional maintenance service to keep your favourite hats in tip-top condition.

How to store your hats away

 

 

A moth-free summer

In order to store a felt hat during the summer, place it in a spacious plastic bag. This will avoid your hat losing its shape: fill the inside of the hat with blotting paper and add a clove or sandalwood to the bag, before securely closing the plastic bag. In order to prevent discolouration via ultraviolet rays, we recommend you store the plastic bag in a hatbox or in another dark area.

 

 

 

Style Direction for the Social Season

Liz Be, Editor of The Style Director

With the €˜Social Season€™ looming (see our Social Calendar of Events), stylish women will even now be considering what to wear that will tick all the right boxes.  First on the list is Glyndebourne, where evening wear is the choice of most women.  Take a light coat and a wrap to avoid the evening chill while picnicking and choose a cocktail hat that will not obscure the view of others in the audience but will add a touch of chic to any outfit.  May we suggest a stunning piece by Karen Henriksen.

Close on the heels of Glyndebourne is the Chelsea Flower Show - a great opportunity to wear a large showpiece trimmed such as Tara from the Bronté collection?  The Epsom Derby and Royal Ascot offer even more opportunity to dress to the hilt and splash out on a memorable but stylish piece to top off well-chosen outfits.  The Hat Gallery M/V would be delighted to offer their bespoke service and embellish a stunning hat to coordinate with your wardrobe.  Philip Treacy and Stephen Jones are best known for their Ascot creations and we have a wide choice of their hats, as well as head, turning winners from Celine Robert, Bonnie Evelyn and Nerida Fraiman.

Wimbledon, Henley and Cowes are far less sartorially daunting but, nonetheless, they provide a great opportunity to make a statement.    Straws are probably called for these events - more formal for Henley  (choose sculptured pieces by Mirjam Nuver or more simple large-brimmed straws for Wimbledon).  And cotton caps or sailor hats by Oliver Sander would certainly not look amiss at Cowes. Men should ward off the sun with stylish straw boaters, Stetsons or lightweight caps, all of which we provide in a variety of fabrics and finishes.

Hats are go-to accessories that can make or break an outfit so it is crucial to choose your piece under the expert guidance of a trained salesperson.  There is no one more knowledgeable than Marly Vroemen but her staff too have been trained to help choose the most suitable hats for clients and the events they are attending.