mad tea party

How fitting that a mad tea party provided the perfect inspiration and backdrop for our dizzy alice photo shoot. Our philosophy reflects the essence of a mad tea party in that we believe style should have no pretentious rules or expectations but rather, exude freedom and fearlessness. We believe in mixing new and old pieces, experimenting with accessories, embracing individuality & mood - and of course having a ball along the way!

   

Our shoot was the stuff dreams are made of: we were submersed in a colourful frenzy with waltzing butterflies and tantalizing cupcakes from Bitten.

The pearls devoured the scene while nonsensical riddles were music to our ears.
One could say it was a darn right beautiful mess.

Our accessories mingled with our housewares to create much muchness. What could be muchier?

You may think we are raving mad and we would thank you for the compliment.

Our only hope is that our Cheshire grins are contagious. 

So put on your party hats...

...and don't be late for the art crawl on Friday, August 9th at 6:00 pm! xo

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Our photo shoot would not have been as enjoyable or successful

without a few special people helping us along the way:

Anna:

For this photo shoot we wanted a dramatic and playful look. Our makeup helped us get into character and feel as though we popped right out of Wonderland. Anna's talent, experience, and creativity allowed her to stray from her usual form of makeup application. Anna's speciality is classic bridal makeup as well as timeless makeup for any of life's significant events. Check out her website here to see some of her gorgeous work:

www.littleredlipstick.carbonmade.com

 

Travis:

Travis is an up-and-coming photographer who is a pleasure to work with. His eye for creativity is always mind-boggling. The perspectives he captures with the lens is like no other. We absolutely love working with Travis; his casual yet professional manner allows us to feel at ease in front of the camera. To contact Travis for your own photos, you can reach him by email:

travis.muise@gmail.com

mad hatters

Hats are outstanding. Period. "'nuff said." A hat creates a presence, a bold statement that says, "Look! I'm different, I'm distinguished, I'm distinctive, and I'm darn right fabulous!" Hats are even categorized by darling names (and rightfully so!), such as the "Cartwheel", "Halo", or "Mushroom."

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Hats have such a legacy! Can you believe there was a time when women wouldn't leave their homes without a hat on? No matter how fabulous an outfit was, it was just not complete without a sassy hat. Hats were such a significant accessory during the 1950's that they would often come with complimentary lipstick and nail polish recommendations.

 It was a dismal time in fashion history when hats started to lose their appeal in the mid-1960's - preposterous, if you ask us! However, dizzy alice is happy to announce that...*drum roll please*... the chapeau is making a comeback!! This revival has been made possible by hat devotees, such as Kate Middleton, whose impeccable taste in hats and fascinators reserves her a seat at any mad tea party! 

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Similarly, the Royal Wedding and Queen's Diamond Jubilee have also put hats and fascinators back on the map. It's always a pleasure to relish in the eccentric glory of the headdresses at these particular events. The enchanting designs make you feel as though you have stepped into a fairytale. This is one of our favourites:

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Wouldn't you agree that a hat can take an outfit from "everyday" to "that sh*t cray"? Whether you are wearing a hat for function or fashion, dizzy alice has the one for you! 

We have the perfect hats to bask in that warm summer glow.

Hat: Queen of Spades $12; Top: Lemon Twist $12; Skirt: Alice Sails the Seven Seas $14; Earrings $5; Bangles vary

Hat: Black Widow $17; Dress: The Hookah-Smoking Caterpillar $15

Shirt: Fallen Flowers $10; Skirt: Pink Floyd $10; Tapestry Purse: Mid-Century Pennyfarthing $15

Or hats to wear at events such as weddings or swanky soirees.

We love the moody blues found in this 1930's Turban. The bow at the back is magical!

1930s Soiree Chapeau $12; Necklaces & bracelets vary

How fascinating are fascinators?! They give a mysterious aura, a pop of colour, and a fun flair suited for a plethora of outfits. We love the infinite blusher on our "Off With Her Head" fascinator.

Hat: Off With Her Head $20

"Dinah's Daydream", our pretty purple fascinator, is fit for the queen herself!



Hat: Dinah's Daydream $20; Dress: Golden Afternoon $15; Lady Profile Brooch $5; Earrings $5 



Wear a hat for every day errands, a coffee date with a special friend, or lunch on a patio. "The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back" is perfect for such occasions. This casual felt hat can be dressed up or down with an addition of a beautiful blingy brooch or a big bold bow .

Hat: The Straw That Broke The Camel's Back $20; Skirt: Honey, I'm Home $25; Necklace: Anubis $15 ; Purse: Caucaus Race $20 ; Scarf $4



We are thrilled that hats and fascinators are becoming trendy once again because they can make any occasion feel like a royal affair! Be mad as a hatter and add some pizzaz to your parties by implementing hats and fascinators as a theme. They bring so much colourful energy, making events even more memorable!

So if you're hankering for a hat, come visit us mad hatters and check out our collection at the James North art crawl at 6:00 p.m. this Friday July 12th at 136 James Street North in front of
H.Williams Jewellery.
See you there!

Skirt: Alice Goes to Oxford $12; Purse: Audrey & the Red Queen go Shopping $15; Ring & Bracelets vary 

The Mad Hatter: "Your carriage, my lady."

Alice: "A hat?"

The Mad Hatter: "Of course. Anyone can go by horse or rail,

but the absolute best way to travel is by hat. Have I made a rhyme?"

What's your favourite type of hat? We'd love to know! Leave us a comment:

brilliant brooches

Brooches are an accessory that have long been neglected in the world of fashion. We find this such a shame because we can't get enough of these playful pieces! In our dreamy wonderland, every woman would be donning brilliant brooches to complete their outfit. Our hope is to revitalize the idea of the brooch, free it from its frumpy reputation, and perhaps even inspire you to incorporate them into your wardrobe with confidence! Just look at all the creative ways these intriguing brooches can be fastened!

Add some fun and flair to a hat!

Hat: The Straw that Broke the Camel's Back $20 (brooch included)

We love the way they spruce up collars:

Double chained brooch $10; Shirt: Twinkle Twinkle Little Bat, $9

Dangling pearl brooch $10; Shirt: Fallen Flowers $10; Hat: Black Widow $17

Apple brooch $5

Bring some shine to your waistline by pinning a brooch to your belt!

Silver burst brooch $10; Dress: The Hookah-Smoking Caterpillar $15; Hat: Black Widow $17

 

Or for these sultry summer months, we love the idea of them pinned to spaghetti straps on tanks or dresses!

 

Butterfly brooch $3; Hat: 1950s Soiree Chapeau $12, Necklaces vary in prices.

There are endless possibilities when it comes to wearing this versatile accessory. Here, Vanessa's mother has attached a brooch to her necklace to make it a sparkly statement piece.

How clever!  

We also grow weak in the knees for projects that incorporate brooches. The brooch bouquet, for instance, is sure to add vintage elegance with a modern twist to any wedding. Add a couple to fresh flowers for glimmer and interest or use many for the entire bouquet! Even attach one special beauty to the base of the bouquet. These brooches make such beautiful keepsakes from a very special day!

 If you're as much of a Mad Men fan as we are, you've noticed how our favourite character, Joan, adorns a brooch on just about every outfit.  

What a vintage vixen!

Here is dizzy alice's very own Joanie brooch!

Joan's brooch $10

 

 

Not only do these beautiful brooches posses their own whimsical stories, but create new ones as well. One of dizzy alice's splendid memories was fastening an Avon collector's brooch "just so" to a lovely lady's lapel during the June art crawl. This brooch is an old fashioned telephone and we are just delighted it went home to such a charming Hamiltonian.

What a curious piece this is -- especially since the cell phone has replaced the landline for many.

Here are a couple other lovelies in our collection:

Leather sunflower brooch $3

Umbrella brooch $10

Lady profile brooch $5

Dangling pearl brooch $10

1950s Victorian revival hand-painted brooch $10

We simply cannot resist the way brooches add a little panache to any outfit and we hope you now better understand why we swoon over this brilliant accessory.

Be sure to check out our ever-growing collection at Friday's art crawl on James Street North!

How do you like to wear your brooch? We'd love to know! Leave us a comment!