Which Side Of My Head Should I Wear My Fascinator?

I’m going to try something a little different this week, I’m pushing my technical boundaries and integrating video, so that I can demonstrate more readily than just by writing.  It would be great to get your feedback afterwards, I’m not psychic or a mind reader, but I do want to ensure that what I’m sharing with you is helpful and relevant.

The following advice is applicable whether the headpiece is a side tiara, birdcage veil, fascinator  or asymmetrical headpiece.

The Tradition

Traditionally a lady wore her hat or headpiece to the right.  The origin of this tradition is alleged to date back to the polite custom of a gentleman accompanying a lady by walking to her left.  This allowed her face to remain visible for him and allow conversation unimpeded.  The tradition of the gentleman walking to the left is alleged to date back to the days when knights wore swords strapped to their left, ready to draw with their right hand.  Had a lady walked at her knights left it would have clattered against her. 

The Reality

Those days of chivalry are long since departed and although I’m a lover of traditions, I think (as do a good number of leading milliners) that there is more flexibility and choice.  I believe that if a lady is investing good money in having a headpiece handmade for her, that at the very least , it should be made to be as flattering as possible to her, the side that suits her best is very much part of it.

SO, ARE YOU THINKING OF COMMISSIONING A HEADPIECE?

One of the first questions I will ask you, is…

“WHICH SIDE OF YOUR HEAD DO YOU WEAR YOUR PARTING?”

Take a minute and watch this quick video and I’ll demonstrate why I ask this question, and you can see how it’s relevant.

Did that make sense?  I hope so.

WEARING YOUR HEADPIECE

Once you’ve received your fascinator, please ensure that you wear it the correct way around.  Below are two photographs that I hope illustrate this point. 

In the first photograph you can see me wearing a fascinator the way it was intended to be worn, the detail is all facing the front. 

In the second photograph I’ve worn it on my parting side but all the details are now facing the back of my head. 

Had this piece been made for me to wear it would be a mirror image so that all the details face the front and it sits correctly on my parting.  This is the advantage of having something custom made to order for you.

It’s more than likely that the events you are wearing something on your head to attend are going to be special days and the cameras are going to be out in force (whether we like them or not). You want to ensure that if you are going to be caught on camera that your headpiece is working in your favor.

Not only will you look a little daft wearing a headpiece back to front, it is utterly soul destroying to receive images (on rare occasions) from clients whom I’ve spent hours or days working hard and creating for, only to see it worn back to front on the special day.  From a selfish perspective it doesn’t show my handiwork to it’s best advantage but as I’ve said, that’s selfish, what matters more is that it hasn’t showcased the client to their best potential.

I hope that was informative and not too technical.  Let me know if it makes sense to you.

Until next time x

Harriet