Edie Orenstein, Vancouver Milliner and Illustrators at SMOC - Jan 15, 2023

Very enthusiastic about hats and usually wearing one, I greatly enjoyed Edie Orenstein's presentation about Women's 1940's hats. I wore a classic, wool, green beret and green necklace and earrings by Carolyn Bruce. Have lots of hats, made on a block and hand stitched, some with feathers, some with bows and some accessorized with brooches. Edie's were much more sophisticated and constructed of better materials and much more complex in construction and design. The hats came from several collections including Edie's. There were hats from Ivan Sayers, Claus Jahnke and SMOC.

Edie says that berets are on always on trend; it's that romantic connection to the French Beret. I like it because it is chic, fits well, can be worn on either side of my head or at the back or front and always stays on. Easy care and easy to style up or leave plain. When I wear a beret, I think of story and maybe even try to make that happen. There is a global explosion of hat making and wearing now. A lot are machine made and consequently more affordable. Hats are worn for a wide variety of events. but I hate to see them at the table. Whatever you choose and where ever you might go with them, Edie says it takes confidence and planning. She sees hats as sculptures so they are statements and wearable ART. 

Hats are political, cultural and historical. Compare flamboyant hats of the boom years with the smaller, more economically made ones of the war years. Think of the times and who was allowed to Design and who was excluded/forbidden from having any business at all. Claus Jahnke has many rare hats and labels that exemplify creativity despite desperate times. 

Edie encourages us to think about what is powerful about a hat. What do you want it to be? Is there a statement to be made? What story might you tell about the maker, the history, the origin and will the stories be shared with other hat wearers? At an event or just every day? And speaking of events, there is a great one coming up at the Museum of Vancouver. Opening night is March 15th and the exhibit runs from March 16 throughout 2023! It is a vast exhibit of 4 collections: #IvanSayers, Claus Jahnke, SMOC (society for the museum of costume) and Lace Embrace Atelier and Antique Corset by Melanie Talkington.

Here are some of my Hat Event photos of Edie Orenstein and other familiar collectors and makers. But, additionally, two new faces: Madison Prangnell and Forest Tomlin are two who are new to SMOC and made reels of what they saw. Forest's illustrations are also featured throughout this post!

First hat presented by Edie Orenstein

 

Illustration by Forest Tomlin of pink hat with flowers

 

Claus Jahnke

 

Edie Orenstein

Lynn Katey in her Audrey Hepburn hat

Illustration by Forest Tomlin of Lynn Katey's outfit

Ivan Sayers and Lynn Katey

Ivan Sayers, Lynn Katey, William S. Walker, Milliner, and Dianna Drahanchuk

 

Claus Jahnke and Jenna Johnson of Cappelleria Bertacchi, Gastown

 

Edie Orenstein demonstrating the way to wear the hat

Edie Orenstein

Edie Orenstein and her audience

Marlo de Vaal, in white gloves for those special hats

 

Edie Orenstein through a hat

 

Edie, Marlo and Ivan

Marlo de Vaal

Forest Tomlin, Colleen Tsoukalas, Madison Prangnell

Illustration by Forest Tomlin

Illustration by Forest Tomlin

Illustration by Forest Tomlin

Illustration by Forest Tomlin

 Illustration by Forest Tomlin