An Unexpected Gift.

The aftermath of a house move is...empty cardboard boxes.  What felt like hundreds of them; I swear they were breeding in the garage...  The original plan was to return them to the removal company and reclaim our deposit, but they went bust, taking our deposit with them (entirely against the law, of course, but not a lot to do about it).  So... landfill?  Seemed like a waste.  So we offered them locally, and gave them to a very nice lady.  Turns out that she owns a second hand shop, the second hand shop that never seemed to be open, but had an incredibly beautiful hat in the window.  Every time we passed it, I commented on the hat.  Robin happened to mention it to the nice lady as he helped her to unload the boxes at her shop.  Reader, she gave it to me....and isn't it beautiful?

Apparently it's an Australian hat, bought in Melbourne.  Vintage, around the 1970s; I must admit, I have difficulty applying the term vintage to something that was made in my lifetime.  Intensely bridal; if not the bride herself, then surely the mother of the bride.  It's satin, with lovely flowers around the brim.  It still has its original label and the swing ticket from the shop, so clearly never worn, and really expensive for the time.  The crown is a little dented, but hey, if I'd come from Melbourne in a container lorry, I would be dented too.  I think it's buckram underneath that satin.  It is absolutely gorgeous. 

I'm a very lucky person....and now wondering about a vintage hat collection... shhh, don't tell Robin... And must get back to millinery.