Fascinators

April 15, 2016

Fascinators--the festive, frivolous headgear brought into the public eye by the fashionable British royals and their milieu--are most commonly worn for weddings and other jubilant occasions. After several years as a milliner, Scheidig started teaching the art of designing and constructing fascinators to an eager audience, and this collection of 25 millinery projects brings her workshops to a wider audience. Millinery requires specialized tools, fabrics, and techniques, and Scheidig opens this book with a thorough overview of the basics, including construction of hat bases and techniques for working with common embellishments such as feathers and flowers. Each project includes written instructions with photographs of key steps, as well as a fashion photograph of the fascinator worn by a model. A selection of floral crowns, dainty wire-and-bead tiaras, and bridal fascinators round out the projects. There's a certain wow factor to Scheidig's designs--but most of us have few occasions appropriate for a fascinator. VERDICT Women who attend the type of events where showpiece hats are de rigueur, as well as fashionable brides, may enjoy this guide to DIY millinery.

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