LADIES’ DAY IS a day of unabashed glamour, when women turn into peacocks, vying for the chance to win best dressed or most stylish.
Competition is fierce, and the prizes are worth it, but the most important thing to remember is to stay true to your own style.
Since we all know the hats are the most important part of the whole shebag – the icing on the top of the cake, if you will – here’s your failsafe guide to what hat will best reflect your personality this weekend…
Burke is a Galway native, and makes headwear from his two two studios in Loughrea and Dublin. He won the prestigious title of Accessory Designer of the Year a the 2010 Irish Fashion Innovation Awards and his hats are a staple of Royal Ascot, Cheltenham and his native Galway Races too. His hats add drama to any outfit, with lots of feathers and beading.
Based in Tralee, Kennelly makes bespoke headpieces – in her own words – “with love”. Her hats are a common fixture on finalists at many Irish Ladies’ Days around the country. She won the Irish Accessory Designer of the Year in 2011. Because she makes hats to order, and has a kooky sense of style herself, you can be sure you’ll get something that will stand out from the crowd.
A longstanding figure on the millinery scene, Catherine has been making beautiful hats for over 20 years now. She trained in Belgium, worked in London and Australia, before settling in Dublin. She has designed hats to complement top Irish dress designers like Louise Kennedy and Aideen Bodkin.
Martha Lynn started out in Fine Art, graduating from IADT, before moving on to work as a 3D visual artist for an architecture firm. However, she soon realised that hats were her calling and went on to study under Aileen Keogan, the renowned milliner. Her artistic and design background can be seen in her cutting edge style.
Wrynne is from County Leitrim and is a relative newcomer to the millinery scene. She launched her first hat collection in 2011. Her clients include people like Pippa O’Connor, Sile Seoige and Fair City’s Aoibhinn Garrihy. She was also listed as one of six finalists for Milliner of the Year at the Irish Fashion Innovation Awards 2014.
And of course, the creme de la creme of Irish hat-making. Although now based in London, he leads a light for all Irish milliners, having made hats for people such as Camilla Parker Bowles, Isabella Blow and Sarah Jessica Parker. He has also worked alongside famous designers, such as Alexander McQueen, Karl Lagerfeld and Ralph Lauren.
If you reckon you’re up there with the greats – and really want to go all out this Ladies’ Day – then you know who to choose.
Then steal the low-key style of Made in Chelsea’s Millie Mackintosh, who will be along at The Dubai Duty Free Irish Derby Festival this Friday 27th -29th June at The Curragh Racecourse to judge the Most Stylish Lady 2014. The prizes up for grabs have to be seen to be believed – including €20,000, a holiday of a lifetime to Dubai with €1,000 to spend at Dubai Duty Free, personal shopping at Brown Thomas worth €3,000, a stay in the Marker Hotel and an 18 carat gold diamond pendant from Boodles.
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