Denise in Europe

Dénise the hat goes to Europe 
with her friend, Judith.
Dénise was beside herself with joy. She had just found out that her friend, Judith, in whose hatbox she currently resides, was planning a trip to Europe with her beau, Mr. J.

Judith owns hundreds of hats, most of whom are prone to gossip, and Dénise had heard, through the hat vine, so to speak, that Judith was planning to take her to Europe. Dénise is French, and speaks the language trés bien, albeit with a bit of an accent, which is perfectly all right as long as she can make herself understood, which she usually does.

This is Dénise modeled on a mannequin in

the studio of Carol Markel, the milliner who

created her.

The day of embarkation finally arrived when Dénise would leave Judith's house in Denver and fly to Europe. She was carefully swathed in tissue and lovingly cradled in a hatbox by Judith, who takes meticulous care of all her hats. At the airport, Dénise sailed through security with nary a T.S.A. agent's raised eyebrow in sight.

This is the story of Dénise in Europe. It just goes to show you that a hat can travel, especially a hat with a friend like Judith, who wrote the commentary for each of the pictures below.

Barcelona
Denise made her European debut in Barcelona.  I wore her to dinner with Mr. J on our last night in the city; the weather was chilly and a vintage jacket, gloves, scarf and boots accessorized her for the evening.  Denise is a collage of many colors, so it’s not difficult to choose an outfit that harmonizes with her beauty.

Paris
I wore Dénise in Paris after a special day of hat shopping.  I chose this blue tunic for dinner and a live, musical performance in a cathedral located in the Latin Quarter.  Denise was happy with the many compliments that she received.  She’s French, speaks the language and feels comfortable in the city that she calls home.

Nice
In Nice, Denise was thrilled to accompany a yellow, vintage jacket to dinner.  I appreciated her warmth and charm, and she added to the magical feel of the evening.  Her last outing in France was unforgettable!

Choosing an outfit for Denise in three European cities became an intriguing part of the story of a trip that I had dreamed about for years.  She sits on the mantel in my living room, and reminds me daily of my enchanting adventure.  She was an integral part of my journey, and each time that I wear her in the future, she will evoke special memories.  Thanks Carol, for creating a hat that brings me so much pleasure.

And thank you,

Judith Boyd, for taking these wonderful

photos and writing about your trip for Femme et Fleur.

Be sure to look at Judith's great blog,

The Style Crone, here.

À Bientôt!