Emerald City here I come!

One Thing I really miss from home is getting dressed up and going for a night at the theatre. Don't get me wrong Japan has theatre in the form of Noh and Kabuki which are both famous for their amazing yet creepy costumes (see above) it's just I really don't get it. It's not just that I don't understand what they are saying (it's very old Japanese very ssslllllllloooooowwwwlllllyyyyyy spoken) but the beauty lies in understanding the smallest of gestures and I am more of a musical girl. Luckily on both my recent trips I managed to squeeze in time for a show. Wicked in London and Cirque du soleil in Vegas.

I saw a cirque show last time I was in Vegas too and they blow me away. Its like sitting in your most vivid dream for an hour and half with no idea where that the line between reality and illusion exists never mind might be in the same room as you. Add to that amazing costumes and you have my happy place.

After hearing Wicked mentioned in an uncountable number of films and TV shows over the last few years I thought it was about time that I got in the loop and was really surprised to find that it was actually pretty good. Not only was the story really clever in incorporating the original (I will never be able to watch the wizard of Oz again without shouting "that's not how it happened!" at the screen) but the costumes were stunning. Not surprising considering each cast member changes, on average, into eight completely new outfits through the course of the show and that the show's costume designer, Susan Hilferty, won a 2004 Tony Award for her work on the original Broadway show.

It seems the Emerald City is a milliners Mecca which is Wicked as I love green (no pun intended).

The Hats of Lady Gaga

Among the many things I missed while away was the finale of American Idol which my gorgeous boy recorded for me and I finally got around to watching last night. All in all a pretty good show although I still think that Haley should have won, Steven Tyler should have sung more than one verse of Dream On and the spiderman mask should have been pulled off to reveal Casey Abrams. That aside Lady Gaga once again stepped out with a marvellous sculpture on her noggin. Not surprising from a girl who is rumoured to have applied for a millinery internship with his Irishness Philip Treacy and who once said:

"If you were to ask me to remove my Philip Treacy hat at a party, in truth it's the emotional and physical equivalent of requesting I remove my liver."

I applaud you dedication to millinery Miss Ga.

It seems Lady Gaga's hats can be put into one of four categories; hair (apparently her own), animal, telephones and sculpture.

Did you know that Philip Treacy does more than just hats? Check out these awesome Philip Treacy shoes! love Love LOVE!

Sing A Rainbow

Yesterday was not only the last the day in June but also the last day of Gay Pride month which has painted every corner of the world rainbow coloured from Brazil to Tokyo, London to Vancouver to New York. The Stonewall riots of 1969 sparked the beginning of the Gay pride movement in the US and around the world and with NY Governor Andrew Cuomo signing into law the Marriage Equality Bill, making New York the sixth state in the US to legalize same sex marriage, it seems that Gay rights supporters have even more reason to celebrate. Lets hope that more states will follow!

To celebrate I have rounded up hats from all over the world that were proudly parading last weekend.

A little Japanese street fashion managed to sneak in too.

I'm Back

And I promise to stick around a bit longer this time!

I am indeed back in Japan with a head full of ideas and chomping at the bit to get back to work after my amazing road trip (with my mum) from Seattle to San Francisco with a wee stop at Yosemite and Vegas for good measure.

Congrats go out to the fabulous Mr & Mrs Watt who tied the knot in Vegas in true rock n' roll style.

Lou's Aka Tombo pink birdcage veil with pink and purple leather roses and pink feathers looked Vegas bride perfection with her gorgeous short silvery white dress.

Love you guys!

Lots more blogs about the travels to come as well as a sneaky peek at some alternative bridal stuff I have been working on.

Beltane

It seems that during my trip home I have missed more than a few important dates so I am going to attempt to catch up, which may make it seem like I am a little behind the times but I see it as giving you plenty of time to get your hats ready for next year. Starting with Beltane.

I was planning on posting my beltane hats on May day but everything was taken over by royal wedding hats and so I rescheduled to post it on Picti beltane celebrated by the Scottish Picts on the 15th of May but that passed too. I love this festival and all the crazy hats that go with it so I have decided to blog it today with no significance whatsoever to the date.

For those of you that don't know Beltane is one of the four Celtic fire festivals marking the quarter points in the year with Beltane marking the beginning of summer. Fire was believed to have purifying qualities as well as representing the sun. The ritual welcoming of the sun and the lighting of the fires was also believed to ensure fertility of the land and the people. Animals were transfered from winter pens to summer pastures, and were driven between the Beltane fires to cleanse them of evil spirits and to bring fertility and a good milk yield. The Celts leapt over Beltane fires - for fertility and purification.

Edinburgh Fire society's May Queen attendants

There is only one major beltane festival still held in Scotland today, on Edinburgh's Calton Hill, where the Beltane fire society put on their annual show depicting the story of the May Queen and the green man.

This seems to be one of the few festivals of the year where men really get into the hat vibe and outshine the girls spectacularly! The hats below range from home made recreations of the Green man to couture...well, recreations of the green man, with a few May Queen options thrown in too.

Blessed Be*