I picked this cream straw hat up at an antique store somewhere along the way because its two-way arrow made me giggle. I like its wit and its honesty: don’t we all feel pulled in different directions, unsure which path to take, just flat-out confused at times?
The hat is a Betmar, a company that still makes hats today. According to Betmar New York, “Betmar’s history goes back to the depths of the Great Depression in America,” in 1933. “A partnership was formed with a skilled old-line cap maker with roots dating back to 1911 in New York. The name chosen was taken from Betty Marks, the first designer for the hat company.”
I honored the hat’s playfulness by highlighting its own dual nature.
Worn straight on the head, its bucket shape recalls a pith helmet, with a little nautical nod. So I embraced its military bearing with a buttoned-up look.
Paired with a vintage 1920s dress, the hat feels flapper-ish and adds a little fun (and some much-needed head-shade) to a sunny afternoon in the park.
The crossroads hat definitely captures the dual mindset chemotherapy requires: embracing toxic chemicals and unpleasant side effects now in order to achieve health, long-term. It seems equally apropos of our current election season….
Every day is a kind of crossroads. Every day, finding whatever beauty and joy in the present that is possible is a path we can choose.
Heads Up!
Photographer: Steve Prisley
∼ Beautiful, quirky vintage hats make me happy. The “Heads Up!” series is a reminder to keep my (currently bald) head up, to pay attention to the good in the world, and to encourage myself and others facing a tough road that it’s possible to find the fun in even the most challenging circumstances. ∼
Still Life, Beyond Cancer 