Cinco de Derby

With the Kentucky Derby falling on Cinco de Mayo this year, the party possibilities were plentiful and my friends did not disappoint, throwing a hats-required Mexican-Derby fiesta. I love any excuse to make a costume, so I went to work immediately on a Mexican themed derby hat!

The original hat had a great woven pattern, 

but I had some more exciting fake flowers in mind...

Shaping the brim to get a classic derby silhouette,

I used a light wire around the edge and tacked the brim up with some thread. 

I think there are better techniques out there, but it did the trick!

 A few tissue paper flowers later, with some tulle because it just wasn't quite loud enough yet!

Having made it fairly last minute, I would have loved to try some other techniques on shaping the brim and added more craziness, but I'm pretty pleased with the results! Just trying to figure out if I will ever get to wear it again...

Lauren