BREAK!: Hatter madness!

Have you seen the fascinators?  They're everywhere.  Especially now since the Royal wedding.
To be honest, I rather like this trend, but I fell in love with it long before some goofy pampered girl went out looking like she was wearing an anatomy diagram on her head.  That Middleton girl ruined it for me in some ways.  Here's why.

In high school, I was deeply enamored with the goth, yamanba gyaru and gothic lolita movements in Japan.  They're subcultures that cater to intricate attire, accessories, a unique philosophy about life, and a certain fearlessness that only comes with true self-assurance.  Also, they look like thrice damned fools most of the time.
 In Japan, not only is individualism frowned upon, but even though they don't rely on pieces of paper and the internet to filter people out of the workforce (at least not as much as they do in America), the stuff you do on the weekends will ultimately mess with your social and work life.  It's not enough to just randomly toss on an odd accessory and go with it.  You have to go to ridiculous extremes to avoid being recognized.  If you want to wear a big bow on your head and that's not common, you better cover you face in glitter, stickers and false eyelashes.

The true faces of bravery

Actually, the Gyaru movement terrifies me.  Their philosophy of being as fake as possible to exaggerate consumerism as a CULTURE is pure nightmare fuel.  The worst thing about their movement as a whole is that they lump tons of tacky clothes and accessories together with a easy-money-live-fabulous philosophy in a mimicry of AMERICAN TEENS.  It really makes you wonder what depths culture will sink to next and how horribly wrong it can go.  Plus they look creepy.  *shudder*  Ugh!

The kitty hat is just adorable.

Lolita and Goth subcultures sort of struck a cord with me, though.  Idolizing simpler times, recognizing the inevitability of sadness, strife and death, but maintaining low stress hobbies, and a focus on creating an idealized world of safety and comfort for ...well everyone.  It was a very productive and welcoming seeming society.  Plus, they all wore cute little embroidered and bejeweled hats/bonnets to match their outfits.

Who doesn't want to look like a living porcelain doll?

 At any rate.  All that was just to say that I shall be embarking on a fascinator/hat making experience- which I shall post as I complete projects.