Easter was always a big holiday in my traditional Polish household and taken very seriously. I have vivid memories of what seemed like endless days sitting in the church pew followed by meals full of smoked meats, pierogis and tripe soup. I remember waking up groggily from a marzipan induced coma and looking over to see an empty pastel colored straw basket with green cellophane shreds everywhere.

This year I wanted to take a break from my family tradition and venture into New York City despite the traffic. What ever for? I want to be part of the 5th Avenue Easter Day Hat Parade! As you have seen from my previous posts, I am obsessed with hats and find them more inspiring than shoes and handbags. Your head is the first thing people see, so why not embellish it? The parade, which starts near St. Patrick’s Cathedral and goes up 5th Avenue is a visual feast for the fashion connoisseur. One can witness the confluence of haberdashers, fashion editors, street stylers, artists, fashion obsessed, decked out dogs and screeching, EPT skipping kids high on Cadbury eggs. Eclecticism rules the day. People wear hats bought in a department store or pulled out of their deceased Aunt Erma’s cob-webbed closet, or constructed lovingly for weeks only to be worn for a few hours, flipped and sold on etsy.com. But, it is the intricately woven custom-made hats that grab my attention and had me clicking my camera non-stop.

What impressed me above all else on 5th Avenue were all the smiles, laughter and everyone’s good nature. Easter, or also known as “Spring-fest” is a day that inexplicably triggers a sense of positivity and energy into the universe. Most of all, I love Easter because it reminds me to slow down, albeit for a few hours, and I appreciate all the creativity, vitality, and positive energy that exists in New York City.

I met Jean and Valerie (bottom 2 left women), two fashion bloggers who are frequently featured in Ari Seth Cohen’s blog “Advanced Style.” Make sure to catch his upcoming movie about the women featured in his blog. (Movie date is yet to be released.) Jean and Valerie also have their own stylish blog which is a must read.  There is no excuse not to look stylish at every age. These women just keep inspiring.

(These are my photos from the parade. Enjoy. Mouse over slideshow to Pause, Stop or Play. There are about 50 slides.)

Once dinner is finished and the hectic day starts to wind down, I like to languor on my Maurice Villency sectional couch, drinking Peeps® infused pitcher of vodka. The vodka tempers the sugar-explosion from those spongy neon rabbits and makes me wanna hop, hop, hop! I like this recipe from blogger, BakingBites.com, which is soothing and cleansing especially after gorging on my all time holiday faves. We’re talking salty, encased smoked meats and daintily pressed compact-sized packages of potatoes, cheese and onions.

Peeps® out.

What does one wear to a hat parade? French vintage satin polka dot beret, polka dot tulle dress from Anthropologie, Ted Baker jacket, Kate Spade shoes, Sarah Cavender Metal Works hand bag and Lip Tar by OCC in “Grandma.”