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 caught this rabbit’s attention. He probably liked all the flowers and grass in my jacket and got peckish.
Make friends with a rabbit today.
Look at the 2 dogs in the top left corner. Their owner constructed the one box from a USPS Priority Mail box and added wooden wheels that came from a toy box. How GREEN!
This is a smattering of the amazing and creative people who attended the parade. See my slide show for more inspiration.
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.)
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- Really? I like your hat too.
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- Stylish at any age
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- Look! She forgot to take her $4 hat tag off.
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- I love her. She looks like fruit juice that came alive.
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- The “Juice Lady” wearing fab Prada boots.
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- Someone help me describe this
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- Beetlejuice meets Jesus
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- I have pink shoes like Beetlejuice Jesus man
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- More Beetlejuice
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- Gleaming with Mr. Rabbit
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- Happy with bunnies
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- Stylish in drag
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- Magda at Easter Hat Parade
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- I own these glasses in orange.
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- Pretty in Pink.
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- How’s it going? I am wearing an egg on my head?
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- Creativity from beginning to end.
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- Don’t worry kid, no one will steal your doll.
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- Doesn’t get more creative than this. I love them.
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- My favorite couple
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- Bright red hair never gets old for me. This gal is a doll.
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- Why not wear the set of Les Miserables around your head?
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- Creative mother and child
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- So colorful and fun
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- Electric Kool-aid test
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- Fresh bouquet bonnet
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- My very own Hello Kitty
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- Is this my High School Guidance Counselor?
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- Creative kids at work
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- Cardinals are my favorite bird.
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- Peacock Peeps
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- Someone give this somber kid some candy,
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- Milliner’s Guild
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- Hat make out of PEEPS®!
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- Why not wear a basket? Better than a pony tail through a baseball cap.
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- AFLAC!
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- Trained bird on his head. How magical
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- Tangerine Dream.
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- His legs were as sturdy & beautiful as a Sequoia mating w/a Thorougbred
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- Drag divas yucking it up.
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- How the hell do you carry that all day?
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- Neon boom box? I’ll take that over an iPod any day.
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- Creativity everywhere.
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- Love this look.
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- Too much inspiration around me.
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- Resurrected from Woodstock.
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- Red is your color doll face.
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- What style.
This is what Easter is all about. Here’s to Spring-Fest
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.”
September 3, 2013 at 4:03 am
I just discovered your blog and I love it! Easter is a big part of my life and continues to be a focus (I have sons who sing in a Cathedral Choir of Men and Boys -well, one has graduated). I collect vintage and modern hats and being a choir Mum gives me ample opportunity to wear them. This is my Easter Bonnet from a few years ago: http://www.flickr.com/photos/thoroughlymodernvint…
Someday I will get to the parade in NYC.
September 3, 2013 at 7:29 pm
Jenifir, thanks for taking out the time to comment. I love your Easter hat. So pretty. I really love anything with a veil on it. I hope you make it to the parade next year. I had such a blast and plan on going every year. Would you believe that the other day I was ALREADY thinking about the hat I might want to wear. How crazy is that? UGH. I am such a planner. It is annoying and makes my head hurt. Keep wearing hats Jen!
April 8, 2013 at 1:48 pm
I was directed to your blog from Jean and Valerie's – Great coverage of the Easter Parade! It's my goal to get to the Easter Parade one year with a fabulous hat, but I can't imagine topping any of these marvelous creations. The "Black and White" couple are my favourite too. I have a personal style blog – http://www.forestcityfashionista.com
April 9, 2013 at 1:21 pm
Thanks for visiting my site Shelley. Your head would spin from all the creativity at the parade. I am hooked and plan on going every year. I see you live in Canada right? I used to spend summers in Ontario. I love Canada. I really want to visit Toronto again since I have not been in 20 years and so much has changed from what I understand. I read you love Neco Case. Me too. Isn't she amazing? What lyrics. Take care.
April 6, 2013 at 10:06 am
I am coveting your Kate spade shoes! this looks like it must have been a blast!
April 6, 2013 at 12:49 pm
I bought them for the color. They are so bright and fun. The brighter the better.
April 5, 2013 at 7:20 pm
LOVE THIS. What a color, shape, pattern, and texture orgy of art and fun and creativity… my head is freakin spinning. I love you in dresses, you should show off those gams more often, btw dollface
April 6, 2013 at 12:56 pm
Thanks Jenny. You would have loved this parade. It was amazing. I had such fun.
April 1, 2013 at 4:47 pm
Speechless…..the most awesomest post to date! Craving some Peeps as I type. You rocked it big time in the BIG APPLE!