Designer, Jo-Anne Rolfe makes beautiful, unique, elegant hats, using old style, couture techniques. Her hand sewn shapes are designed and made on the premises, using New-Old Stock. These vintage materials and fabrics have been found in millinery warehouses and private collections across the country.

All hats are hand blocked and hand finished by Jo-Anne using traditional millinery techniques and are made with some of the finest quality materials available. All trims are hand sewn, many fashioned by hand. You are purchasing a fine quality product made in Narrandera, part of the Riverina district of NSW.

Jo has buckram and capenet based fabric hat styles to match that special racewear outfit, unique, distinctive and custom made for the Racing season. No two hats are ever alike. She also specialises in and designs original and contempory Steampunk top hats, bowlers and boaters for afficionados of Tweed Rides and devotees of Victorian/Edwardian fashion.

Her wire framed hats are completely original works of art, ready to wear or custom designed just for you. Special occasion chapeaus, Rockabilly bridal headpieces and elegant racewear are designed and made using wool and fur felts, straws and braids, beautiful and mysterious silk veiling, wedding tulle, satin and velvet ribbons and feathers.

Jo continues to attend millinery courses and workshops around Australia and is currently studying with Rose Organ of Wagga Wagga.

Achievements:

National Gallery of Australia, ACT Aust. November 2011:

Partnership Program for Melbourne Cup Lunch

Henty Machinery Field Days, NSW Aust. Sept 2011:

Natural Fibre Fashion, Certificate for Creativity and Innovation 2011

Rapt in Felt Exhibition, CSIRO Disovery Center, ACT Aust. June 2011:

Exhibition Millinery "Alpine Daisy", "Shiraz", "Multi pork Pie".

Actew AGL Royal Canberra Show "The Canberra Times Crafts Expo" February 2011:

Champion Special Challenge Open Textiles -Things of the Forest Headpiece
Champion Felting - Embellished Nuno Felted Purse
First Prize Textiles Things of the Forest - Creative Headpiece
First Prize Felting - Embellished Purse
First Prize Felting Australiana - Emu on Hay Plains Vest
First Prize Textiles Wearable Headpiece - Sinamay Dish Hat with Ribbon Flowers
Second Prize Textiles Creative Headpiece - Vintage Straw Braid hat with ribbon Flowers
Second Prize Felting Things of the Forest - Forest Mosses Vest
Second Prize Beading Things of the Forest - Avatar Headpiece
Second prize Australiana Textiles - Bleached Coral Headpiece
Third Prize- Beading Things of the Forest Mille Feuille Headpiece
Third Prize Textiles Creative Headpiece - Snow Queen Felted Pleated Toque Hat
Third Prize Textiles Creative Headpiece - Sinamay and Organza Picture Hat
Third Prize Felting -Snow Queen Nuno Circle Coat
Highly Commended Textiles Creative Headpiece - Lattice Sinamay Coolie

Henty Machinery Field Days, NSW Aust. Sept 2010:

Natural Fibre Fashion, Certificate for Creativity and Innovation 2010

"Embellish Magazine" Art Wear Publications Aust. Sept 2010:

Felting and Embellishing - "Start with a Scarf: End with a Hat"

Rapt in Felt Exhibition, CSIRO Disovery Center, ACT Aust. June 2010:

Exhibition garments "Serenade in Blue", "Cobalt Dreaming", "Animalia- Jungle Blue".

"Embellish" Art Wear Publications Aust. May 2010:

Finalist Embellished Scarf Competiton

.Judith M Millinery IN. USA March 2010:

Finalist Woolfelt Blocked Hat Competition

Actew AGL Royal Canberra Show "The Canberra Times Crafts Expo" February 2010:

Measure Your Head:

To determine your head (hat) size in inches, measure your head using a flexible tape measure. Measure circumference of head just above top of ears. Wrap tape gently around head making certain tape lies midway on your occipital bone (that little bump in the middle of the back of your head) Don't pull the tape too tightly. You now have your head (hat) size.

Choosing a hat style is similar to choosing a hairstyle. The hat should complement your face shape stature and lifestyle. Look at the drawing below. Choose your shape from one of the six face shapes.

OVAL:
Streamline shapes, worn forward, square or round crowns, brims swept up on the side(s) or back. You can wear almost any kind of brim, large or small.

ROUND:
Medium or small brims, neat styles, worn forward or on a sassy slant. Asymmetrical brims will lessen the roundness. Try an asymmetrical brim to give your face a little variance. Wear profile brims in varied sizes. The Profile Brim is the most flattering of ALL HAT STYLES on all face shapes.

LONG:
Medium to wide brims, worn straight or forward. Sharp, straight styles. These straight brim styles "cut" the length appearance of your face. Avoid tall, narrow shapes. Instead, wear a hat that has a horizontal silhouette. Try one that has wide brims and crowns.

SQUARE:
Large brims with soft lines, upturned brims, round crowns or curved edge square crowns. Wear a hat with an asymmetrical brim and prominent crown to soften the edges.

WIDE:
Off the face styles, bretons, (upturned brims) pillboxes worn back These will add "lift." Profile brims. The crown must never be narrower than the face at its widest point. Wide, soft crowns are most becoming to wide faces.

HEART:
Asymmetrical designs, Square or round crowns tilted to one side, Profile hats and brims with soft curves. wear hats that emphasize your eyes, not your jawline. Avoid heavy, overpowering shapes.

• If you have a broad face, a slender crown may not look best on you.

• Full-figured women may want to stick with larger hats that will suit their proportions.

• Petite women may want to wear smaller hats with smaller crowns and brims that will not overwhelm them.

• Tall women can wear all types of hats, including those with very tall crowns or wide brims.

• If you have mature skin or shadows under your eyes, wear hats that open up your face like up-swept and profile brims. Droopy brims will emphasize shadows.