Hats Off: American Made

TIP O' THE HAT: Hats off to those who choose to SHOP LOCAL and LOVE GLOBAL.  Hats off to the folks who really value the dollar, by spending it ethically, and wisely. I tip my hat to those who "put their money where their mouth is" and show in action the power of principles and beliefs.

Hat off to the positive power of social media- and the people who use it to support sustainable shopping choices. Hats off to Mrs. American Made. I tip my hat to Ana B, aka Mrs American Made because she perfectly exemplifies the beauty of shopping #SECONDHANDFIRST. 

Not long ago, I posted a picture (see top photo), first on Instagram, and then to my Facebook page. It's me in a fun vintage ski hat, beautifully knitted by an American company that's been around, and manufacturing in the United States since 1905. I posted my pic, and a link to the listing, and within minutes, lovely Ana had made the purchase. She sent along a note- this will be the perfect thing to keep my head warm in the cold Colorado winter! I happily shipped it off, looking forward in seeing this fun head gear on her beautiful head. 

In almost no time, Ana posted this picture to her Instagram- and tagged me on Facebook. Her caption read: "I had no idea how cool my #madeinusa #wigwammills #vintage ski hat from @rosebudz was- until my son stole it from me."  And lo and behold, her handsome  son, Alex is seen strumming his guitar and rocking the bright yellow vintage wool topper by Wigwam Mills.

Priceless. 

For those looking for style inspiration that showcases American made products, DO check out Ana's blog, Mrs. American Made.

Also check out these USA made product directories: 

• Made in the USA
• Made in America Masterlist - Made in USA Challenge
• America's Working- Made in USA Product Directory

Winners, All of Us.

Because of this gal: 

Textile Artist/Artist/Graphic Designer/+40 Media Maven Anne Bray

I feel like a winner. 

For starters, Anne has created some pretty incredible art work, featuring many of my favorite +40 bloggers. If you haven't seen Anne's work, take a peek HERE. I'll wait. And, for added measure, I've even been put to paint with an incredible rendition of me wearing an outfit inspired by Advanced Style. You can see me in it here, and Anne's version of it here.

And secondly, Anne recently purchased a scarf from my shop, and rocked it. The image above taken from her Facebook page. Look how great she looks! She even did a fun blog post about it, which you can check out here.

The Gaucho

Rive Gaucho: Wearing a vintage wool felt hat inspired by the somberos of South America

The  Gaucho

The traditional Gaucho hats is a felt hat with a wide flat brim, a shallow flat-topped crown and, on most, a wind tie. This hat was the main article of clothing used by Gauchos in the early 19th century to work on the South American ranges. The nomadic cowhands of the Argentinean grasslands were in need of a hat that would protect them from the harsh winds when out on the prairie herding cattle. The gaucho sombrero is usually black and is sometimes worn with the brim turned up against the windy conditions to ward off the chill.

One can not help but feel the tinge of the dramatic when wearing almost anything from the 1980s. This Gaucho inspired vintage wool felt hat by Betmar is no exception.