East Village Hats — Local services in New York

Where do I begin? How about at the beginning. Aside from the fact that when you walk into Julia’s shop you feel as if you’ve been transported to a different place and time, the craftsmanship and love that goes into each and every piece is undeniable.

I was absolutely amazed to find out about the sourcing of each piece of felt, feather, and ribbon. Some from small towns in England others from very small pieces of fabric available only in France. Hand died, small batch- It’s artisanal craftsmanship every step of the process and it’s beautiful.

The prices of the hats can definitely be a bit shocking when you’re used to paying $50-$70 at some chain store, but I quickly learned that the reason those hats are cheap is that they are made with cheap materials. They’re also very stiff and heavy as they have to be transported from other countries and survive the shipping so they soak them with chemicals. Everything here is lightweight and delicate. You barely feel anything on your head. I would rather only have a few of these than 10 of the others. It really shows and each time I wear one of Julia’s creations I get endless compliments and I feel like a million bucks.

Each time I peak in, I am treated with patience and kindness. I don’t buy something every time, but I really just love going in and trying on a few pieces. Sometimes I will try a hat on Many times before pulling the trigger. Waiting for a special occasion. But I’m never made to feel badly about that. Julia is always kind and doting. Helping my place the fascinators and telling me about the history of that piece.

Add to all of this the fact that you are supporting a small business owned by a working mom and I feel very glad to spend my hard-earned pennies in one of the very few stores of this kind that are left in...

I initially walked by this place walking back home from a corepower class and there was a sign outside that said "Hat Class in Progress." I was intrigued.

A few weeks later, I walked by again and there was no hat class in progress. I popped in just to see what EVH is all about, as I love super niche businesses like this.

I walked in and the owner was helping out a few other people, so I just perused around for a second.

I had my airpods in with no music playing, hiding in plain sight. I heard the owners AWESOME British accent and thought to myself "wow it's really a vibe in here." At this exact moment, I spotted a hat that really caught my eye.

It was a hat that had a mix matched denim pattern that could be paired with almost any outfit. I had a vision of me buying this hat and it becoming an integral part of my personality. "Oh, there goes the guy with the cool hat walking up 1st ave" onlookers would say as they walked by, jealous of my cool new hat. Cute girls would come up to me at the Wayland and or Ding-a-Ling saying "Oh my god, I love your hat!" ... "You haven't been to East Village Hats!??!?!?!" I would respond to them with a cheeky, endearing smile.

However, when I picked up the hat it was like $130 and that's just out of my price range for a hat at this moment. Also, I have an extremely large head so the hat was probably a pipe dream all along.

A man could dream...

I regret to share my experience at this store, which has led me to rate it one star. I had the pleasure of speaking with a wonderful woman yesterday who was so sweet and enthusiastic, which made me genuinely excited to connect with Juliette/Julia today. Unfortunately, when I did speak with her, it was evident from the moment she answered the phone that she was not in a good place. Her sighs of frustration and comments about her slow computer and the weather made it clear that she was overwhelmed.

When I inquired about the possibility of having a hat made and tried to describe it, her response was an immediate no and dismissive, referring to the item as “that big thing” without having seen it. I attempted to assist by spelling it out for her, but it seemed to add to her irritation. Throughout the call, I got the impression that my presence was more of an inconvenience than anything else. I even offered to let her take a moment if she needed it, understanding that we all have tough days, but unfortunately, she remained in her negative mood.

It truly saddens me, as I was eager to collaborate with her. I would recommend reaching out to the other lovely lady in the...