Issue link: http://papercitymagazine.uberflip.com/i/1493310
INSIDE VIEW: TOPPED HATS RAW WESTERN ENERGY IS A STYLE UNTO ITSELF Dana and Sophia Vidal I f you want to buy a hat from Dana and Sophia Vidal, don't expect to drive up to a cold concrete storefront. Instead, you'll wind through the streets of a Dallas neighborhood before landing at Dana's doorstep, where you're greeted like an old friend and ushered into her cozy living room turned studio — aka the Topped Hats showroom. "We always have cocktails on hand for clients visiting our home studio and at our space at The Arbors in Round Top," Dana says. After a dose of Southern hospitality, the mother/ daughter duo guide you through the creation of a bespoke hat. "We really get to know our customers." During the Round Top Antiques + Design Show, visit Topped Hats at their new location inside Rockabilly Baroness at 550 Market and their original space (now double the size) at The Arbors, Tent F. Tap into your creativity at the hat bar, or shop the debut of their bespoke western-inspired straw and felt hats, including favorites like the one worn by recording artist and actor Faith Hill in the television series 1883. Also new this spring are Topped Hats' one-of-a-kind, hand-branded snake design and cattleman's crease hats. "My absolute favorite is our classic cattleman's crease hat in straw and luscious velour beaver felt," Dana says, noting that Topped Hats will have their beloved signature bi-color wide-brim summer straw hats available at the show. Southern charm is woven throughout the Topped Hats experience. Although the western-style hat is a crowd favorite, there's a seemingly endless selection of varieties and shapes in straw and felt, each a blank slate to adorn with an à la carte collection of accessories from the hat bar. New accessories for spring include sterling-silver snake brim biters, vintage hat pins, a hat-pin collection from Topped Hats' collaboration with designer Kori Green, sterling-silver barbed-wire hat bands and feather bands (think old feather crowns like the ones worn in the movie Urban Cowboy) and hat bands in vintage tooled leather and freshwater beaded pearls. You can also choose from Topped Hats' extensive selection of single feathers, jewels, old playing cards, woven horsehair, and more, layered on top of snakeskin, silk, and mudcloth. Or place an order for a custom hat and be surprised, relying on the expertise of the Vidals, who consider hats a wardrobe component, not just reserved for vacays or bad-hair days. The light-bulb moment that sparked the creation of Topped Hats came at an Ole Miss football game. "We were at The Grove tailgating, and everyone kept asking where we got our hats," Dana says. "After the game, my daughter said she thought we should start a hat business." Today, Topped Hats draws a clientele from near and far, but this Texas- born brand is attuned to the spirit of the South. With a Topped Hats creation, clients share in the raw western energy that's become a style unto itself. Such authenticity has led the Vidals to create bespoke hats for visiting celebrities and foreign dignitaries. Dana and Sophia believe that everyone looks great in a hat designed for their style and personality, so they take the time to help customers find the right size hat to complement their face shape, selecting from more than 20 different hat lines, primarily Topped Hats' own proprietary Be Golden brand. New to the offerings is the college game day collection, featuring custom university colors, which debuted last fall. As always, an endless assortment of à la carte adornments will be at your fingertips. The custom hat experience also includes on-site branding, as well as torched and distressed styles. "We want everyone to feel secure, sexy and confident in their hats," she says. "Our motto is to let your hat be your crown. Be golden." Melinda Ortley Topped Hats | toppedhats.com dana@toppedhats.com 214.478.3169 ROUND TOP SPONSORED PARTNER 18