Learning to make hats vs embellishing hats and making hat accessories.

Hello all, 

I'm new to hat academy and am considering taking some courses. Perhaps the fasteners, distressing hats, and the business course after briefly looking on the course page. 

I wanted to ask you all something. For years I have loved embellishing hats for various occasions such as attending Beltane gatherings, regional Burning Man events (even placing lighting systems on the hats), hootenannies, and just regular hats I would wear around town or out to eat. I use unique materials on some such as preserved moss, leaves, and hornets nest paper (see images). 

I don't go out really without wearing one of my embellished fedoras or pork pie hats. It's just a reflection of me while I'm on this Earth. 

I have had many compliments across many different types of ages and people for my around town and fancier festival hats. 

I've sold a handful of hats to people, and even created some custom hats as birthday gifts, and am considering having a business selling embellished hats with varying levels of decoration as well as creating hat accessories that others can put on their hats or use as lapel pins or as a Boutonnière. 

At this point to me a hat has been like a beautiful canvas that I can embellish using various different handmade/crafting skills. However the idea of making a hat doesn't really excite me or motivate me such as making porkpie, top hat, boater, and fedoras. 

Is it possible to have a business selling quality hats that you buy from others yet you yourself don't make the hat? If so I'm not sure what the term/category would "embellished hats", "upscaled hats", "custom hats". 

There is also the issue of if I sell one of a kind hats well that one hat is only one size and I don't know if that's a good idea to say have several sizes of the same hat on hand.  If I have repeatable items on hand to create a similar design and then I don't sell that style or I say well it will take 3 weeks for me to wait per order for a hat maker to make a hat for my order that seems like it would be too many logistics.  

I don't want to offend any of you who have spent years crafting your skills creating beautiful hats as I respect you tremendously for that. That is a whole level of art and skill. 

I thought it wouldn't hurt to ask and see what you all think about my above points as well as what courses I could take here. 

Brian 

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Hi Brian, You have started to experience the delight of creating hats for customers who are so thrilled with end result. As Milliners we are constantly designing hats from base straw or felt to create something that is unique for out customers. Millinery Essentials Course is where you would start but this is included in Hat Studio Subscription along with many other courses Check here https://www.hatacademy.studio/  The main difference between a milliner or hat trimmer is the end result and price you can charge. Customers will pay good money for uniquely designed & constructed hat cf a trimmed imported version. As a Hatter =only making mens hats, the styles are set in place fedora/ trilby etc but it is all about exceptional and signature trimming style that creates the value of the hat along with the quality of the felt base used. Hope this helps

Hi Elaine, 

Thank you for providing these answers pointing to the studio page of courses and Essentials course as well as the points on being a Hatter!  

Brian 

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