"Peacocks! Sink me! Think ye, Sir, how those feathered boys love to flaunt their tails!"
~The Scarlet Pimpernel musical
I love feathers, and the colors in my wedding party were jewel-toned, so peacock boutonnières seemed like a good idea at the time. The groom and groomsmen were gracious enough to accept without complaint (at least no complaint to me).
Even more so than flowers, feathers can be used to ornament pretty much anything. When was the last time you saw a real flower double as a pen?
And even the fluffiest of leis generally won't rival the size and comfort of a feather boa (Could you stuff a comforter with rosebuds and be warm all winter?).
Feather trimmed dresses can have a fairy elegance.
But I'm guessing that they're probably not to be tossed in the washing machine or tumble dried.
Print tee shirts are a way to enjoy the charm of feathers without being forced to cater to their delicacy.
Even without the benefit of their tactile enchantments, feathers are inspirational works of art.
Hats trimmed in feathers have always been in vogue, it seems.
Feathered headpieces, on the other hand, have not always been as popular. When I got married, I looked high and low for a feather headpiece, to no avail. Now. of course, you can buy one pretty much anywhere.
Although etsy has a corner on the market of beautiful trinkets, you can seriously find feathered headbands, hair clips, and fascinators all over the place now. That is such a plus to liking things that are fashionable; you don't have to waste time in the frustrating and ultimately fruitless search for them.
Unfortunately, supply doesn't always equal necessary demand. Gorgeous feather headpieces are freely available, but I no longer am in search of that perfect completion of the wedding ensemble (a generous splash of pearls ended up filling that role).
And this is where the DIY trend comes in so very handy. Because perhaps I don't feel like justifying shelling out wads of cash for new accessories, but I can certainly find an excuse to grab a glue gun and some supplies from my sewing room and make use of the time I sit watching Rear Window with the family.
Start out with a skeleton base roughly the shape and form of the piece you have in mind (I used the same gauge of wires that I used for the crown).
Cover all the ugly edges (I used hot glue to apply lace around the edges, tulle over the top, and velvet ribbon bordering between the two).
Layer feathers and add a touch of tulle.
Attach a clip, ribbon, headband.... or use a hatpin.
Now if only chicken feathers were as attractive as peacock and pheasant, our backyard would be a most richly attired creature.
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