Jg Merchandise

Those who know me understand that I love hats. Cocktail pieces, berets, fascinators, cloches, bowlers, fedoras, headbands, hair clips… dome adornment is in! I dream of living in an F. Scott Fitzgerald novel and changing hats with every new chapter (without getting killed, going broke or going crazy, of course).
Sadly the millinery scene isn’t quite in its heyday anymore (I’m working on it), although NYC has a number of pioneers (Linda Pagan, Barbara Feinman, and up-​and-​comers like Holly Slayton from Artikal, to name a few) still doing their thing.
Before my Kentucky Derby soirée, I wanted to find something dramatic, unforgettable and inexpensive (i.e. — not the kind of thing I’d wear all the time and want to invest in), so I headed to J.G. Here you’ll find racks upon racks of hats for almost any event. Cabaret show? Check. Upper East Side luncheon? Check. Occasion that requires hot pink, sparkly number the size of Texas? Check.
You will have to do some digging to sort through the massive but disorganized array of colors, shapes and sizes. And if you try something on, you’ll be donning one of their shower caps underneath for sanitary reasons. I get it, but I felt a little more lunch lady than «My Fair Lady» at the time.
Prices are low (my huge Derby selection was $ 18), and they also offer a limited selection of trims, flowers, etc. if you want to jazz things up more. Again, you’re not going to get the same fabric quality, craftsmanship or custom fit at J.G., but if you’re interested in giving «hattitude» a trial run without diving into the diva deep end, this place is highly recommended!
N.B. As I told my friends before they planned to stop by, you’ll know you’re there when you see sparkly nipple covers in the front window. To be fair, I guess that’s just another kind of hat.