Florence Claridge

Before I close the book on hats at Ascot, I must mention the hats of Florence Claridge. She has been attending Ascot for 25 years, and each year her hats are stunning in every sense of the word. If you notice the DS on this year's wonderful yellow hat, it stands for David Shilling, who many including me consider to be the finest milliner in the world. He said in an interview, "I'm the best hatmaker there is. I don't know whether it is a good thing or not." His sculptural and architectural hats are one of a kind works of arts, appearing in museums around the world. He started designing hats for his mother Gertrude Shilling at the age of 12. Her appearances at Ascot were an institution until her death in 1999. Here is a sampling of the breathtaking hats of Florence Claridge. I read in an interview she gave that drinking champagne is quite difficult in one of these hats. I'll drink a glass in her honor. Well done!