go hats!

Bill Cunningham Used to Design ‘Exotic’ Hats That Even His Own Mother Wouldn’t Wear

By , the Cut’s financial-advice columnist.  In addition to “My Two Cents,” she writes about work and parenting for the site. Previously, she was the senior features editor at Harper's Bazaar and a senior editor at the Cut. She was also the editorial director for MM.LaFleur. Her work has also been published in Glamour, Art in America, Politico, and other places.
Photo: Michael Loccisano/2009 Getty Images

Before Bill Cunningham became the founder of street style photography, he was a less-than-successful milliner working under the name William J because his family was “embarrassed” by his flamboyant pursuits. He designed his first hat for his mom to wear to the 1939 World’s Fair (aw!), but she refused to do so. “I don’t think we sold many,” Cunningham recalled to the Times. “Everything I did was a little too exotic — you know, for normal people.” [Lens/NYT]

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Bill Cunningham Used to Design ‘Exotic’ Hats That Even His Own Mother Wouldn’t Wear