I believe everything happens for a reason and opportunities come along when you are in a place of divine alignment with your true purpose. Our desires and dreams are gifts that will lead us to more than we could ever imagine if we follow them and listen to the whispers of the Universe.

This is a story of how I was led in such a roundabout way to an opportunity that I so enjoyed, but also one that stretched me and caused me to grow! Keep reading to learn the story about how I met Polly Singer and was invited to speak at her annual Hat Tea in Lexington Kentucky!

As some of you know, I was featured, along with my friend Lisa Richie of the American Academy of Etiquette, in Victoria Magazine back in January. It was a “pinch me” moment for both of us! After the article came out, we didn’t really know what to expect, but we most definitely broadened our reach as far as brands and followers knowing about us, and also, knowing what we are about! We talked about friendships, about following your passions and about living a beautiful life.

Lisa and I went to Birmingham, Alabama back in May of 2022 to do the photoshoot for the issue and fell in love with Birmingham and the people at Victoria. When we arrived back in Burlington, we knew we wanted to do something special to go along with the upcoming article, so we decided to do a YouTube video about tea etiquette. Lisa came to my house, we set a beautiful table and I interviewed her because she is a tea expert!

Afternoon tea is enjoying a resurgence and I think it’s because people are craving beauty and ritual in their lives and having afternoon tea provides both of those things. The ritual of brewing the tea, sitting and enjoying it with someone special or alone, is beautiful whether or not you have the time to set a proper tea table. It gives you time to pause and take a moment in your busy life to be present and do something for yourself and someone you enjoy spending time with.

When you put a piece of work, especially one that you’re very proud of out into the interweb, you never know who may see it. As luck would have it (or is it luck?), our tea video was noticed by Polly Singer, a millner in Lexington, Kentucky, who contacted me about collaborating in some way! After talking and tossing around ideas, it was decided that I would go to Lexington, Kentucky and be the guest speaker at her annual hat tea! Once again, the topic was living your best life as a woman…following your passions no matter your age.

At this point, I had never spoken in front of any kind of group, but tried to put any nervousness to the side because I knew this was a great opportunity for me!

I left for Lexington several weeks ago with my assistant Hannah! The plan was to interview Polly, see a little bit of Lexington and go to the tea!

We spent a lovely day with Polly in her home and that gave us a chance to get to know each other before the tea and talk about some of the topics we were planning to discuss!

The Hat Tea couldn’t have been any more beautiful! The people of Lexington are some of the most gracious and friendly people I’ve ever met and I had the time of my life meeting so many beautiful ladies!

I sat with five women I had never met before and enjoyed learning about their lives and about their fabulous hats! Right before dessert was served, Polly introduced me and I went up to sit with her and speak…I was a little nervous, but reminded myself that these women were so much like me and that my life and experiences had given me something important to speak about that could be valuable to the ladies listening! After that little pep talk, my nervousness vanished and I so enjoyed my speaking experience! I’ll have to say that I’m proud of myself for having the courage to speak in front of 100 ladies! After the tea was over, I had several ladies ask me questions and say that they enjoyed what I had to say! Sign me up for next time!

The tea was held at Fasig Tipton, which was a perfect place to display the hats and welcome 100+ women! I have loved hats for many years, and this event took that love to a whole new level! I have never seen so many beautiful hats…they were over the top! Lexington knows how to do hats and Polly Singer makes the best ones! One of my favorite things about this event was that everyone from young to old, took the time to dress up. Looking around the room and seeing beautiful women in their finest dresses and hats made me so happy and made me want to do more of this in my life! We have become such a casual society and while there is a time and a place for that, it’s also really nice to dress up.

When I look at these pictures, I wonder why we don’t wear hats every day?

Above are a few of Polly’s hats…be sure to visit her website if you’re interested in a hat for any occasion!

I met many mother/daughter duos and it made me wish my daughters could have been there with me but there is always next year!

We were served a five course tea and the beautiful and delicious food was provided by Ouita Michel who has seven restaurants in Lexington and is a James Beard award winning chef. I had the opportunity to eat at one of her restaurants while I was there and the food was amazing. Of course, I couldn’t resist buying her cookbook and I can’t wait to share some of her Southern recipes!

Polly Singer not only makes beautiful hats, she also has a line of teas and the cocktails we drank were made with her tea. Needless to say, they were creative and fabulous!

As you can probably tell from my description, every detail of this day was well thought out!

Since this day was a feast for the senses…I’ve included lots of pictures so you can get a feel for the experience! I will most definitely go back to the tea next year and hopefully my daughters will be able to attend with me! I would love for this event to become a tradition!

Baldy and I are attending a Derby Party on Saturday and I’m excited to wear my new Polly Singer hat…in fact, I think I’ll just wear this whole outfit again because I think this hat and my Lela Rose dress are perfect together!

As always, I hope you’ve enjoyed this post! Be sure to visit Polly’s website to see her beautiful hats and keep up with what she’s doing! I would love to see you all there next year!

Do you wear hats? Let me know in the comments! I’d love to know all about your hat experience!

Have a wonderful day and thanks so much for reading Crazy Blonde Life!