Le Petit Chapeau - Handmade Millinery

06/17/2026

Join me at the Leacock Museum on June 27 at 6 PM for an evening exploring the fascinating world of 1940s millinery.

We'll look at the hats, materials, techniques, and changing fashions that shaped the decade, from practical wartime styles to dramatic postwar creations.

Tickets are available now at www.leacockmuseum.ca

I hope to see you there!

06/15/2026

A small hat with a big story.

This handmade 1940s reproduction "doll" style hat reflects the styles and craftsmanship of the era. It's made for full size humans, I promise!

Want to learn more about 1940s millinery? Join me at the Leacock Museum on June 27 at 6 PM for a talk exploring the hats, techniques, and trends of the decade.

Tickets: www.leacockmuseum.ca

06/13/2026

A hat on the worktable, brought in for a refresh, with new feather colours being tested before any change is made.

This is the stage where colour is held against shape and texture, and decisions are made slowly until the right balance appears.

Small adjustments before anything becomes permanent.

06/11/2026

This is still my favourite job, ever.

06/09/2026

A 1940s doll hat — a distinct millinery form created by Frederick Hirst in America in the early 1940s, and quickly embraced by milliners internationally.

Defined by its smaller-than-head size, the doll hat is designed to be worn at a jaunty angle rather than sitting squarely, allowing the silhouette to feel lively, lifted, and expressive. Its strength lies in proportion and placement rather than coverage, giving milliners space to explore shape in a more concentrated form.

Small in scale, but bold in intention.

Buy your ticket to the Leacock Museum for June 27 and hear an engaging talk all about these and many other 1904s hats.
www.leacockmuseum.ca

06/05/2026

A closer look at the adjustable band on the Masher Hat.

This small detail carries the quiet practicality of the piece — allowing the shape to sit comfortably and securely while keeping the silhouette clean and uninterrupted. It’s the kind of mechanism you don’t notice at first, but it’s doing all the work.

Made to be worn, adjusted, and lived in.

06/03/2026

In the 1940s, hat making existed inside a world of limits — material shortages, social expectations, and constant change. Yet within that, millinery remained a place of skill, adaptation, and quiet creativity. This talk explores that balance between constraint and expression.
The Talk
June 27th, 6:00 PM
Leacock Museum

Get tickets now
leacockmuseum.ca

05/31/2026

There are some afternoons that feel like they belong to celebration.

A bridal shower in early summer, sunlight through windows, soft laughter, the feeling of everyone arriving a little more dressed than usual. A beautiful dress, something light that moves easily as the day unfolds.
Yellow crin,softened with flowers and delicate butterflies that tremble with the slightest movement. Light, playful, and made for moments that don’t happen every day, but stay with you long after they’ve passed.

05/29/2026

There is a certain kind of hat that becomes part of your everyday life without asking for attention.
A classic straw fedora, shaped with care so it feels comfortable from the first wear and steady enough for long days outside. Light, breathable, and easy in the sun, but still carrying a quiet elegance in its line.
It is designed to be worn often, not saved for occasions. The kind of piece that slips into routine and somehow makes ordinary days feel a little more considered.

05/28/2026

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Meaghan Armstrong, milliner and owner of Le Petit Chapeau, specializes in vintage-inspired, handcrafted hats. Outside of her work, she has spent over 28 years exploring fashion history—particularly how fashion, especially hats, reflect social shifts of their time.

Meaghan will be offering a talk at the Leacock Museum on the topic of 1940s fashion. Important collective creativity and how it can oppose oppression during transformative decades will be explored using her personal collection of hats and clothing. Guests will learn about the changing designs of women’s hats, the creative influences behind them, and how they reflected the broader shifts happening during a decade of social change.

Tickets are only $10 + HST and can be purchased at LeacockMuseum.ca!