Imagine wearing a collar made of 6 yards of material!

“....we all recognize a likeness of Shakespeare the instant we see one, and yet we don’t really know what he looked like. It is like this with nearly every aspect of his life and character: He is at once the best known and least known of figures.”
― Bill Bryson, Shakespeare: The World as Stage

What have you been reading lately?

A few weeks ago, I mentioned I'd read and adored the beautifully eloquent historical novel, Hamnet by Maggie O'Farrell. It revolves around the family of the world's most famous playwright, with the central character being the bard's wife, Agnes (Anne) Hathaway.

The title character is, of course, Hamnet, who was their son. I won't give away a THING here, but if you are curious about the book's (and movie's) plot and its origins in history, (spoiler alert!) this article from Smithsonian Magazine explores the author's inspiration.

Illustration of William Shakespeare and his family. His son, Hamnet, stands over his shoulder.

I had the pleasure of discussing this take on history with my book club the other night. And we are planning a movie night soon, complete with (another spoiler alert!) boxes of tissues.

In her acknowledgements, Hamnet author O'Farrell cites Shakespeare: The World as a Stage by Bill Bryson as an invaluable source. (I was thrilled; as you know, Bryson is a favorite of mine!)

If you, too, are curious about Elizabethan times and Shakespeare's life and works, I highly recommend it as a companion to Hamnet.

The queen herself, Elizabeth I, in the Armada Portrait, 1588

In all of this, what keeps catching my eye and imagination are the collars, or "ruffs" that were prevalent in the clothing of the 16th and 17th centuries.

"From 1580 to 1610, the ‘cartwheel’ ruff was all the rage, comprising up to six yards of material, starched into up to 600 pleats, and extending eight to twelve inches from the neck," writes Heather Bolen in Ruff-ing It , a quick, fun read.

Sounds heavy and cumbersome, right?

Aren't we lucky that today a more casual version of the ruff exists?

And aren't we even luckier that artist Liz Snowden has started Properly Popped Studios and is crafting one-of-a-kind pieces with lovely collars?

According to Liz: "A collar shouldn't just sit there - it should stand up. We scout the finest legacy shirting and give it a radical promotion: a leveled hem, an intentional pattern clash, and our signature ruffled collar."

We debuted these instant classics at a pop-up shop this past Saturday at The Hare & The Hart, and oh-my-goodness, what a fun day ~ it was a joy to watch people discover these gentlemen's shirts that have been beautifully upcycled into feminine blouses!

Liz brought dozens and dozens to the shop, and in the past weeks, dozens have been purchased, either in person or online.

I can't wait for each recipient to open her package, unwrap the tissue, and unfold her brand new favorite top.(I myself already have two in my closet ~ it's so hard not to take all of them home!)

If you, too, would like to own a classic that's reimagined to be anything but quiet, you can shop the collection HERE.

xo,