On Valentine’s Day, the streets of Manhattan were a charming view: so many people wore red and pink who were known for a day for romantic dates and chic dinners. But a few I saw looked more eclectic than Fée Brandt, a 24-year-old author and illustrator of children’s books.
Mrs. Brandt enlightened when I asked about her outfit while she walked her dog Nala in Midtown. She mentioned clowns as one of her style influences and explained that her ensemble was built around the hat she was wearing – a knitted conical style with red hearts and pompomas.
“I am a big collector of hats,” said Mrs. Brandt, and noticed that she had about two dozen and she often used as inspiration for her outfits. Her festive head cover was linked to a Flouncy Red Top and a white dirndl that she said was from her German grandmother.
One day before celebrating romance, Mrs. Brandt said playfully, there are two main criteria to dress: “You have to wear things that are red and hot!”
