I am incredibly passionate about restoring and restyling vintage headpieces, crowns, and veils. I love all the pieces I work on, but this one took my breath away!
Mary Kate reached out to me just seven weeks before her wedding. My production schedule was full, and I told her I couldn’t fit her in. She was so kind and filled with grace at this disappointing news that I had to meet her. We hopped on a quick FaceTime call, and the rest is bridal fashion history!
Nanny’s Vintage Wedding Crown
“I often stared at the photo of my Nanny wearing her headpiece and imagined how I could restyle it. I always saw her as an ethereal figure and could never imagine a more beautiful woman wearing a more beautiful headpiece. When she passed away in 2020, I craved the idea of wearing it, not only for the beauty of it but so she was closely with me in the most intimate way on my wedding day.”
Sixties hair fashion was influenced by beauties such as Audrey Hepburn and First Lady Jackie Kennedy, wearing bouffant and beehive styles. Mary Kate’s grandmother, Alice Morrisroe, wore her hair pouffed in the front and the back. Getting the correct height allowed her crown to nestle perfectly around the front of her head, creating a fashion-forward wedding accessory style.
“Her crown was legendary in the family. I was always told that Mom was the most beautiful bride anyone had ever seen.”
“When my Nanny passed, I approached my mom about wearing the piece and seeing it in person. I asked her if anyone would be upset by this. My mom couldn’t have been quicker to assure me that this would only make her and my grandfather very happy.”
Alice and Nicholas Ruggiero married at St Paul’s Church in Jersey City on April 8th, 1961.
“My grandfather is a legend and my hero. Our relationship is very unique. Everyone says their grandpa is the best, but trust me, I am not bluffing! There are many moments between me and my grandfather that will always remain private and special.”
Mary Kate’s “Pa” loves puzzles. The best puzzle he ever completed was of World War II planes his grandson gave him for Christmas. Mary Kate shared that through the years, his secret is to steal one of the puzzle pieces so he can always finish the puzzle and be the hero. This time Mary Kate was the one to steal the final puzzle piece. I think Mary Kate’s puzzle became Pa’s favorite at this moment— “Her puzzle is already framed and displayed!”
Headpiece.com Design Consultation
“When I had my hair trial with Michelle from Michelle Elise Artistry, she said the piece was so beautiful, but we needed to see a professional to make it work. As soon as we left, I did a Google search for “Best Vintage Headpiece Restoration.” As fate would have it, Google immediately brought to Marie’s page.”
My consultations were booked six weeks out. I knew I had to see Mary Kate as soon as possible to be able to help her. When she showed me her Nanny’s vintage piece, I realized this piece needed more than just opening up the fixed round wired band to use around Mary Kate’s classic bun. The crystals had hairspray damage and dirt buildup, and the paint had chipped away on many of the pearls. To add another level to this restyle, Mary Kate wanted to wear her grandmother’s headpiece two ways; as a back style for the ceremony and then change it to a headband style later into the reception.
Mary Kate permitted me to open the piece. This was the first time she saw the crown fitted to her head exactly how she envisioned.
There were no miracle cures to remove the years of hairspray and dirt. Each crystal needed to be hand polished.
“While working with Marie, she consistently looked for ways to make the headpiece as beautiful as it once was. When it came to shining the beads to their original state, she mentioned that she had to take special care of the Swarovski crystals. It caught our attention! My mom and I looked at each other like, “...the what?!” Neither of us had any idea they were crystals.”
“I have never seen a treasure sparkle and shine as this did, especially in the shop where it was displayed like the Crown Jewels at the Tower of London. Every pearl and crystal shined like diamonds in the sky. The light reflected from it brought out every color of the rainbow.”
In addition to fully restyling and restoring the headpiece, I asked Mary Kate about her veil. She bought a high-end pearled veil at a popular bridal salon in NYC. I knew that the combing on her veil would not work with the headpiece, and I asked her to bring it to me to rework the combing to fit perfectly when worn next to the headpiece. My goal is always to have the veil look like it is sewn to the headpiece when worn together and not an added bulky attachment.
“When Mary Kate showed me her veil, it was crumpled up in a plastic bag and the pearls on it were dropping off. Inferior technique and glue was the reason for this. I asked her who was going to steam press the veil and she replied, “My bridesmaid!” I said no she’s not. Not if you want to remain friends! ”
Pressing her veil with pearls raining off it and the tight spacing in-between would be a challenge even for me. I suggested she take it back to the bridal salon to press it and make it wedding ready. They wanted no part of it! I knew she was panicked about finding a professional to take this on. Steaming at the dry cleaners might make all the pearls fall off, and I am sure they didn’t want to be held liable. So one night, I stayed at the shop until 10:30 pm and used a combination of steaming and pressing to make it perfect for her wedding day.
The Most Breathtaking Vintage Crown Restoration
Wedding Photography by TMT Weddings
GOWN / Rivini by Rita Vinieris VENUE / Park Chateau Estate and Gardens BEAUTY / Michelle Elise Artistry FLORIST / Michael’s Florist
“I wasn’t picking the headpiece based on the dress. I was picking the dress around the headpiece!”
The Willow gown by Rita Vinieris
Mary Kate and her mom Denise
“Michelle placed the headpiece over my hair beautifully. Her reaction was just awe with the beauty and ease in using the headpiece for not only one, but two hairstyles. Marie made hairpins with the remaining pearls and crystals, and I gifted them to my mother and cousins at my rehearsal dinner so they could have Nanny with them too.”
“Mary Kate’s headpiece was the most striking and beautiful vintage piece I have ever worked on. It was breathtaking to me!”
““You are an angel” were James exact words. I could just feel his eyes beaming at me with pride, even when I looked away. I have never been looked at like that before. It was the most romantic moment I have ever experienced. He told me Nanny would be so proud to see me.”
“Pa has an undeniable strength I have tried to emulate. Nanny was the love of his life, and he misses her every single moment. When we did the first look, there was an audible gasp. I kissed my grandfather, turned around, and he touched the piece. He uttered the words, “Beautiful. Just Beautiful!” It was the perfect reaction because it was more than the headpiece and more than me wearing the headpiece. It was the true presence of my Nanny shining through those crystals on a beautiful sunny day.”
“My daughter says I am a man of few words like Silent Calvin Coolidge. When we were all permitted to turn around, I simply said, “Beautiful.” Seeing my stunning granddaughter and the memory of my wedding to her grandmother almost 62 years ago, give or take a week, was bittersweet.”
“Simply stated, the crown did not add to her bridal style; it was the essence of inspiration for her style. I am not a fan of dress changes, but I was very intrigued by the idea of a hairstyle change. With the headpiece redesign, the possibilities for hairstyles were limitless! What a perfect way to draw even more attention to this fabulous piece.”
Words from Pa
“I wasn’t aware of Mary Kate’s interest in wearing her grandmother’s crown, but it made perfect sense when she asked. When I opened the box, I knew the piece would need some work, so I wiped every pearl and crystal, never imagining how you would eventually be able to restore it to its former beauty. I appreciate it so much. I knew my daughter and granddaughter would put it into the very best hands.”
“All of our grandchildren idolized their grandmother. We told her this, but she could never imagine how strongly they looked up to her.”
See you next month on the Fourteenth
