Le Petit Chapeau
Handmade Millinery since 1998
Meaghan Armstrong
Talks on Hat-making and Fashion History
Engaging talks with visual demonstrations, exploring the craft, history, and artistry of hats.
With decades of experience in hat-making and historical fashion, I deliver talks that blend storytelling, visual demonstration, and insights into the cultural context of dress. Each session invites audiences to explore the artistry, history, and social meaning behind garments, offering a unique and memorable experience.
Storytelling Through Historical Fashion
Talks that combine knowledge, personality, and a passion for historical craft. Each session brings together stories, visual examples, and insights drawn from decades of hatmaking experience. Audiences explore not only the artistry and history of fashion, but also the social context and cultural commentary reflected in what people wore.
Visual Show-and-Tell of Hats & Historical Fashion
Prepared presentations feature hats and historical garments arranged to illustrate technique, style, and cultural context. Audiences can explore the details of craftsmanship up close while learning about the social and historical significance of fashion. Each setup is designed to make history tangible, engaging, and memorable.
Immersive Events & Tea Room Talks
Talks can be paired with themed events, giving audiences a chance to explore history through fashion, conversation, and interactive show-and-tell. These sessions work beautifully in intimate local spaces such as tea rooms, small museums, or community venues, letting organizers host charming, hands-on events without needing a large hall. Whether a small gathering or a full themed event, each presentation brings history, craft, and social context to life
Ways to Host a Talk
From intimate tea rooms to museum spaces, each talk can be shaped to suit your audience.
Each talk is thoughtfully prepared and can be shaped to suit your space, audience, and theme, making it easy to create an event that feels both meaningful and memorable.
Talks can be adapted to suit a wide range of spaces and audiences, from small local gatherings to larger institutional settings. Each session combines storytelling, visual demonstration, and historical insight, creating an experience that is both engaging and approachable.
Ideal for smaller groups, these talks create a warm and conversational atmosphere. Guests can enjoy history, fashion, and discussion in a setting that feels personal, relaxed, and memorable.
Museum and Gallery Presentations
Designed to complement exhibitions or collections, with a focus on craftsmanship, historical context, and the social meaning behind dress and design.
Themed Events and Social Gatherings
Talks can become the centrepiece of a larger event, such as a tea or period gathering. Guests are invited to dress for the era and engage more deeply with the subject through a shared experience.
Community and Educational Groups
Well suited to libraries, historical societies, and local organizations looking for thoughtful and engaging programming that is both accessible and visually rich.
What to Expect
How a talk runs, what’s included, and what you can plan for
Each talk is designed to be engaging, visual, and accessible, combining storytelling with hands-on examples that guests can examine and enjoy. Audiences are encouraged to look closely, ask questions, and explore the historical and social context behind the items on display.
Talks can be adapted for a variety of spaces, from small intimate gatherings to larger seated audiences. I bring a curated selection of hats, garments, and reference pieces, and require only a table and a small area for display.
Sessions typically run 45–60 minutes, including time for questions and conversation. Each talk focuses on the subject matter itself; any catering, room bookings, or additional venue arrangements are to be provided by the host.
I specialize in talks about early to mid-20th century fashion, with topics including 1920s hats and the New Woman, Millinery in the 1940s, How Creativity Resists Oppression, and whether the one-hour dress of the flapper era changed fashion. Each session combines historical insight, visual examples, and social commentary, making the first half of the 20th century come alive for your audience.
If you have a particular theme, audience, or idea in mind, I am always happy to shape a talk around it, making each session unique and tailored to your event.
For a sense of how a talk unfolds, watch a sample presentation on the history of the beret click the button.
Get in Touch
I’d be happy to discuss your space, audience, and ideas for a talk
If you are interested in hosting a talk, you are welcome to get in touch to discuss your space, audience, and event ideas. Talks can be adapted to suit a range of settings, from small local gatherings to larger venues.
Please include a few details about your venue or event, and I will respond with availability, format options, and rates
Based in Orillia, Ontario, with a focus on local and regional events.