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DALPH JOHNSONPANACHE HATSas a child, dalph johnson, the youngest of 10 siblings, would sneak onto his moth-er’s sewing machine to try to imitate her moves. As he grew older, the native Dallas-ite was inspired by the fam-ily matriarch’s love of hats and taught himself the art of millinery by studying library books and deconstructing any headwear he could get his hands on. Hearing of his passion for hat-making, a re-tired milliner gave Johnson thousands of dollars worth of vintage blocks (wood-en molds used to form hat shapes), which secured his path in the industry. Today, Johnson uses old-world tools and techniques to create made-to-order couture hats that have “a quality fi t for royalty” and “the classiness of Audrey Hepburn.” $130-$500/dalphs.com

GINGER STRANDMILLINERIUMwhen ginger strand was laid off in 2008, she decided to make ends meet by turn-ing a millinery hobby into a full-fl edged business. The SMU fi ne arts grad had been complimented on her own hand-made hats for years, so making them for oth-ers seemed the next logical step. Strand prides herself on her eco-friendly “wearable sculptures” made mostly from re-purposed materials. She uses hundreds of sewing items from her grandmoth-er’s estate to create one-of-a-kind chapeaus. Inspired by her sister’s battle with cancer, Strand takes care to use only the softest and most breathable materials for many of her styles to help those with hair loss and skin sensitivity due to chemo-therapy. $22-$1,495/milli-nerium.com

cassie macgregor never imagined that one day she would design hats for a living, but a millinery class at the Fashion Institute of Technology changed everything. Although her fi rst creation looked more like a chef’s hat than a beret, MacGregor wasn’t discouraged. She honed her skills work-ing with various New York milliners and, in 2007, headed back to Texas to live near family and open a retail headwear boutique. But after some soul-searching, MacGregor decided that focusing on her craft would bring more happiness than running a store. So she rented a small workspace above the Bishop Arts restaurant Bolsa and, within four years, has become a respected fi gure in the Dallas fash-ion scene. $180-$250/thehouseofmacgregor.com, V.O.D., Warren Barrón

CASSIE MACGREGORHOUSE OF MACGREGOR

HATSINCREDIBLE

[STYLE]

Three Dallas milliners ply their craft to keep you covered. By Kristin Hull

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aboutfaceMy dream

of getting a

nose job

was fi nally

coming true.

But now that the

time had come,

I was having

second thoughts.

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? { illustration by KATIE MOON }

{ by KRISTIN HULL }

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I’ll never forget the day in high school when a friend asked, “Did you know your nose is crooked?” Great. I already thought it was too big, and now in the midst of teen-age angst, I had yet another reason to feel insecure. A few years later, as I was entering the workforce, I made the mistake of get-ting the pixie haircut Winona Ryder was sporting at the time. I learned the hard way that a super-short ’do only magnifi es any imperfections. In the torturous year I spent growing it out, stranger after stranger com-mented, “You look like Liza Minnelli.” (Yes, you read that right.) I took this as a direct attack on my nose and vowed to get it fi xed someday should the opportunity arise.

One day, it did. A few months ago, a friend told me about

her deviated septum diagnosis, prompt-ing me to get a professional opinion of my own. I shared all of her symptoms: snoring, congestion, frequent sinus infections, and, well, my nose was crooked. An offi ce visit and CT scan later, it was confi rmed. I had an S-shaped septum, my sinuses weren’t draining correctly, and my turbinates (bony structures on the walls of the nose that help cleanse air as it is inhaled) were large and round instead of small and narrow—basically, an ineffective breathing system. When my ear, nose, and throat physician, Dr. Evan Bates, suggested a septoplasty (surgery to correct a deviated septum), I was excited. Not only would it greatly improve my breathing, but it also meant I could fi nally get a nose job.

The next week I met with a plastic sur-geon, Dr. Bryan Pruitt, who came highly recommended by Dr. Bates as well as sev-eral friends and colleagues. We discussed his conservative and natural approach to

rhinoplasty, which was right on par with my goals. He also mentioned he was a sculptor in his spare time. How perfect was that? A tag-team surgery was in the works. Dr. Bates would do his part fi rst, then Dr. Pruitt would take over. We set the date, and I paid the deposit.

That’s when I started to panic.I was 100 percent sure about the septo-

plasty. Who wouldn’t want to breathe easier after a lifetime of stuffi ness and sinus infec-tions? But then I started questioning the rhi-noplasty. Did I really want it? Why couldn’t I just be happy with the way I was born? Was I being too vain? Was it worth the extra recov-ery time and the extra money? I always thought of rhinoplasty candidates as those with severe disfi gurements, not “annoying imperfections.” So did that mean I shouldn’t do it? Everyone I mentioned it to responded with “What?! Why?” Maybe I was crazy. If most people didn’t see any-thing wrong with my nose, then what was I doing?

Fortunately, I ’ve learned to assuage panic with rational thoughts, so I created a list of rea-sons why I wanted to go through with the sur-gery, and I read it every morning. First, this was an opportunity. My nose wasn’t fl awed enough to justify the rhinoplasty, but because I was having devi-ated septum surgery anyway, I fi gured I may as well do it. If it didn’t happen now, it prob-

ably never would. Second, Dr. Pruitt said that because of sagging due to gravity, noses appear to grow larger as we age. With mine already a bit protuberant, the last thing I wanted was for it to look even bigger. He also explained that my “tip was soft,” which meant that it would eventually begin to droop. (I imagined myself a combination of Liza Minnelli and the Wicked Witch of the West. Yikes.) Third, the little things that always bothered me would be corrected—looking awkward in photos, being unable to fi nd sunglasses that didn’t sit crooked on my face, not having bangs or short hair (which I love).

The list worked for a while, but as the date of my surgery approached, another attack of “What the hell am I doing?” hit. I had butterfl ies in my stomach, and I couldn’t concentrate or sleep. The only solution was

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Why is itthat the characteristics we dislike most about ourselves are things someone else pointed out?

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to meet with Dr. Pruitt one more time to confi rm (again) that he knew I didn’t want a totally new nose, nor did I want to look like a different person. I wanted to look like me—with a straighter, smaller nose.

My obsessive side reared its ugly head as I prepared for the fi nal appointment. First, I asked a friend to Photoshop some pictures of me to illustrate my “after” look, then I scoured the Internet and printed every per-tinent before and after picture I could fi nd. I was grateful to Dr. Pruitt for not laughing at my presentation.

He explained that as much as he’d like to show me exactly what I’d look like after the surgery, he couldn’t. The fi nal results would depend on a few unpredictable factors. For example, shortening the tip could cause the base to appear too wide, so he might have to narrow my nostrils a bit (which is exactly what he did). Also, it was impossible to predict how I would heal, and that could affect the fi nal outcome as well.

Believe it or not, this actually set my mind at ease because I knew there was nothing more I could do. From this point on, it was out of my hands.

I asked Dr. Pruitt post-surgery if I was the craziest, most obsessed patient he’d ever seen. “Absolutely not,” he said. “Fear is a very normal response. If this is a patient’s fi rst procedure, he or she should be nervous. Rhinoplasty is a real surgery that should not be minimized as a minor procedure. I would have been concerned if you weren’t nervous. Most people feel a combination of apprehension and excitement, which is very, very common.” So, even if I were crazy, at least I wasn’t the only one.

The day of my surgery came quickly. I was all smiles going in. They put the I.V. in my arm, and within seconds I was blissfully unaware. Dr. Bates spent about an hour on me; Dr. Pruitt, about two and a half. It took longer than expected because Dr. Pruitt spent more time than usual sculpting the tip. Besides straightening my nose and making it less prominent, he inserted a cartilage graft (or “tent pole”) in the tip to keep it perma-nently perky. Bless you, Dr. Pruitt!

Coming off the anesthesia was the most unpleasant part of the whole ordeal. Sweat-ing, nausea, chills, and throat pain from the breathing tube (inserted and removed while

I was still unconscious) greeted me upon awakening. My husband waited patiently for the brunt of the nausea to wane before he took me home. That night wasn’t as hor-rible as I thought it would be. Although I looked pretty bad—red bruises around my eyes, yellow discoloration on my cheeks, a plastic “cast” over my nose with a thick gauze pad taped underneath my nostrils, and a gel ice pack over my eyes—I actually felt okay once the nausea subsided.

But sleeping that fi rst night wasn’t easy. I was in an upright position (for the entire week, actually), and every couple of hours, my lips and throat would get so dry from mouth-breathing that it woke me up. I also had to use the restroom too many times to count, because I had received so many fl u-ids during the surgery.

By morning, I felt 100 percent better, and each day brought improvement. I was shocked at how little pain there was. I never needed more than the occasional Tylenol. By the third day, the swelling that had sur-rounded my eyes had moved down to my jaw line, creating that adorable chipmunk look. Six days after the surgery, I had an appointment with Dr. Pruitt. Instead of changing my bandages as I had anticipated, he proceeded to take out the stints and stitches (somewhat painful but quick) and remove my bandages. The only remnant of the surgery was a little bruise under my right eye. My nose was tender and swollen, but no one could tell until I spoke. Because most of the swelling was internal, I couldn’t breathe out of it (and wouldn’t be able to for at least four weeks), and I sounded con-gested. But the worst was over.

Now, a month later, 90 percent of the swelling is gone, so I have a pretty good picture of the new me. The biggest relief is that I can still see the old me, just with a better nose. In fact, fi xing my nose has made me appreciate my other facial fl aws. I don’t look at them negatively anymore, because they’re the characteristics that make me unique. ? ?

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( )I scoured the Internet and printed every pertinent before

and after picture. Then I asked a friend to Photoshop some

pictures of me to illustrate my “after” look. I was grateful to

Dr. Pruitt for not laughing.

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Mandy’s career in the nonprofi t sector began with Best Buddies and

the American Heart Association; now she’s the senior national fi eld manager for Mothers Against Drunk Driving and sits on the volunteer committee for the

Kilgore College Rangerettes alumni organization. The Dallas native is also

a member of the Women’s Auxiliary to Children’s Medical Center.

Happiness is: Spending time with my niece and nephew who make me laugh

harder than anyone else. They bring out the child in me.

Philosophy on life: Never give up on your hopes and dreams.

My heroes: My mom. She has been through so much and has managed to remain positive through it all. I am also

inspired by many of the people I’ve met through my work with MADD. They have

overcome personal tragedies and are using their experience to help others.

Must-have beauty item: I can’t live without Lancome’s L’ Extreme

Lengthening Mascara in black. My lashes are pretty thin, so it makes them look

longer and helps open up my eyes.Favorite thing about Dallas: I was born and raised here, so I have a fondness for

the State Fair and the Cowboys. Living elsewhere made me appreciate Dallas.

What I’d like to change about Dallas: The number of fatalities on our highways caused by drunk drivers. Last year more

than 100 individuals were killed in Dallas County alone due to

alcohol-related crashes.In 10 years I hope to: Still be working in

the nonprofi t sector. That’s where my heart is.

Favorite article of clothing: My little black dress, because it’s slimming,

comfortable, and perfect for any occasion.

MANDY HAMILTON, 31

10 most beautiful

Mandy is wearing a black asymmetrical Elijah dress

($330/Elements).

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Alissa is wearing a high-waist Rag & Bone pencil skirt ($380/LFT) and classic white blouse ($59/Club Monaco).

A corporate and residential interior design consultant, Alissa also writes a restaurant review column called Tasteful Interruption for Southern Vanity Magazine. As a member of the Junior League of Dallas, she enjoys volunteering at Texas Scottish Rite Hospital for Children, Jonathan’s Place, and Bryan’s House.

On being one of D Beauty’s 10 Most Beautiful Women: I am honored to be part of a group of women who have already done so much with their lives and who are so focused on being good people.

Favorite thing about Dallas: The many restaurants and the people. Dallasites are classy, sophisticated, and friendly. The city has its own unique style that sets it apart from other cities. Plus, I like big hair and sparkly jewelry. What can I say? I’m a true Texas girl.

What I’d like to change about Dallas: I wish there were more places like West Village where you can spend an afternoon just hanging out.

In 10 years I hope to: Be married with children, and have designed my own line of home accessories.

One goal I have yet to accomplish: To go on a mission trip. Making people’s lives brighter and helping to provide them with items that they need is one of the things I enjoy most. I have had the chance to do this on numerous occasions locally, and I would love to do it on a larger scale.

Philosophy on life: Keep a positive attitude regardless of how good or bad your day is. Attitude makes you who you are.

My hero: My mom. She is positive, happy, energetic, and has a kind heart. If I am half the woman she is, I’ll be proud of myself.

I’d like to be remembered as: Someone who made helping others an important part of her life. I’d like to be remembered for my heart and for being an inspiration to others.

Must-have beauty item: Mascara. I love L’Oreal’s Voluminous Full Defi nition Mascara in Blackest Black because it lengthens and separates my lashes. I have used it for years.

Favorite article of clothing: A great pair of jeans with some fabulous jewelry. I love True Religion jeans because they fi t really well and have so many styles to choose from. I like the details they apply to their jeans. Being a designer, I tend to notice things like that.

ALISSA SUTTON,

28

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At just 25 years old, Jamie has already co-founded her own line of beauty products, JamieO Skincare, and she is working on a new USDA-certifi ed organic line. She loves shopping, dining out, gathering with friends and family, and volunteering for organizations such as the Elisa Project and Starlight Starbright.

Favorite thing about Dallas: The people. They’re bright, beautiful, down to earth, and willing to help others.What I’d like to change about Dallas: I wish it had Austin’s topography—lots of trees and rolling hills.In 10 years I hope to: Have had another child, made my skincare company a major international player, written a book that will empower women, and run a half marathon. I admire those who can master their body and have such control and dedication.

Philosophy on life: Stay positive and dream big. Don’t neglect to celebrate your successes, no matter how small they are.Must-have beauty item: JamieO Skincare (of course!).Happiness is: Helping others. Mom taught me that.My heroes: My mother. She has been a powerful infl uence in my life and a great caretaker. And my brother who has cerebral palsy—his ability to always be happy and positive never ceases to amaze me.I’d like to be remembered as: An unselfi sh person who cared about and helped lift others. One way I hope to do this is by fulfi lling a dream my husband and I have to start a foundation that will provide anonymous assistance to those in need.Favorite designer: My friend Abi Ferrin.

JAMIE O’BANION, 25

10 most beautiful

Jamie is wearing a ruffl e-sleeved Loeffl er Randall dress ($350/LFT) and Beyond Baroque earrings ($129).

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picture perfectBY KR I S T IN HUL L

A step-by-step guide to hiring the right wedding photographer.

�

Good Advice

Lindsay and Tyler BloomerNovember 11, 2006

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YOU’VE DREAMT OF THIS DAY forever: walking downthe aisle, the first danceas man and wife, cutting the cake. You thinkyou’ll remember every moment for years tocome, but the whole event will likely be awonderful blur of hugs, laughter, and danc-ing. So choosing the right photographer isvital to ensure every detail of your dream dayis forever preserved.

Unfortunately, many couples hire a pho-tographer without asking crucial questionsor doing appropriate research. We chattedwith some local wedding photographers tocreate this foolproof guide so you’ll end upwith a beautiful and accurate record of thisonce-in-a-lifetime affair.

DO SOME DETECTIVE WORKFirst and foremost, get the names of severalphotographers. Ask family and friends, attendbridal shows, or check with reception locationsand private clubs, which often have relation-ships with local photographers. Our D Weddingsresource guide, which begins on p. 187, includesa list of reputable professionals. Additionally,many bridal web sites provide contact infor-mation for photographers according to geo-graphic area, which is especially helpful if you’replanning a destination wedding.

Once you have a list, visit the photographer’sweb site and peruse the online portfolio. You’llget a good feel for his or her style—traditional,photojournalistic, artistic—and quality of work.If you like what you see, make an appointmentto visit him or her at the studio.

MEET AND GREETMake sure that the photographer you meet isthe actual person who will be taking your pic-tures. Some larger studios have a pool of

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�

Good Advice

professionals and will send whoever is availableon the dates you have set up. Verify that the per-son you speak with is the same one who willshow up for all your sittings and, especially, onyour wedding day.

Once this is confirmed, it’s important to getto know the photographer. Most couples don’trealize that it’s essential they actually like him orher. Between the engagement sitting, the bridalportrait sitting, and the wedding day, you will

be spending many hours together. (Althoughit’s not imperative that you use the same pho-tographer for all three shoots, most profes-sionals recommend it so they can familiarizethemselves with your personality and style.)The more comfortable you are with them—and vice versa—the more natural the photoswill be. “Ask yourself if you’d go have a drinkwith this person after the wedding is over,” recommends Heather Williams, of Faces

Photography. “If not, they’re probably not a goodmatch for you.”

THE JOB INTERVIEWEven if you love a photographer’s style, it’s stillimportant to discuss his or her background.Knowing how to compose a photograph is onething, but only experience can prepare someonefor emergency situations, such as a camera mal-function or a sudden change in weather.“Someone with at least five years backgroundas a full-time wedding photographer will beable to solve any unexpected issues,” Williamssays. She also stresses the importance of choos-ing a photographer who doesn’t shoot morethan 25 weddings per year. “You don’t want aperson who is so burned out that their pictureslack energy and creativity.”

DISCUSS SPECIFICSAlmost all event photographers use digital cam-eras these days, but it’s always smart to doublecheck. Digital cameras offer versatility, and morepictures can be taken at no extra cost. “Confirmthat your photographer uses a high-resolutioncamera for the best results, especially if you aregoing to have any large prints made,” says AndreaPolito of Andrea Polito Photography. Also, askhow the files are backed up and how long yourphotos will be kept after the big day.

Discussing exactly what shots to take at thewedding isn’t necessary, as an experienced pro-fessional will know what to do. “However,” Politosuggests, “if there are any unique family situa-tions, such as divorced or remarried parents thatdon’t get along, make sure to let us know so wecan avoid any uncomfortable moments.”

Find out if your photographer will bring an FAC

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Heidi and Tyler HaysFebruary 10, 2007

Christina and Randal BiggsFebruary 24, 2007

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