"Milla– what?"

I knew that the words "milliner" and "millinery" were not exactly in the common vernacular. Still, I think I'm a little surprised by how many educated people I need to explain the word to.

I said before that I avoid using "atelier" because I think it sounds too pretentious for what I'm (currently) doing. But I do like the word "milliner." In some ways it sounds more descriptive than "hat-maker." No one is going to confuse a milliner with one of those kiosks at the mall where you can get a design embroidered on a baseball cap. Or even assume that I knit or crochet hats.

It might be time, though, to say "I make hats" when people ask what I do. Otherwise the conversation goes like this...

"What do you do?"
"I have my own millinery business."
"Milla– what?"
"Millinery."
"..."
"It means hat-making."
"Oh. I didn't know that word before."

And any conversation about my hats or my actual work vanishes as the person absorbs the new vocabulary.

But hey ... I did register merely Silverhill Creative as a business name with the state. So I could add any descriptor on that I'd like. Silverhill Creative Hats. Silverhill Creative Headwear. Silverhill Creative Accessories. ... But probably not. :)

I am Silverhill Creative Millinery.