Fascinated by fascinator

I have to admit I never knew what a fascinator was or had I ever heard of one before, even though I have been selling for almost 4 years.  A few months back, a client from O Magazine contacted me and said that she was looking for a fascinator and some dresses for several tea parties for the magazine. You're looking for a what?  Luckily she just giggled and of course I knew I had some homework ahead of me ( Ok, I lied, some Googling).  I had seen numerous ones before but I just always assummed that they were  hats.  Many bridal magazines feature them and then of course, they are synanymous with horse races.  As we have two major ones coming up this month, I thought I would chat about the FACINATOR.

A fascinator is a headpiece, a style of millinery. The word originally referred to a fine, lacy head covering akin to a shawl and made from wool or lace, but mostly feathers. The term had fallen almost into disuse by the 1970s.^[1]
In the early 21st century, the term has made a comeback, but the meaning has slightly changed; it is now used to describe a delicate, vivacious head decoration worn mostly by women. A fascinator may be worn instead of a hat on occasions where hats were traditionally worn—such as weddings—or as an evening accessory, when it may be called a cocktail hat. It is generally worn with fairly formal attire. Fascinators have become popular internationally.  Bigger than a barrette, modern fascinators are commonly made with feathers, flowers or beads.^[3] They attach to the hair by a comb, headband or clip. The fun, fanciful ornament is often embellished with crystals, beads, or loops of ribbon, and attaches via a comb or headband; some have a small, stiff, flat base that can be secured with bobby pins. They are particularly popular at premium horse-racing events. Brides may choose to wear them as an alternative to a bridal veil or hat, particularly if their gowns are non-traditional.

This year's theme and dress code for the L'Ormanrin Queens plate is strictly blue and white.