Straw bonnet by Mrs Parker's Millinery and Mercantile.

I know I showed you this bonnet once already, but I did always mean to write a proper review on the whole process of ordering it and the other bonnet so here goes!

Firstly, the bonnet itself. It feel sturdy and is extremely well made, the materials used are high quality and all in all it's everything I dared hope, and more. I have nothing but good things to say and would wholeheartedly recommend Mrs Parker's Millinery and Mercantile to anyone wishing to commission a bonnet.

The back of the bonnet. Mrs Robles, the artist herself, even weaves the straw parts herself. As you commission, you can either give her a very specific design or pick one basic shape from the bonnets she's already made. Same goes for the decorations: you can either give her specific instructions or just state which colours you'd like to have included in it and leave the decoration to her, which is what I chose to do after seeing her previous work at her webpage - she has a really good eye for decorating, much better than my own.

You place an order by first contacting her and explaining what it is that you'd like to have. This can be very vague at this stage, she's very friendly and kind and really helps you through the whole process. All the information she needs to have she asks for, and she's very good at keeping contact with the customer. Note that she uses a different e-mail for communicating with the customer than then one you use to contact her first!

I started by explaining which bonnet types were the ones I liked, and in what colours. She then asked me further questions and explained her busy schedule - that I would have to wait for a couple of months for my order, which I agreed to because I wasn't in any particular sort of hurry - and once everything had been settled I paid half the price of the two bonnets I decided to order.

The first bonnet was ready exactly when she had said it would be. I then paid the rest of this one bonnet's price and the shipping costs and after that I got the bonnet even faster than I had anticipated. The only minus side is that the parcel got stuck in the customs but that's something that just happens a lot in Iceland and cannot really be counted into the experience. 

The bonnet itself sits very nicely on the head. I'm most impressed by how every little detail of my request has been taken into consideration here! The major ones - that I need to be able to secure the bonnet to my head tightly (you'll understand immediately if you live in Reykjavík) as well as the minor ones (my family has a silly superstition concerning flowers, I really liked a certain design she had used in a previous bonnet etc.). In my own opinion the bonnet also flatters me greatly! :D

The weave. Oh my. I love it. It may sound funny but this is one of my favourite parts of this bonnet, the weave and how nicely it's made. 

So this is the first bonnet and I'm more than happy about it. There's a second one in the making as well and I can hardly wait... To sum up everything, here's it all listed in the egl feedback style:

Communication: 5/5

Accuracy of item description: NA because it's a commissioned item, but accuracy of getting what I expected would be 5/5

Was the item shipped when agreed upon: yes

Packaging: 5/5 Came in a sturdy box, well-wrapped

Overall experience: 5/5

Additional comments: read above!

URL: Mrs Parker's Millinery and Mercantile

Edited to add photos of the bonnet worn, I know I posted these once already but I felt the review needs pics of how it looks worn as well.