About As a Matter of Hats
My name is Jodie Shemmans. At the age of nine I started Stage School and fell in love with dancing, singing and all things theatrical. I continued training at a professional dance college and went on to teach dance for over 10 years. I have worked as an entertainment host in Cyprus, a singer in Fort Lauderdale and a Performance Host on a Cruise Ship travelling the world. During these travels, I picked up inspiration from the diverse and amazing cultures of the people along the way including their native costumes. I continued performing on stage and in theatres thereafter, developing a real love and appreciation for costume design and the emotions they can generate.
I then decided that I would really like to bring a "sparkle" into people's day, so I set up a business travelling to care homes in Sussex and Surrey, singing in costume, brightening the day of the residents. This has been a very rewarding career, as the power of emotion generated by period costume and music in combination clearly released memories from the past with residents, many of whom were sadly suffering from mentally degenerative illness.
Linking the theatrical and cultural experiences from my global travels and career, I have now established "As a Matter of Hats".
I have always felt that hats and headwear are a statement of one's personality and often symbolise a special "moment in time". It is often the headwear that is noticed first and remembered last. They create that "Wow!" A creative, stylish and artistic statement that can often define an event or even an era. As an entertainer, I like to create an emotion and connection with my audience. With my hatinators, fascinators and wedding hair accessories, I bring that philosophy to the fore to create stylish, beautiful, emotional, and standout designs.
My passion is to put you "centre stage"!