BILLINGS — Western wear in Montana just got a lot more customizable, thanks to a new boutique in Billings connecting shoppers with local artists.
“Here at Giddy Up, we like to empower women and make them feel confident in their own bodies. We embrace Western fashion, we kind of mix it in with boho,” says Deborah Ludwig, Giddy Up hat artist.
At Giddy Up Coffee Bar and Boutique at 1008 Shiloh Crossing Blvd. suite 4, the cherry on top of a perfect outfit is a custom-burned hat that has women walking out into the world in style with an abundance of confidence.
“They can come and they can pick their own hat. We have two different styles to choose from. We have, I think, 30 different colors, and they can pick their own hat and they can sit up at the bar with me,” says Ludwig.
It takes one to two hours to burn your own hat with help from a local hat artist. You can come alone on walk-in days or set up a private party with your girlfriends in the store or on location.
“This one burns to like a peachy color. it's kind of like that one up on the wall,” says Ludwig. “This one burns to a really pretty caramel color. The green one is my favorite. It burns so pretty.”
The artist or you draw on the design with a heat-erasing pen so mistakes aren’t an issue.
“We come up with a design together and then they sit up here and with our hat burners, they just trace the design and burn it in,” says Ludwig.
Whether it's for a night on the town or a bling-filled trip to the big city, no one walks out with the same hat.
“We have a lot of ladies come in because they are on their way to Nashville,” says Ludwig. “Lots of rhinestones, lots of glitter, sequins, it's very flashy and it's very fun.”
“It's your hat, it's only your hat, so that’s awesome,” says Ludwig.
Walk-in days are Monday and Tuesday and can accommodate up to three people.
‘Burn It’ hat parties can be booked at Giddy Up Coffee Bar and Boutique with a minimum of five people.
