I lost all my hair at 13 due to Alopecia Universalis. It was a slower process (due to the hundreds of steroid shots and topicals I did for months), but it didn’t make the shock of becoming bald any more comfortable. As a young teen, I felt so isolated because no one with hair-loss was there to help me navigate wigs and other head coverings, or the major struggle of fake eyebrows and eyelashes. I didn’t meet another gal with alopecia until I was 25. I felt so alone for so many years.

In college, I began traveling with my music groups, and I scoured the internet for cute options and ordered many… only to feel like an incredibly ill individual every time I wore them. I never felt like I could wear anything but my wigs and be accepted in society. I finally found some cute hats made by a wonderful gal in the UK, but she only made one batch before she grew her hair back, so I couldn’t order them again! I was desperate for more, so I attempted to make them year after year (through much trial and error every Christmas break) and landed on an updated pattern and fit that I and so many others truly love! I discovered the worst fabrics, and I now only source the coziest materials because I understand how uncomfortable it is to wear hats that are too tight, inflexible, or have seams and tags.

Sharing my hats with the world over the past few months has been incredibly healing. It has helped bring in a community I have been seeking for over 15 years. I am thrilled to connect with so many beautiful gals online and help support them (so many with sudden chemo hair-loss).  Receiving images of little girls up to grown women rocking Mad Made Headwear out and about has truly given me the confidence to wear mine anywhere. I can’t wait to see how many beautiful bald heads will get to enjoy my favorite headwear!

In addition to my other work, I spend SO many hours on this little business every day, hoping that at least one sweet girl a week can feel a small amount of hope and comfort from these hats made with so much love!!

I care deeply about reaching more gals, so I donate a portion of our proceeds to the National Alopecia Areata Foundation and donate as many hats as I can to little girls and their dolls!

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When Madison is not working on everything Mad Made Headwear, you will find her teaching public school orchestra, performing viola professionally, finishing her graduate degree, and spending as much time as she can with her nieces and nephew!

(Picture featuring my amazing wig!!)