‘Best decision I ever made’: Mississippi woman creates custom hats
‘Every little step in the process, each thing makes it unique to you’
When a woman from a small town in Mississippi decided to head west it was supposed to be a six-month adventure to find herself. Instead, it turned into a five-year journey where she found a love for making custom fashion and western-style hats and she brought that passion back to Mississippi.
Mary Landrum Pyron works in a loft of a barn on her family farm in Crystal Springs. She applied a secret liquid on the crown of a hat and set it on fire. As the hat glowed with gentle blue flames, she explained the purpose. “It kind of singes the fine hair,” Pyron said. “It shows you where to sand it. You want to get the crown as smooth as possible.”
The flames quickly disappeared and Pyron inspected the hat and sanded it to a smooth and consistent finish. It’s a part of an 8-hour process that produces her custom hats.
Hats that reflect personality
Pyron sports one of her hats as she works and it’s decorated with meaningful items. Among them are a rattlesnake rattle, a spur from a turkey she harvested and a square nail taken from the 175year-old barn that houses her shop. It’s branded with her logo and an outline of the state of Mississippi. Her hat is representative of the custom options she offers clients.
“That’s what I like,” Pyron said. “If you have something that is meaningful to you or your family, we can incorporate it somehow. At the end of the day and you walk out the door, I want it to reflect you, what you enjoy and your hobbies.”
Pyron launched her business, M. L. Provisions, in July. The opening was a milestone she didn’t see coming five years earlier. The path she took is reflected in her company slogan, “Inspired by the West, made in the South.”
University of Mississippi grad heads west to find herself
“I graduated from Ole Miss in 2016,” Pyron said. “I knew I wanted to move out west to find myself — even though I wasn’t lost. I just wanted to do something different and it was the best decision I’ve ever made.”
Landrum wanted to live near Jackson Hole, Wyoming due to its famous skiing opportunities. She landed a job as a caterer and expedition chef at a nearby dude ranch, a western-style resort where she cooked for guests.
“I’d cook 18 pounds of bacon on the top of a mountain in the middle of nowhere,” Pyron said.
Looking the part was also in the job description.
“I had to wear a hat every day,” Pyron said. “It’s a part of the western lifestyle. People wear hats all the time.”
Discovering the world of custom hats
Wearing a hat every day was one thing. Wearing the same hat was another. Pyron bought more hats and then turned to high-quality custom hats.
The quality and craftsmanship impressed her so much she wanted to learn how to make them. So, she made a cold-call to a local hatter.
“I just reached out to a lady and asked
if she was hiring,” Pyron said.
That set the wheels in motion. Pyron learned the craft of a hatter while living the dream. An avid hunter, camper, snow skier and fisher, Wyoming offered it all for Pyron.
However, the little town she’d distanced herself from years earlier began calling in 2020.
“It was great, but there’s no place like home,” Pyron said. “I have a great support structure, my family and I’m the only hatter in Mississippi.”
An appreciation for quality goods
Pyron’s only marketing so far is through her Instagram account, @mlprovisions, and it’s keeping her busy. Customers can choose from ordering a hat and having it shipped or making an appointment and working with Pyron in person. However, due to demand, Pyron is not taking additional orders until after Christmas.
The base price for a beaver and rabbit fur felt hat is $415 and the price of hat bands depends on what is chosen. However, when Pyron resumes taking orders she foresees a price increase.
Customers said the price reflects the quality they receive.
Jackson native Katie Dennis of Memphis said she and her husband have purchased hats from Pyron and the quality changed her opinion of earlier purchases.
“It’s very well made,” Dennis said. “I’ve had many wool hats and they don’t compare to this.
“I thought they were good at the time, but now they seem flimsy and not well made compared to hers. I think you’re paying for what you get. I’d rather pay more and have a hat that’s going to last instead of buying a $40 hat that’s not going to last through the season.”
Having a hand in the process
Caroline Reed of Jackson said much the same.
“I felt the price was good for a custom hat,” Reed said. “Once you do your research and see what custom hats cost, hers are at a really good price.”
Reed also liked being involved in the creation of a hat.
“She made it fit my head the way I wanted it,” Reed said.
“It’s the whole process of going to the shop, picking out the color you want, having it molded to your head, choosing the brim — every little step in the process, each thing makes it unique to you. My whole family has gone down and gotten one. They picked it out and designed it.”
Pyron said she works long hours with few days off, but happy customers and the creativity of making hats make it rewarding.
Even so, she’s still amazed by the journey that led her to where she is.
“If I hadn’t taken that chance on going out west, I wouldn’t be here today,” Pyron said. “It’s funny how life turns out and how it works.
“I’m blown away by it. I’m absolutely blown away.”
Contact Brian Broom at 601-961-7225 or bbroom@gannett.com.