And it's not hard to see why Magnificent Hats, in East Kilbride, has become the ultimate destination for stunning headwear.

The shop is in the middle of a maze of cobbled streets in the old part of the town.

However, the location is the perfect backdrop to the classic pieces – from a stunning, large pink wedding number and a red felt fedora, to a 1940s chocolate-coloured pill box hat and a black, wide-brimmed, Audrey Hepburn-type creation.

The inside of the store is like a sweet shop – and the hats are good enough to eat.

Pamela Aitken, 27, and her mum Jean, 57, who are both from the South Lanarkshire town, launched the shop 18 months ago after studying the art of making hats.

"My mum had started to study millinery almost 10 years ago," Pamela said.

"I've always loved clothes and fashion, and hats are a beautiful accessory.

"I just said to my mum 'I need to learn to make hats'."

They took the plunge and never looked back.

The shop has a mixture of everything. They can produce ready-to-wear hats and hand-made one-off pieces.

The mother-daughter team also run a service where they can "trim" hats with features such as feathers, silk, netting, jewels or diamante.

"We can totally transform a hat," said Pamela.

The most exciting part of all is the bespoke service.

Shoppers can come to the shop, try on their outfit and then Pamela or Jean work on the design, shape, colours and trimmings with the customer.

The prices are reasonable, too.

Full hats start from £70, fascinators start at £20 and bespoke designs can cost from £120.

For a larger hat, suitable for the mother of the bride or groom, the price is around £160.

The team has already won legions of fans and loyal customers who spread the word by mouth and via the internet.

"I've got a lot of business from Glasgow and the surrounding areas, and as far away as Edinburgh and Aberdeen," said Pamela.

"People travel to me because it's a specialist shop and you can't really get that bespoke service anywhere else."

One of their biggest fans is lingerie entrepreneur Michelle Mone.

The businesswoman, from the East End of Glasgow, wore a one-off black crin fascinator to the Cheltenham Festival in March and donned a nude fascinator with ostrich feathers to a friend's wedding recently.

Pamela said: "Michelle has been really supportive.

"I met her at a charity event and I noticed she was going to the races and was looking for a hat so I tweeted her to see if she wanted a hand.

"Then she tweeted a picture of herself wearing the beautiful headpiece from the shop.

"She wore it perfectly, it was off the face."

One of her designs was even worn to the Edinburgh royal wedding of Zara Phillips and Mike Tindall in July this year.

It is not easy to make a hat and Pamela travels to London for supplies.

But she believes the winning formula is time and consultation with customers.

She said: "We like to think of it as a process.

"I take my guidance from the customer but I can push things through in two weeks.

"It just needs to be spot on."

n Magnificent Hats, 17 Montgomery Street, The Village, East Kilbride, G74 4JS. Contact Pamela and Jean by calling 01355 236 902.

WHAT'S YOUR FAVOURITE HAT?

"It's a small black 1940s hat with merry widow veiling on it."

WHAT IS THE SECRET TO PULLING OFF A HAT?

"Confidence. I always want people to come into my shop and try everything on, have a laugh. Try things you'd never dream of wearing and you might suit it."

WHERE DO YOU LIKE TO SHOP?

"I love high street shops such as Zara and Topshop and, for more expensive pieces, Reiss, because I love the quality."

HOW WOULD YOU DESCRIBE YOUR STYLE?

"I would say I am quite classy and I am drawn to black clothes, I live in black."

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF STYLE IN GLASGOW AND THE WEST OF SCOTLAND?

"I think there's a lot of individuality. People are being a bit more brave than they used to be and more quirky.

"I like how people don't follow the crowd here."