How to Wear a Hat

Attending a wedding and need a stylish touch to your outfit?  There is something very elegant and beautiful about a lady in a hat.  Hats, when selected and worn correctly, look fantastic, get you noticed, boost your confidence, and immediately make a plain outfit look stunning. Women wrongly assume that a hat is a very ‘shortening’ accessory to wear, but the right hat worn correctly is a boost to both stature and confidence.  

When you wear a hat, pull it right down to your eyebrows until you can only see your feet.  This means that in order to see where you are going, you need to lift up your head, which in turn elongates your neck, pushes back your shoulders and magically adds several inches to your height! If a hat isn't flattering when you first try it on, adjust its position on your head.  The hat should be angled to its best advantage. Try tilting it slightly to the right or left. Angle it from every direction and experiment until you find the optimal look. 

Consider the following principles when choosing a hat:

-       The taller you are, the bigger hat you can wear. Petite ladies should opt for smaller, neater styles.

-       Brim should be no wider than your shoulder line. 

-       Crown should equal the width of your temples.

-       Avoid a style which repeats the shape of your face.

-       Be careful about wearing black or dark hats if you are being photographed, as these will cast unflattering shadows over the face. 

-       Spectacle wearers: choose a style with an upturned brim.

-       A brim that slopes down will cast shadows over your face and will emphasise heavy jowls. 

-       Always try on a hat with your outfit and shoes. 

-       Don’t be talked into a hat you don't feel comfortable in. 

-       You will instinctively know when you have found the right one.  Try your hat on in front of a full-length mirror to see all your proportions.

-       Make sure you get the right size.   A hat shouldn't feel as though it's about the fall off.

-       Extravagant, quirky styles work best with a simple outfit. 

-       Fascinators are a great alternative to add drama without overpowering your outfit.  To keep this secure throughout the day, mist a little hairspray on   your hair before positioning it.

-     Fascinator hats create the illusion of wearing a hat on a slant.  They are positioned securely with a headband. Ensure the headband is a colour which tones with your hair colouring and disguise the headband within your hairstyle.

-      Don't leave it too late to choose your hat.

-   Matching hat and outfit can look contrived and make the wearer look as if they have no imagination. It can be very striking to use a different, complementary, or contrasting colour to add interest to an outfit. 

-    The more ornate and detailed the hat, the simpler your hairstyle should be.  The hat, not your hair, should be the focus otherwise it looks too fussy.  Balance out the style by creating your hairstyle on the opposite side to where the hat is placed.  If you plan to remove your hat later during an event, pin back your fringe so it doesn’t get squashed.

Sue Burton

Celebrant & Wedding Stylist

www.celebrantstyle.co.uk