Hats and headwear made a big statement on the runways for the upcoming spring season. Whether it was the dramatic black hats seen at Alexander McQueen, whimsical animal ears spotted on the models at Anna Sui or biker caps at DSquared2, there were hats for every personality and style. Not only does the perfect hat take your outfit up a notch, it’s also great for covering up bad hair days and keeping your head warm during the colder months.
Alexander McQueen spring 2013
One hat trend that’s easy to wear and fantastic for the winter is a slouchy beanie, otherwise known as a tuque. Close-fitting around the head and loose on top, slouchy beanies come in a variety of colours, patterns and knits. Wool fedoras are also a popular, albeit more formal, option for this time of year. Try finishing off your outfit with a fedora at night if you want a dressy, polished look. For even more glamour, you can accessorize with a wide-brim felt hat, as seen at the Saint Laurent show — designer Hedi Slimane topped off his rocker chic models with 70s-inspired floppy hats in neutral tones.
Saint Laurent spring 2013
An alternate approach to picking hats other than trying the trends is to go with one that will suit your face shape. Much like a hairstyle or a pair of glasses, hats can also help in flattering and framing the face. For oval faces, you’re in luck! Just like haircuts, oval faces are suited to most types of hats. Try a beanie without too much excess fabric at the top so you don’t elongate the face. To complement longer faces, stick to big circular hats such as thick beanies and Russian fur hats. Oblong faces also work well with curved brims like ones found on newsboy caps, cloches and floppy hats. You want to add width, not height, to your face. Another trick is to pull the hat forward to cover more of the forehead.
Look cool while keeping your head warm with this slouchy beanie from ASOS.
For round faces, look for rigid, structured hats with angled brims and aren’t too circular at the crown. You want to add angles instead of roundness. Fedoras, newsboy and conductor caps are great for rounder faces. If your face is more heart-shaped, try slouchy beanies or berets to balance out and soften angles of the jawline and cheeks. Heart-shaped faces are also best suited to hats with medium-sized brims such as cloches, as shorter ones tend to enlarge the forehead and longer brims will make small chins appear pointier. And for faces with square jawlines, opt for feminine hats with large brims and curved crowns, like trilbies, floppy hats and bowlers.
Get ready for spring with a straw trilby from Topshop.
To prevent hat hair, choose hats made from natural fabrics like cotton, wool and cashmere. They’re less likely to cause unruliness from sweating of the head. Also take into consideration how snug the hat fits: tight beanies are more likely to cause hat hair while slouchy, loose berets are less likely to. Control flyaways and static with hairspray after wearing your hat. Spray some into your hand and run it over your hair for flyaways, and into the roots for a boost of volume. Those with short hair can also put in some volumizer before donning a cap. For longer haired ladies, you can pull your hair into a loose bun under a hat. Once it comes off, you’ll have waves since the hat insulates heat.
Baseball caps at DKNY spring 2013.
Hats are an easy addition to change up an outfit. Just think of the different styles conveyed when a hat is worn with a simple jeans and tee look: glam with a fedora, androgynous with a newsboy cap, or even urban chic with a baseball cap as seen at DKNY. Play around with how the hat sits on your head, tilting it for different angles to find the right balance for your face. You can also individualize your hats with brooches, ribbons and studs. Like any accessory, hats can be an extension of your mood and style — have fun with them!
[Article first appeared in the Feb. 13 issue of Richmond Review.]
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