​The hat – a crowning piece of sartorial style

Despite a long and illustrious history of hat wearing, somewhere along the line they’ve become a little overlooked. There are of course times, with cold ears, or burning hot head, you remember their usefulness. And, there are special occasions, mainly weddings, when you touch on their fashion possibilities. But everyday hat wearing is a lost realm of opportunity that needs to be reclaimed. Hats carry a lot of weight in an outfit, they frame your face, so people immediately notice them. This makes them an easy and effective way to explore different styles and enhance or shake up your look.

Summer sun hats and winter woolies - essential seasonal headwear

A good place to start is with a wide brim sun hat. This fashionable piece of spring-summer kit will protect your face and neck from harmful UV rays, keep the sun out of your eyes, and keep your head cool. Its perfect for the beach or walking around town and looks so elegant with a long dress and sandals. Try a classic straw hat in white with cool contrasting ribbon, or all black for a chic sultry style. As the weather turns, the beanie is a great trans-seasonal casual look, and retro cloche hats provide a smart, feminine alternative. But when the cold really hits you’ll need a cosy lined cable knit beanie or full on woolly winter hat, preferably with furry pompom!

Fashionable Fedoras, cool trilbies and stylish medium brim hats

Wide and medium brimmed hats are perfect for keeping off rain, sleet or even snow. They also feel wonderfully protective and look totally chic. There’s just something so evocative about a felt fedora especially, that conjures up thoughts of long woodland walks, clear windy days and crisp golden leaves underfoot.