Top it off
Tommy Cooper or Copenhagen Chic? How I'm styling hats this season.
It takes a certain level of confidence to wear a hat. Maybe I’m cautious or scarred, from growing up in a small town where wearing anything remotely different was an invitation for slagging off.
I have vivid memories of the noughties, when those big, stretchy fabric headbands were everywhere. I wore mine with cami tops and denim skirts, until one guy asked me, entirely sincerely, “Is your head okay? Why are you wearing a bandage?” Scarred.
It also reminds me of this tweet. And gives me the lols. So no wonder I’m cautious about wearing a hat.
That, and a more recent incident where a group of friends and I were called “Ryanair cabin crew” while wearing maxi coats and elegantly tied neck scarves… or so we thought.
And yet. Over the past few seasons, while attending Copenhagen Fashion Week, I’ve been completely obsessed with the way the Scandi set tops off otherwise minimal, elegant outfits with pillarbox hats. Effortless. Chic. Confident.
I’ve long wanted to give it a whirl. I even bought a couple a while back, which have remained unworn, tags still attached, lurking in my wardrobe. Most recently, I added a black one to the collection.
But every time I put it on, I think of Tommy Cooper. Lol. Who wore it better?
But I think when you want to try a trend, it’s all about researching it and seeing what works, what makes certain outfits successful, and then cherry-picking the elements that make sense for your wardrobe.
It’s exactly how I work with styling clients - I’ll look at previous outfits, reference pictures, break them down piece by piece, and figure out why they work - the proportions, the silhouettes, the colour, the styling tricks.
And this is what I’m doing with hats to try to see if I can pull them off, hopefully without any jibs.
From my deduction, the hat serves as a finishing touch without overwhelming the outfit. It should be part of the outfit, not dominate.
Start with clean, pared-back outfits. Hats work best when the rest of the look is streamlined and sleek. Think sharp tailoring, long coats, straight-leg denim, minimal knits.
Not saying you have to go monochromatic with your colour palette - but shown in some of the pics here, a stark cream or black look coordinated with a hat in the same hue does look super stylish. Also, monochrome or tonal dressing makes hats feel modern.
If you want to keep things subtle, but mix up the colours, choose a hat in a shade that mirrors something else in your outfit - it could be the colour of your coat, knit or trousers.
Think about proportion. The hat looks even chicer and more modern when balanced against volume elsewhere. An oversized blazer, a maxi coat or wide-leg trousers offset a neat, sculptural hat.
But it’s not just pillar hats having their moment - trapper, faux fur, shearling, bonnets all are here to keep you cosy while looking cute.
Faux fur or shearling naturally leans more statement, but can look great when paired with simple pieces like straight-leg jeans, a fine knit, and a maxi coat. It’s about letting the hat do the talking.
Lean into the fun of a faux fur hat and play with contrasts - I love how unexpected an olive green jacket and big furry hat look, or how it gives a quilted coat a little bit of glamour.
And, I luckily just got a faux fur leopard into my rotation - mixing textures is how I’m going to style it - think the softness of the faux fur looks so good against leather.
Now all I need is a coordinating faux-fur coat to fully indulge my ultimate moodboard outfit - an all-time favourite: Marge in The Talented Mr Ripley.
Suddenly, it all makes sense. The pillarbox hats. The leopard. Now I see where my obsession actually started…and if Marge can do it, surely I can too.
Think of the hat as part of the outfit, not an add-on. Once it feels considered and pulled together, the confidence follows - or at least, that’s what I’m hoping for.
Want to get on board the hat vibe? Shop my edit here.
