HOW TO CONFIDENTLY WEAR A HAT: Hat style tips

 HOW TO CONFIDENTLY WEAR A HAT

They are one of my favorite accessories, a hat can completely change a look. An outfit can go from simple to interesting just by adding a stylish hat. If you’re wondering how to wear a hat or how to look good in a hat, that is why I put together this guide, this style guide is for you! Many people are convinced that they don't look good in hats. We get it - especially if you've never really worn a hat before, and it feels like you're entering a brave new world.

HOW TO CONFIDENTLY WEAR A HAT: Hat style tips

First, wearing a hat isn’t all that difficult. Plop it on your head, and you’re good to go. It’s not how you wear a hat necessarily but what you pair with your hat, it’s the outfit itself

Since a stylish hat is an accessory that you can wear in the Winter, Spring, Summer, Fall, and even while traveling, this is something you could slowly start adding to your wardrobe and wearing once in a while, if you haven’t already.

If you’re wondering what are the different types of hats available, what kind of hat you should wear, and how to style that hat in an outfit then this resource is what you’ve been looking for!

I'll also share many photos of outfits with hats, so you have direct examples of what I am talking about and hopefully get inspired to take that hat out for a spin or finally add a stylish hat to your wardrobe.

However, the correct hat can actually enhance your appearance by balancing out your face shape and frame, whether you've got a full head of hair or not. Consider this page the bible of how to wear a hat. Here we have guidelines on the best way to wear a hat in order to look your best.

TIPS ON CHOOSING THE RIGHT HAT

Tip 1: Your facial structure and overall shape are important factors to consider when selecting a hat. If you have a small face, you should choose a smaller hat. Conversely, if you have a large face, you should choose a larger, more dramatic hat. It's all about proportion.

No matter what your size or features, a hat should be no wider than the width of your shoulders. 

 Tip 2: If a hat isn't flattering when you first try it on, you may need to adjust how it is placed on your head. If your face isn’t perfectly symmetrical in appearance (most of ours aren’t), chances are the hat will look better at an angle.  Try tilting the hat slightly to the right or to the left. Angle it from every direction and view it from every angle. Experiment until you find the optimal look. Here are some additional tips:

Tip 3: If you have glasses, try upturning the brim of your hat for a more flattering look. 

Tip 4: If you have hair, try tucking your hair behind your ear or putting your hair up for the best look, and so that your features can fully be on display.

Tip 5: Experiment with different earrings to spice things up. For women with hair loss, large statement earrings can help balance your look and focus attention back to your face.

Tip 6: Adornments from your local craft store can be used to personalize your hat. Flowers, ribbons, beads and more — the possibilities are endless.

Tip 7: For women with hair loss, we offer Velcro bangs and a wide variety of hairpieces with open tops that can be worn underneath your hat. They add the appearance of hair without the heaviness of a full wig. 

Tip 8: If you find hats scratchy due to hair loss, try wearing hat linersunderneath the hat to add a layer of protection between your scalp and the hat. Hat liners also allow you to wash your hat less frequently.

Tip 9: Picking out hats can be overwhelming, especially on a tight budget. You might think you have to break the bank, buying enough hats to match all your outfits. Luckily, this is not the case. With the help of accessories, you can turn one hat into hundreds. There are several things you should consider when choosing a hat to accessorize.

Tip 10: Choose a hat that is simple and casual to maximize accessorizing options.

Tip 11: Try to select a hat in a neutral color, or a color that matches many of your outfits. You can add a punch of color with various accessories.

Tip 12: Choose a soft and breathable fabric suitable for daily use. We like hats made of bamboo and cotton. Bonus? These materials are easy to wash. 

Tip 13: Top picks for choosing hats to accessorize: We recommend our Cozy Caps, Three Seam Turbans, and Denim Bucket Hat for starters. These are basic neutrals that can achieve many different looks. Oh, and they’re super-duper comfortable, day after day. 

OUTFITS WITH HATS

I did say in the first sentence that stylish hats are one of my favorite accessories! I wanted to show you a wide range of outfits with hats to inspire you throughout the year. 

Scroll to the section that you want to learn more about or read the entire post if you’re curious as to how you can wear a hat year-round.

If you need to add a straw hat to your summer wardrobe take a look at Free People, I love the variety of summer hats they offer and the prices range from low to high.

STYLISH SUMMER AND SPRING HAT OUTFITS

In the summer you’re given to green light to bring out your most wide-brimmed sun hat! Wide-brimmed hats make wearing a hat in the summer so much fun! So don’t be embarrassed, be confident!

If your favorite pass time in the summer months is lying on the beach, you need a fabulous sun hat for your beach outfits. It’ll not only protect you from the sun, but you’ll look oh so stylish.

you want to wear a hat in the summer look for hats that are lighter in color, like light brown, cream, off white, and white. Or a mix of colors, dark brown and cream or black and tan like in the hats I’m wearing in the outfits below. These two-toned style hats are very interesting. Or the hats with ribbons around the hat in a different color are nice as well.If you want to wear a hat in the summer look for hats that are lighter in color, like light brown, cream, off white, and white. Or a mix of colors, dark brown and cream or black and tan like in the hats I’m wearing in the outfits below. These two-toned style hats are very interesting. Or the hats with ribbons around the hat in a different color are nice as well.

In the summer you’re given to green  favorite pass time in the summer months is lying on the beach, you need a fabulous sun hat for your beach outfits. It’ll not only protect you from the sun, but you’ll look oh so stylish.

If you want to wear a hat in the summer look for hats that are lighter in color, like light brown, cream, off white, and white. Or a mix of colors, dark brown and cream or black and tan like in the hats I’m wearing in the outfits below. These two-toned style hats are very interesting. Or the hats with ribbons around the hat in a different color are nice as well.

The main material to wear in summer hats is straw. Don’t think that straw hats have to be country looking, no, straw hats are chic and stylish too. It’s best to wear straw because of the light material and keeps your head from getting too hot. You don’t want to wear felt, wool, or cashmere hats in the summer.

The different types of hats you can wear in the summer include a boater hat, sun hat, wide brim hat, Panama hat, straw fedora, bucket hat, and of course a fashionable baseball cap. These types of summer hats are the main categories and you will find a huge variety of styles within these main types of hats.

When putting together summer outfits with hats the three things to remember is color, balance, and proportions. Since the summer and spring, hats are usually light in color consider how your clothes will either match or contrast the hat. If your hat is neutral you could wear neutral colors in your clothes so it all coordinates.

For example; in the black summer off-the-shoulder dress and brown and black hat outfit I’m wearing below, I brought the colors of the hat to my outfit which is why that outfit looks so balanced. Everything is coordinated.

Or you could play with contrasting colors and really make your hat the focus of the outfit. In the second outfit with a dress and hat, I loved the contrasting colors, the dark blue dress with white stripes and a bright white hat with black ribbon.

If you want to play with proportions with a large sunhat, keep the rest of the outfit sleek. You could wear a large flowy dress and a huge sun hat if that is the look you are going for but keep in mind you don’t want your outfit to drown you. Keep balance in mind. If you need more tips on balance and other outfit tips check out, How to Look Stylish Every day – Your 5 Step Checklist and How to Dress Classy – 7 Style Tips You Need to Know.

SUMMER DRESS AND HAT OUTFITS

A Panama hat is a stylish option for the Spring season because it adds a masculine touch to the delicate pieces of Spring. The juxtaposition of masculine and feminine makes for attractive spring outfits.

Don’t be afraid to play with styles. In the first spring outfit pictured below, I paired 

HAT PAIRING 

I included these two different hat styles and hat outfits to show you how to pair a hat with a jumpsuit and romper. The first hat is a light boater hat with a pink ribbon that I paired with a bright yellow jumpsuit. If you have not worn jumpsuits before make sure to read: How to Wear a Jumpsuit – 5 Must-Follow Style Tips. This is a summer outfit I wore while traveling around Provence in France. I love wearing jumpsuits while traveling because they are simple and cute one-piece outfits so it doesn’t take up a lot of room in your luggage.

In the second outfit, I paired a large gray hat with a black romper. This is what I wore to Coachella one year. This outfit is super cute because of the pattern on the romper and the fun style of the look. This is not necessarily an outfit I would wear any day but if you’re going to a festival soon, here is an outfit idea.

travel outfits for summer 

HOW TO LOOK GOOD IN A HAT

If you have never worn a hat and don’t own one yet find a local shop that specializes in hats. If you’re not sure which hat to purchase during your first visit, don’t rush. Try on as many styles as you can, take a photo of you wearing the hat, think about it, and make sure you love it before buying. This criterion is especially important when it’s an investment hat. Taking the time and finding the perfect hat style for you will ensure that you look good in a hat!

Only invest in hats if you know you’ll wear them a lot. Some hats can be pretty expensive as a true Panama hat can cost hundreds of dollars. 

If you have long hair as I do and you don’t know how to wear a hat with long hair, scroll through the many hat outfits above and you’ll see that there are two main ways I style my hair with a hat. I wear my hair styled down, like in the picture below, this is my favorite way to style my long hair with a hat but it’s the most time-consuming. I also braid my hair, this can be one braid or two braids. They are very loose braids so my long bangs frame my face. I don’t like pulling all my hair back away from seeing it because then it looks like I have no hair and that’s not a style I like.

I hope this guide on how to wear a hat has given you plenty of outfit ideas and inspired you to give different types of hats a try!

Stay Stylish,

How To Wear a Hate Cheerful woman in hat 

Types of Hat Accessories

different hat accessories 

When it comes to accessorizing, the possibilities are endless! Here are some suggestions:

Headbands

Placing an elastic headbandaround the brim of your hat can completely change its effect. For example, a beaded headband can turn your casual cozy cap into a chic statement piece.  A wide variety of headbands are available to suit every style, from hippy to Hepburn. Headbands can be purchased at many retailers, including Headcovers. If you're crafty, you can make your own.

Pendants, Flower Pins and Broaches

Clipping a pendant orbroach to your hat can add heaps of visual appeal. Headcovers sells beautiful floral pins to decorate your hat. If you're festive, you can purchase or make pendants that suit the season, such as snowflakes or pumpkins.

Scarves

Tie a head scarf at the base of the cap to add a pop of character. Our rectangular accessory scarf and mini scarfare ideal for achieving an array of electic looks. With three mini scarves, you can create a braid. With two mini scarves, you can create a twist. For more variety, tie the scarf into a bow or rosette. Our Rosette Scarf Twists are another favorite that dresses up a hat and also adds the appearance of volume.

TOP STYLING TIPS ON HOW TO WEAR A HAT 

Tip 1:Find inspiration by browse Pinterest, Instagram and fashion magazines like InStyle and Glamour to see how the style stars make it work.

Celebrities pay big money for proessional stylists to tell them how to wear hats. Find an outfit or two that speaks to you and try to replicate it with items from your own closet. 

Match Aesthetics

A velvet turban may look out of place with casual shorts and a t-shirt, just as a sun hat won’t look good with a cocktail dress (unless you’re at the derby). Matching aesthetics can help your hat look more natural with your outfit.

Pair the velvet turban with your date night dress, and a sun hat with your favorite summer separates. 

Mix Colors & Textures

A red hat with a red hat will certainly draw attention, but that may not be the vibe you’re going for. Instead of matching colors exactly, try matching the underlying tones – cool with cool, and warm with warm. (For example, a warm cream-colored hat with a red dress would look fabulous, just as a blue blouse and cool grey fedora complement each other nicely).

Try to avoid matching distinctive fabrics. A denim hat and denim shirt may overload the senses, but a denim hat with a plaid cotton or fleece shirt is positively dashing. Variety in texture is pleasing to the eye and can help add a certain je ne sais quois to your overall look.

If you’re wearing a cloche or baseball cap. Hair that’s parted and tucked behind one ear enhances the femininity of a cloche and adds a touch of class to a baseball cap.