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Hats: Types and Trends for 2009

July 31st, 2009 by crystal

Hats have moved beyond being last Fall’s trendy accessory and are now a stylish addition regardless of season. They are so fashionable, there is a hat type for pretty much every personal style. Here is a guide of the trendiest hats this year, a definition of each and how to wear them.

Cloche

What is a Cloche Hat?

Hat Trends 2009 Cloche hats are fitted, bell-shaped hats that were popular in the 1920’s. Worn tightly over the head, they should be pulled down to just above the eyebrows.

Wear your hair down or in a low ponytail and don’t count on your hair looking suitable after wearing the hat for even a short amount of time. The tight fit and the felt fabric makes for pretty great hat hair.

Cloche hats are great Winter hats that can be worn on an everyday basis indoors as well as outdoors. They are usually considered day hats, but can be appropriate for night if they’re a darker color or are embellished with lace, sequins, crystals, etc.

How to wear a Cloche Hat

If you want to be super vintage, pair your cloche hat with a drop-waist dress, gloves and mary-jane pumps. Otherwise, cloche hats are perfect with any feminine slanted outfit. Think: A-line dress, full skirt, pencil skirt or tailored trousers.

Shown: Urban Outfitters Heart Cloche, Nordstrom Buckle Cloche, Banana Republic Ribbon Cloche

Wide-Brimmed

What is a Wide-Brimmed Hat?

Hats 2009
Defining a wide-brimmed hat seems fairly pointless as I’m sure you all know what wide-brimmed hats are. For 2009, we’re seeing basic straw, wide-brimmed hats with extra-wide brims (at least 5 inches).

Stylish wide-brimmed hats usually have some sort of tilt or curve to the brim, preventing them from looking like farmer hats. These hats are great Spring, Summer and even Fall hats. Worn exclusively outside, wide-brimmed hats are perfect for beach or pool outings, camping trips and backyard shindigs.

How to wear a Wide-Brimmed Hat

Wide-brimmed hats can be casual or mildly dressy. Wear a wide-brimmed hat with a maxi-dress, sundress, shorts or jeans.

Shown: Eric Javits Hat, Urban Outfitters Floppy Hat

Fedora

Hats 2009

What is a Fedora?

Fedoras are felt hats that are creased lengthwise down the crown and pinched on both sides in the front. We think of fedoras as being men’s hats, but women were actually the first to wear fedoras back in the 18th century. Though the hat has been around for quite some time, the period we associate it with the most is the depression/prohibition era. In old movies from this period, gangsters are often shown wearing fedoras.

For all of these associations, fedoras are typically worn by those with edgier styles.

How to wear a Fedora

You can wear a fedora with pretty much anything. Just keep in mind that fedoras diminish the femininity of an outfit. So, a fedora will add a really great edgy vibe to your frilly pink dress. The most common way to wear fedoras is with mens-wear inspired clothes. Tailored trousers, suspenders, oxford shirts and vests can all come together with a fedora to create a super polished look. Or, if you want to look less stylized, wear your fedora with your favorite skinny or boyfriend jeans outfit. Like I said, fedoras go with pretty much anything.

Shown: Juicy Couture Fedora, Urban Outfitters Fedora, Alloy Fedora

Military Hat

Hats 2009

What is a Military Hat?

Military hats are also referred to as Castro hats because they are the same style as the ones Fidel Castro is known for wearing. Military hats are similar to baseball caps in that they have a bill. However, military hats are more structured and have a band around the base of the hat.

Military hats first gained popularity with hipsters a few years ago. Now, they’re fairly mainstream and are perhaps the most popular of all the hat styles listed here.

How to wear a Military Hat

Military hats are typically worn with casual outfits. They’re perfect with t-shirts, jeans/shorts and gladiators. Military hats can be worn with dressier outfits for going out, but tend to dress an outfit down. For an in-between outfit, wear leggings, a loose tunic and studded heels with your Military Hat.

Shown: Banana Republic Men’s Military Hat, Juicy Couture Military Hat, Banana Republic Women’s Military Hat

Derby Hat

What is a Derby Hat?

Derby hats, also known simply as horse race hats, are the elaborate, often over-sized hats women wear to horse races.

These hats have extra wide brims (usually 6 inches or more) that are shaped in interesting ways to frame the face. Super feminine, they are embellished with feathers, bows and crystals. The shape of these hats varies, but the basics stay the same: wide brim and over the top embellishments.

How to wear a Derby Hat

For women, horse races are often more about the fashion than the actual races.

To dress for a horse race, definitely wear a dress or skirt. Single-colored dresses in cocktail lengths are sophisticated and leave the attention on the hat. Flowered or printed dresses are also appropriate, but are harder to match with your hat.

Derby hats aren’t as easy to find in regular stores. Chances are, you have a local millinery in your town. You can make your own or find a handmade version on Etsy. According to the Budget Fashionista, you can often find Derby worthy hats at TJMaxx. She also recommends Mr. Song Millinery (designer of Aretha Franklin’s Inauguration hat).

Your Thoughts?

Which hat matches your style the best? Have you ever had the opportunity to wear a Derby Hat? What did you wear and where did you find your hat?

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Join & Shop: Shop It To Me

July 30th, 2009 by crystal

This is quite different from the designer sample sale sites I’ve been posting here. Shop It To Me is an online shopping service that sends you emails as items you like go on sale.

How it works: When you register, you choose the brands you prefer and enter your sizes. Then, you’ll receive emails of the items in those categories that are on sale. You can choose to get emails daily or weekly depending on how often you shop.

I’ve been receiving these emails for about a week now and have been super pleased! It’s nice to know what’s on sale from a variety of online retailers. Registration takes a few minutes since you have to enter all of your preferences, so make sure you have a bit of time.

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How To Solve The ‘I Have Nothing To Wear’ Problem

July 28th, 2009 by crystal

We’ve all been there. You wake up one morning, start to get ready and stare at your closet blankly, thinking you have nothing to wear. It’s a terrible way to start the day (and usually results in tardiness).

You know it’s not true. You really have tons to wear. It’s just that nothing feels right for the day. Usually when this happens, it’s an indication that you’re either a) bored with your wardrobe or b) feeling insecure about something. Either way, it’s time to spice things up!

Here are some easy tips to get you through your morning funk and help you feel great about the rest of your day.

What to do when you have nothing to wear

Little Steps

Looking at every piece in your closet when you’re in this state can be pretty overwhelming. Instead, start with just one piece. It can be a skirt, a pair of jeans, a tank or even a necklace. Then, add a piece at a time and build your outfit around that starting piece.
If it’s too hard to pick even that first piece, just close your eyes, reach in and grab something!

Go With ‘Old Reliable’

When you’re feeling like you have absolutely nothing to wear, it’s not a bad idea to stick with your favorite outfit.
Wear the outfit that makes you feel the prettiest, the most confident, the most stylish. Which outfit gets you the most compliments? Wearing that outfit, even if it’s slightly dressy for the occasion, will most likely put you in a great mood, ready to forget that early morning moment of panic.
Another alternative is to wear your most comfortable outfit. If it’s not dressy enough for work, layer a nicer blazer or cardigan on top to make it suitable. Or, wear a cuter, dressier pair of shoes than you would normally. These little changes will help you get away with wearing something that makes you feel cozy and comfortable, yet stylish enough to get through the day.

Accessorize

Accessories can completely rework an outfit and make it feel new again. Choose an outfit randomly from your closet and challenge yourself to accessorize it in a new way. Wear two necklaces together, wear a belt at your natural waist instead of your hips or choose your most oversize piece of jewelry. Remember when you played dress up in your grandma’s jewelry box and tried lots of different pieces together to see how fabulously gaudy they looked? It’s kind of like that…
You’ll have a fun, giddy start to your day that had the potential to turn sour.

Rediscover Old Pieces

When you feel like you have nothing to wear, your usual outfits have probably gone a little stale. Ask yourself how long it’s been since you delved into the depths of your closet. Reach back pretty far and see what you have. Challenge yourself to wear something you haven’t worn in a while. See if you can wear it in a new and interesting way or with different accessories. If it still doesn’t work, maybe it’s time to get rid of it!

Try Something New

Another variation on challenging yourself to try new outfits is to pair two pieces that you haven’t previously worn together. If you usually wear the same top with the same pair of pants, try wearing a skirt with the top instead. You might be surprised at how versatile certain pieces are and discover you have a completely different wardrobe!

Re-evaluate Your Wardrobe

If these mornings are becoming an epidemic for you, it might be time to clean out your closet or reinvent your style.

What do you do?

Did these tips give you a new idea to try when you feel like you have nothing to wear? Or, do you do something different when you wake up feeling this way? Share in the comments.

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Join: Rue La La

July 27th, 2009 by crystal

Here’s another Member’s Only online boutique. Looking at the queue of upcoming sales, I have to admit the one I’m most excited about is the Riedel wineglass sale! {Of course, D&G and Dior also look promising.}

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Fashion Distraction: Balenciaga Fall 2009

July 27th, 2009 by crystal

To create Balenciaga’s Fall 2009 collection, Nicholas Ghesquiere referenced the design house’s archives, combining a 1940’s drape-waist style with a later, sari-inspired, collection and prints from 1960’s scarves. The result was unique, to say the least.

The skirts were tulip-esque, creating an hourglass silhouette starting at the hips instead of the natural waist. Even on the ultra thin models, this look wasn’t terribly flattering. When the draping continued to create sari-style pants, though, the waist rose and the look became more flattering.

The day dresses from this collection are quite wearable. The first set to come down the runway were constructed from a plush velvet and cut in a slim wrap style. The next were as flowy as the scarves they were inspired by.

The most wearable of this collection’s pieces were the trouser ensembles. Fitted jackets, tailored trousers and print blouses are perfect for the office this Fall.

And then, of course, there were the shoes. Ghesquiere created the shoes to mirror the elements found in the collection. Velvet, draping, mesh and jersey were all combined to create colorful, busy shoes.

If nothing else, we should admire this collection for Ghesquiere’s artistic achievement. His mash-up of his vintage Balenciaga blends together beautifully.