Hats: Types and Trends for 2009
Cloche
What is a Cloche Hat?
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?
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
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
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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July 31st, 2009 at 4:28 pm
This is great! I have been eyeing fedoras for a while now and looking for one I actually like. A wide brimmed hat would be fun as well.
August 1st, 2009 at 8:58 am
I never thought I was a hat person before, but I bought myself a military style hat a few months ago, and I’m so in love with it! I really like that Banana Republic cloche hat you posted as well. I may have to investigate further.
August 3rd, 2009 at 9:22 am
THE FEDORA =)
lainarollercoaster.blogspot.com
August 3rd, 2009 at 11:33 am
It’s interesting that you all like such different hats. Just goes to show all of these trends are good options this season. I’m excited hats are so in!
I tried on the Nordstrom Buckle Cloche yesterday and it’s SUPER cute!
August 5th, 2009 at 5:38 pm
[...] List: Urban Outfitters Hats I know that hats are a definite for my Fall/Winter wardrobe. I’m beginning to decide what style might look [...]
August 17th, 2009 at 3:51 pm
[...] And with this season’s hat trends it is really easy. Check out some classic hat styles and tips how to wear them. You can’t go wrong [...]
September 22nd, 2009 at 2:28 pm
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September 30th, 2009 at 1:05 pm
I love, love, love this post!
I live in Ontario, Canada, where hats are a necessity for nearly half the year, and i absolutely hate wearing them. What’s worse is that i have a very small head, making most hats look ridiculous on me. plus i detest anything itchy, so toques are out.
and then i tried on a hat at Le Chateau–a black one with a beaded snowflake design embellishing the front, off-center. it looked almost exactly like Angelina Jolie’s hat from the Changeling. And strangely enough, it both fit AND covered my ears.
unfortunately, when i showed it to my husband he laughed at said i looked like a Mennonite, which of course, makes no sense at all!
when i read your post, i felt more and more that this was finally a hat i could wear.
you mentioned the worry of hat-head, but since my small head makes the hat not quite skin tight and my stick straight hair could use a little messing up, you’ve encouraged me to go back to the store and buy it.
my life may be less about going out and more about errands and appointments, but i think that if i took the chance, this hat may just be the beginning of a more fashionable, feminine wardrobe.
thank you, both for the inspiration and information, and for the encouragement to experiment with a potential new self.
All the best,
Jenny
–
Jenny Stamos Kovacs
http://www.jennystamos.com
http://GrowingUpJenny.blogspot.com
October 9th, 2009 at 3:02 pm
Jenny,
This comment totally made my day. Thank you so much! Let us know how the hat wearing goes!
October 20th, 2009 at 9:26 am
Thank you so much, Crystal–now you’ve made MY day! haven’t worn the hat yet (still need an occasion to go out!) And due to my husband’s laughing about it, i think i’ll plan to wear it for the first few times when i go out without him.
and guess what? you’ve actually inspired me to check out a beautiful coat which just might be available in my size instead of putting it off until next year when i just might have lost the weight.
Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments.
I wanted you to know that your post and the thoughts it brought up inspired a whole new bost for my own blog.
You can read it here: http://growingupjenny.blogspot.com/2009/10/sometimes-hat-is-more-than-just-hat.html
Thanks again, Crystal. I hope you’ll check it out!
Jenny