hats

October 8, 2016

I love hats and have a big collection. I probably wear a hat 75% of the time, the only thing is it’s most likely to be one like this

rather than like this

or this

and I’ve actually never found the right occasion for this.

I get to wear my trusty sunhat more often than you might think, but then I’m the world’s biggest optimist when it comes to a “sunglass opportunity” and sunhat version of that isn’t far behind. In fact I’m getting worried that I’ll have to retire that hat soon, which would make me very sad. It has a tear between the crown and brim which is only getting bigger. Soon after I bought it I realised it was an excellent titfer and looked around for another one to set aside against its inevitable demise. I thought I’d found it too, in black, but though it was from the same shop (Marks&Spencer), was the same material (straw), and had the same feature (completely foldable), it just was not the same. I gave it away long ago.

I think it’s a real shame that hat wearing when it’s not for sun or rain protection is so rare. And as I get older I’m afraid of looking a if I’m in costume if I wear some of the more outre ones. All a far cry from the days when you weren’t dressed without one. Look at this label found inside a hat made specifically for travel. Like my trusty white straw it folds and packs away unscathed.

Some of my hats looks frivolous but are functional, like this gorgeous faux fur by the wonderful Alison Tod which is toasty warm and looks good.

Well I think it does. And I regularly wear this vintage number which used to belong to MrS’s father. It’s a Hamburg steamer hat, is excellent at keeping off sun and rain, and I sometimes even wear it on a boat.