From pillboxes and boaters to bicornes and buckets, characterful hats are making their way from the catwalk to the high street.
A Fashion Resurgence
"Here goes – an order for a million hats," wrote Jackie Kennedy to Bergdorf Goodman before moving into the White House in the early 1960s. This sentiment resonates today as hats, beyond the ubiquitous baseball cap, are experiencing a vibrant resurgence. This season at the turbo-high-end brand Loro Piana, beloved by tech bros and Kendall Roy, almost every model was wearing a hat. At Thom Browne, straw boaters were adorned with colorful mesh, while Chloé showcased see-through hats to match their see-through trenchcoats. Courrège presented space-age hats, Burberry featured large buckets, and Bottega Veneta displayed hats brimming with charisma.
Personality Hats
Some are calling them "personality hats," while others affectionately refer to them as "silly little hats." These hats, which prioritize character over practicality, are gaining popularity from Milan Fashion Week to high street shops. They serve not just as protection from the elements but as a creative punctuation point to an outfit, designed to draw the eye upwards.
According to David Long, author of The Hats That Made Britain: A History of the Nation Through Its Headwear, "Excluding beanies and baseballs, hats are a rare opportunity for display, so I think the wearers are trying to say: ‘I’m not like everyone else, even though we all wear the same clothes nowadays.’ They’re showing off, in other words, but only a little bit."
