How often does one get to wear a formal hat these days?
Unless you’re in boarding school, about to graduate or have been invited to the coronation of a monarch, it’s likely that you can count the major hat-wearing opportunities on one hand: the races or a big formal event like a wedding.
The good news is if you have got a date in the diary that requires you wearing a hat, there are thousands of styles to pick from, from traditional hats, dainty fascinators and embellished headbands. Inspiration can come from the catwalks or from some of the more fashionable members of the monarchy: royal etiquette dictates that women must always wear a hat for official engagements.
There are a few rules to bear in mind when shopping for formal headwear to ensure you don’t wind up with a headache.
One, pick a design that balances your facial features. Rounded faces should opt for broad or angled styles, while those with a longer faces could use a hat with a sweeping brim to cut their proportions and make them appear more even.
The height of your head gear also plays a factor; if you’re petite, a tall crown will add those helpful extra inches (especially if you plan on pairing them with some killer heels).
Finally, consider your colouring as well as the overall look of your outfit. As with lips and eyes, either your hat or outfit should be making the bigger statement, but not both.
Then again, you could throw out the rule book altogether and follow in the stylish footsteps of Miss Cara Delevingne. The supermodel made headlines when she rocked up to Princess Eugenie’s 2018 nuptials in a black top hat with a tailored Armani tux.
Just goes to show, as always with fashion: confidence is key.
Head spinning with all the options? Get yourself in the game with our edit of the best toppers to suit every style, face shape and budget.
Scroll on for hats and fascinators to say I do to.
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Hobbs Bow Fascinator
Channel the magical Beauxbaton school girls from the Wizarding World of Harry Potter with M&S’s powder blue bow fascinator. Finished with the requisite swirls and loops, this wide-brimmed fascinator sits low on the head, sweeping across the eyes at an angle which means it’s perfect for those with rounder faces. Available online exclusively.
Buy now, M&S
Karen Millen Flower Trim Headband Fascinator
Offering shape and structure without bulk is this lush green number from high street label Karen Millen. The fascinator is perfect for adding the final flourishing touch to a wedding outfit, with the leafy hue making it particularly lovely for countryside dos. Anchored with a flower in full bloom, it’s designed to be positioned across the face. Best paired with an elegant chignon and simple jewels.
Buy now £55.00, Karen Millen
John Lewis Floral & Quill Wide Brim Occasion Hat
London in spring and summertime is all about the #wisteriahysteria. Channel the inspiration of the pretty petals into your wedding hat choice: this option from John Lewis is a subtle, demure style in no small part thanks to the hue. The large-scale design is attached to a headband for extra stability, but if you need more security, style your hair around it using kirby grips.
Buy now £155.00, John Lewis
Sahar Millinery Butterfly Saucer Wedding Hatinator
Presenting a change from florals is this butterfly-strewn piece by Sahar Millinery, available at online shop Not on the High Street. The butterflies, made from feathers, are held together with a headband so that they appear to flutter enchantingly above the disc.
If you want to play with the colours, everything from the base to the butterflies can be changed for a small additional fee.
Buy now £400.00, NOTHS
Hobbs Jade Fascinator
Small and compact, this is a restrained style that still has enough glamour to turn heads. The unlined fascinator is made for 50 per cent abaca and 50 per cent abaco silk, giving it a lustrous and appealing finish.
Buy now £85.00, Hobbs
Phase Eight Bow and Feather Headband
A fun easy style that can be worn with your hair up or down, there’s no way to instantly make yourself appear wedding-ready more than by throwing on this chic headband. The warm apricot hue and relatively small design makes it an ideal choice for summer weddings and destination dos alike.
Buy now £39.00, Phase Eight
ASOS DESIGN fascinator with satin bow detail in dusty pink
For those who want to look the part without spending a bomb, ASOS is an excellent destination for top to toe wedding guest gear. Dealing with the top first and foremost, the fascinator section is packed with studded headbands and twirly headbands. Giving young Carrie Bradshaw vibes, this simple design makes a pink satin bow the star of the show, finishing with a disc of netting to provide extra feminine glamour.
Buy now £12.00, ASOS
Phase Eight Red Loop Headband
If you’re looking at add a few inches to your height, a well-chosen fascinator can be a smart, less obvious way to do it. Cut a figure in the wedding crowd in Phase Eight’s Red Loop Headband, a lightweight swooping design that’s big on style.
Buy now £39.00, Phase Eight
Awon Golding Iris Lavender Feather Slice Ascot Hat
From celebrated milliner Awon Golding comes this showstopping lilac number, originally designed for Ascot’s Royal Enclosure. While it’s good enough to wear to the races, it has legs as a wedding hat, whether you’re attending the nuptials or the party afterwards.
It may look as though it’s floating, but the piece is securely fastened with a headband, so no need to worry about freak winds stealing it away mid-photo. This and all other Awon Golding pieces are proudly made in the designer’s East London atelier, which makes them so apt for Londoners in particular.
Buy now £620.00, Awon Golding
Philip Treacy green flowers and confetti fascinator
Philip Treacy OBE is one of the best-known milliners in the world; a head master, if you will. The Irish designer was the man behind that pretzel-shaped hat worn by Princess Beatrice to her cousin Prince William’s wedding back in 2011. While that particular design became a huge talking point, there are plenty of other designs in this collection that deserve a moment in the spotlight. We’re taken by this sharp green assymetrical number, finished with a bouquet of flowers and confetti, both inside and out.
Price on application.
Buy now, Philip Treacy
