Different Styles of Women's Hats

For hundreds of years, women's hats have gone beyond necessity to become fashion statements. They can be worn to keep warm outdoors or just for fun. With many different styles, a beautiful hat can accessorize any outfit.

Berets

Associated with poets, artists and the French, this flat, round hat is typically made of wool or acrylic. It's a timeless style that will give any outfit a classic flair.

Outdoor headwear

Beanies (sometimes called ski caps or toques) are knitted from yarn in an array of colors and patterns. Whether slouchy or tight-fitting, they're a winter essential for women, from skiing to running errands in the city.

Close-fitting hats

Popularized for women in the 1920s, cloche hats are designed to fit close to the head and follow its shape. These days, cloche styles include crocheted hats in a variety of colors, often made of felt or wool. A variation is the bucket or fishing hat, which has a wider brim than the cloche.

Fascinators

There's nothing more fun to wear than a flirty cocktail hat, which is small and round and must be pinned to the head. Adorned with lace, flowers or feathers, this is a special accessory that's coming back into vogue more and more for weddings and other formal events.

Menswear-inspired hats

Throughout history, women have made men's styles their own, from sporty baseball caps and trendy tweed newsboy caps to the elegant felt fedora and trilby styles of the '40s and '50s.

Formal hats

Large, elaborate, wide-brimmed hats are still often a must-have for churchgoing women or members of the Red Hat Society. Often made of felt or straw, they can be adorned with feathers, fruit or other ornaments.

References

• Vintage Fashion Guild: The History of Women's Hats