How to Dress When Wearing a Hat

Fedoras are creased lengthwise down the middle, which pinches on both sides.

When you're considering buying a hat, it helps if you know how to coordinate the hat with your current wardrobe. One mistake people often make is to fall in love with a hat at the store and buy it, only for it to be forsaken in the closet. This happens because, depending on the kind of hat, it may seem a particularly bold move to wear the hat with your wardrobe. There are moments, however, when the right hat can add a tasteful bravado to your look.

Instructions

1. Pick out the perfect hat for your face shape. Those with square faces, for instance, should wear a hat at a tilt or with asymmetrical brims. Narrow faces should avoid narrow hats, like top hats, and instead go for hats with wide brims. Wider faces, on the other hand, should try hats worn away from the face, such as pillboxes and Bretons. Those with round faces can get away with big hats with brims worn at an angle. Heart-shaped faces should wear hats that fit straight across the brow.

2. Coordinate a fedora with your look. Women wearing fedoras can contrast the masculine style of the fedora by wearing more feminine attire, such as a floral dress and tights, for a bohemian look. Men, on the other hand, can wear fedoras to add to a manlier, dressy attire. Do not wear a fedora with jeans and a t-shirt, since it looks out of place.

3. Coordinate a beanie cap with your look. Women can also consider more slouchy, loose-fitting beanies, which add volume to their look, while men can stick with tighter-fitting beanies. Women can push the beanie back an inch from their hairline for an urban-turban look. Wear a beanie with more casual, urban attire, such as holed-up jeans, a cargo jacket and boots.

4. Don a military cap and coordinate it with your wardrobe. Like the fedora, woman can contrast the military cap with a more feminine, casual wardrobe. Wear this hat with a belted sweater, long sleeve shirt and moccasin shoes.

Tips & Warnings

• Be aware of hat etiquette while wearing it: always take your hat off during a theater performance or concert so as to not obstruct another patron's view. It's also considered good manners to take your hat off before a meal, entering an elevator and before the national anthem.

References

• College Fashion: Fashion Challenge: Wear a Hat
• Hats Made: How to Be a Hat Queen
• Art of Manliness: Bringing Back the Hat