The Power of Fashion Accessories: Wearing a Hat is a Timeless Classy Touch

A hat is a head covering that brings a long history behind it.

It has been created for various reasons. First of all, it was a head protection against weather conditions – like the cowboy hat – which still is one of the purposes. It was also supposed to be a shelter against falling objects – like the hard hat – or protection from sun-rays, as the sun hat, which can still be seen all over the world, either on the beach or on tourists during city-tours.

Then it became social status symbol: during military service – which is where military hat comes from – it distinguished different nationalities, branch of services, rank or regiment. The Police used it the same way; but it still is a profession mark, such as the toque worn by chefs.

The hat became also important for ceremonial reasons, such as religious meetings or festivals – as the turban or the mitres – or university graduations in UK and US, where the square academic cap is worn in conjunction with a gown.

Over time the hat has become a fashion accessory to crown the rest of the outfit: among the most famous hat brands we must recall some European names such as the Italian Borsalino or  the British Lock & Co – in London – a shop claiming to be the oldest and the most well-known in hat manufacturing.

In Belgium, Elvis Pompilio’s and Fabienne Delevigne’s hat became notable throughout the world. In America, everyone probably knows John Cavanagh, and Stetson, who gained a lot of fame designing cowboy-hats in the North.

But, focusing on the present, what about the 2021 Spring/Summer Season? 

We selected three groups of the upcoming hat trends, gathering them by a common feature: the eye-shadowing due to the brim (made by either rigid or soft fabric) or to the visor.

RIGID HAT-BRIM

This kind of hat used to be unisex, and it is still holding this feature: panama, bowlers, fedora, and other options – made up by mixing their shapes – are crossing the spring/summer 2020 runways, continuing to be a must in both men’s and women’s wardrobe, giving your outfit an old but always classical and elegant touch.

SOFT HAT-BRIM

Soft bucket hat and fisherman hat have become a new trend in 2020: they made us overcome the old-school idea of a “dad-hat” and transformed it in a very modern and stylish accessory. The soft fabrics which they are made of allow you to use it in every circumstance due to the “sporty” style it gives your outfit, whereas cloche hat – coming from the ‘20s and ‘30s – is more sophisticated and serious.

VISOR-PASSION

Despite military hat dominated even the runways of the last Fall/Winter season, it is back with the summer version, followed by berets and baseball caps. 

The novelty is the, a sort of crossover between a bucket hat and a baseball cap, so we can spot them as a fashionable version of them both.