A long time ago, in a mysterious land, far, far away there was one accessory, steadfast, yet diverse, that united us all. This fabled accessory came in all shapes, sizes, and colors and was a staple that was necessary to put on before leaving the house, even more so than deodorant (sadly). They were everywhere, spicing up our wardrobes, protecting the world from our bad hair days, and rumor has it, even providing world peace.
Of course, I’m talking about hats (and all of their variations) which were not only a humorous mainstay of 2000s pop stars, but centuries upon centuries of well-dressed people before those red carpet travesties.
I’m not sure exactly when it is we as a collective society started hating hats (probably when I started wearing a baby blue, J-Lo-esque newsboy in fourth grade), but we certainly did. For the past decade or so, pretty much the only people who wear hats are farm boys, baseball players, Zumiez employees, Shriners, and sorority girls who seem to think that it’s a crime to look nice when they go to class. Even among these niche populations, only a few styles are worn (predominately ball caps and beanies, and Fezes, for the Shriners), kicking large populations of classy and quirky chapeaus to the curb.
Recently however, a heavenly group of angels (Victoria’s Secret Angels, to be exact) have blessed us with a New Testament of hats, a holy resurgence if you will, on their Instagram feeds, making hat makers drop down on their knees to pray (I’m assuming). Suddenly, for no obvious reason, supermodels and normal models and social media influencers are ALL WEARING HATS AGAIN, and they’re not just limiting them to ball caps on hungover mornings. All of a sudden, we’re seeing berets, bowlers, and baker boy hats popping up on our Insta feeds (and with the newfound popularity of Gilmore Girls, Scottish golf caps on Rory), and Comme Une Soleil is here for it.
Somebody call J-Lo, because hats and caps are back on the block, baby. Here are some of our favorite ways to wear them, and some of our favorite places to buy them! You’re welcome.
Fiddler Caps
One of the hat pioneers of the new age is supermodel Bella Hadid, who seems to have spurred the movement with her edgy line collaboration with Chrome Hearts, which featured patent leather newsboy and more-structured fiddler caps. Since the tease of the new line, she’s regularly been seen sporting caps in all colors and textures, and absolutely rocks every hat-based look she attempts. This is largely due to the badass-ery of these leather fiddler caps, which are equal parts Old Man and the Sea and dominatrix, but we also like more matte styles like this one from Brixton.
Bucket Hats
Sorry, but we’re not quite done with cap-queen Bella yet. Ask a freshman frat boy, and he will emphatically tell you that nothing says “fun” quite like a bucket hat (except maybe a Four Loko), and we agree. These soft, bell-shaped hats made a park ranger-approved splash at Loewe’s Spring 2018 Ready-to-Wear collection, but also can be at home anywhere from a stoner’s dorm room to Bella’s private plane.
Take inspiration from ultimate cool girl Slick Woods and master the art of dressing high-low by wearing your bucket hat with a blazer and some Matrix-level shades. We like this neon orange one.
Straw Hats
Now, it’s far from summertime (unless you’re in Austalia, lucky dogs), but it’s never too early to start daydreaming about icy drinks, bikinis, and wide-brim straw hats like this Jacquemus one on Kendall Jenner. Comme Une Soleil likes to think of straw hats as more South of France than Little House on the Prairie, and we think they can be implemented just as easily with a party dress and Timberland boots than they can be with a sarong. Idk, give it a shot (bonus points if it comes with a black ribbon– tres chic). We like this gondolier hat from Eric Javits.
Berets
Although these French hats are ridiculously cute and classic, somehow they picked up a kind of cheesy reputation (probably from mimes). Comme Une Soleil says “Je m’en fiche!” These sack-like hats come in every color under the sun and are an easy accessory to toss on with a peacoat or simple sweater. Perhaps the best part is they’re generally really affordable and always streets-of-Paris romantic, like this fun one from Zara.
Panama Hats
Lol, back to Kendall Jenner. And also, Yee-haw! Although they’re *cooler,* Panama hats often remind us of cowboy hats and there’s nothing more fun than a cowboy hat, especially if it’s pink and has a little tiara on the front. The best part about these hats is that with a little confidence you can wear them without looking like you’re headed for a hoe-down or searching for Carmen San Diego. We suggest you do like Kendall and pair it with something feminine, but casual, in a rich fabric to avoid any redneck stereotyping (like a party dress, if you can’t tell, Comme Une Soleil loves garish hats with party dresses). We suggest this southwest-influenced hat from Urban Outfitters.
Baker Boy Hats
Perhaps the most popular hat trend at the moment is the Baker Boy Hat (like a mixture between a chef’s hat and a classic newsboy cap) and for good reason. These hats are reminiscent of Austin Powers (or at least the 1960s) and carry a good amount of mischief with them, especially this fabulous pink one regularly seen on Instagram model Joanna Kuchta.
Despite the silliness of these kid-detective like hats, these slouchy hats are surprisingly wearable. Try one with a jean jacket or black turtleneck like VS Angel Romee Strijd. We love this fuzzy one from Topshop (a major plus, it’s super affordable!).
Boater Hat
Last but most certainly not least is the boater hat, which I didn’t actually know was a very cool thing until I saw Michelle Pfeiffer wear one in the 1987 comedy The Witches of Eastwick; it turns out it’s not only a very cool thing, but the coolest thing. Not only is it a great movie with Michelle, Susan Sarandon, Cher, and Jack Nicholson playing the devil (which is hot, I don’t care what the haters say), there’s this impeccable pool scene where Michelle Pfeiffer wears my favorite outfit of all time, including this spectacular flat hat. I don’t have one, but I need one because that outfit/hat changed my life. You need one too; Comme Une Soleil suggests this slightly indie one from Anthropologie.
That’s all we’ve got on hats (for now). Put something on your head, have some fun, live a little. You’ll be glad you did.