Hats for women were the fashion headliners on all the spring/summer 2010 runways.
From fedoras to boater hats to wide-brimmed ones and pork-pie caps, headwear topped off every outfit floating down the catwalk.
Not only are hats the summer accessory, but they have a noble purpose too: protecting your head and face from harmful UV rays. And everyone wants to stay stylish while staying healthy.
A hat can also do wonders in keeping you cool on stiflingly hot days, which, gauging from the summer thus far, we’re likely to have many more of in the coming month.
According to Karyn Gingras, owner and chief designer of Toronto’s Lilliput Hats, fedoras, pork pie hats and caps in hemp, linen and fine breathable straw are the biggest hits this season as are hats in bold colours, including royal blue, coral, yellow.
“The fedora continues to be a strong shape,” explains Gingras. “It’s sexy, casual and keeps the sun off.” Gingras is pleased to report that more and more people are embracing stylish hats.
“Thankfully, I see fewer baseball caps (on men and women),” she adds.
The most breathable materials for summer are lightweight linen and hemp. Gingras also uses 100 per cent natural straw in many of her hats, tightly woven for maximum sun protection.
If you’re a bit shy when it comes to donning a hat, heed Gingras’s advice: “Try on a lot of them. Have fun, step out of your comfort zone for a minute and consider that wearing a hat makes you special.”
