Hat fashion

I recently picked up this panama hat for our December holiday (more on that to come).  As you know I am never shy of hat fashion and trends.  From felt hats, caps, boater and panama hats I am constantly adding the latest of the hat fashion trends to my wardrobe and I wear them year-round no matter the season (find a few of my favourite hats here, here and here).  I find they are just so practical as well as so stylish.  My first experience of a white winter in Germany came with the realisation that if you left in the morning without a beanie or something to cover your head you were pretty certain to freeze all day long.  Covering my head had something to do with retaining the heat on my body and my goodness was it effective!  Here in South Africa, however, the most practical reason for wearing a hat is to avoid getting a beating from the harsh sun.  So in essence: a great hat is necessary no matter the weather.  Might as well wear a cute one!

I know some people are a little afraid of wearing hats as a statement piece fearing that they may attract too much attention and feel self-conscious.  With a few very simple styling tips, however, I can show you that hat’s aren’t only for a day at the races where it is all about the drama.  In this outfit I’m wearing today I was actually meeting my family for lunch and it was boiling hot and I was running late (and I hate running late!).  I had absolutely no time to sort out my air-dried hair so I opted for this gorgeous panama hat from Polo to solve both the heat and my hair.

It wasn’t too much or too dramatic because I paired it with quite a simple outfit.  I threw on a plain white t-shirt (one of my wardrobe staples), a white pair of jeans, a chambray shirt around my waist and my favourite pair of nude sandals (last seen here).  I used my sunglasses to hide my makeup-free face and grabbed a sling bag to complete a very relaxed weekend look.  The hat was just another little detail of this lazy-chic outfit.

Hat fashion is really nothing to be afraid of.  Whether your aim is to protect your face from the sun or to hide your messy hair (both of which were applicable here) a hat is the perfect accessory to do so and will ensure that you keep looking glamorous.

Do you wear hats?  Which style are your favourites?

Panama hat: Polo
T-shirt: Woolworths
Jeans: Woolworths
Chambray shirt: Foschini
Heels: Zoom Footwear via Spree.co.za
Watch: Juicy Couture
Bag: Dune London
Sunglasses: Dolce & Gabbana via Sunglass Hut