Showing posts with label hats. Show all posts
Showing posts with label hats. Show all posts

Thursday, June 2, 2011

Shopping for Chapeaux’s (Hats!)



In many areas, the summer heat wave has already begun...and its only the beginning. But in addition to the “barely there” clothing you would typically grab to stay cool, why not top off your outfit by reaching to the top shelf of your closet and add on a fabulous hat! Hats as we all know, have been worn as fashion statements for centuries, but they've also been the best way to keep your head cool and protected in the summer (not to mention warm and covered in the winter).

The key to a summer hat is the material used. Look for straw, linen or cotton to create your own shade and help you stay cool while looking cool. Here are some great looks where the star of the outfit is our shady friend.

Women

Ashlee Simpson looking boho-chic with her long locks and a classic fedora. This hat looks great with just a pair of long jeans or jean shorts, a boho top, and a pair of gladiators.

Nicole Richie is wearing a longer brimmed fedora. This hat looks good with a casual outfit, such as the one she is wearing in the picture, or you can dress it up with a great pair of slacks and a tucked in button-down.

Jennifer lopez is wearing the famous “floppy hat”. This hat is probably the most versatile of them all. You could wear it lying out at the beach, with a super casual outfit, or a very glamorous outfit, such as the one she is wearing in the picture. Also what is great about this iconic hat is that it works with just about any size head because it’s so dramatic in size.

Besides Samantha Jones from Sex and the City: The Movie, only a few choice people could pull off - or on! - this exaggeratedly extra large-brimmed hat.


Men


Matthew Morrison, from Broadway and the hit tv show, Glee, wears the classic "pork pie" hat in straw to demonstrate how to beat the heat in the most attractive way. I've seen guys wearing this hat with a pair of wayfarers, a tank top and shorts for a great "beat the heat while running the streets look".



Justin Timberlake is one celebrity who's never shied away from hats, especially the aforementioned "pork pie" but here he wears a "driver/ivy" hat that comes in a variety of colors and materials that are sure to add to any outfit. Go for an unexpected color like coral - one of the summer's most covetable colors - and add some zest to a stripped t-shirt and shorts outfit or a linen suit.


The baseball cap, or "fitted", has to be one of the most iconic and steadfast hats worn by man of late. Here, Jay-Z wears his signature NY Yankees cap (with his lyrics embroidered under the brim) to the side but for optimal sun protection you may want to wear the brim to shadow your face. But really, however you choose to wear it - with jeans and a t-shirt or a business suit - you're still keeping the heat off your head. And with a pair of sunglasses you'll still get the desired "cool on top of cool" effect.

The great thing about hats is their versatility. If you're looking for more styles, this site has been featured before and is such a great resource for hats it had to be mentioned again. Combining their knowledge of hats with your desire to wear one, you should be able to beat the heat throughout the summer in style with no sweat, or at least none on your brow!

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Friday, April 29, 2011

Dear Shopping Savage...


Dear Shopping Savage,


I am preparing to attend a wedding this summer and I notice that with all the Royal wedding coverage for Prince William and Kate Middleton that the women are expected to wear a hat. Now its making me wonder if I should wear a hat to this wedding. And before you ask, no its not a British wedding but I like the tradition. So do you think it would be okay to wear a hat to the wedding, and if so, what kind?

Signed,

A Hat for a Happy Occasion

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Dear A.H.F.A.H.O.,

British women have worn hats - and fascinators! - to weddings and formal events for centuries. Something as formal, regal and public as a royal wedding requires all the pomp and circumstance traditionally associated with the affair, which means guests would want to be seen - and photographed - in the finest plumes and brims. As it was mandated in the invitation for the royal wedding of the now Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, the female guests were required to wear a hat.

But if a hat is what you want to wear, then by all means, wear a hat! Formal occasions are the perfect time for your own pomp and circumstance. In fact, many women wear hats regularly for church, horse races, funerals, Easter, Mother's Day and the like, so a wedding would fall into that group perfectly.

As far as choosing the hat goes, that's purely personal. However, there are a few"commandments" to keep in mind while you're searching for the perfect topper, especially for a wedding or formal event:

The Eight Commandments of Hat Wearing

I. Thou shalt not wear a hat wider than the shoulders.

II. Thou shalt not wear a hat a shade darker than the shoes.

III. Thou shalt only wear hats with the colors of white, cream and pastels for Easter.

IV. Thou shalt not wear a hat with crumpled, wrinkled or droopy feathers or flowers.

V. Thou shalt always look tasteful and tidy when wearing "the hat."

VI. Thou shalt remember your bone structure. If a hat doesn't fit the face, don't buy it.

VII. Thou shalt not allow a hat to compete with accessories and jewelry.

VIII. Thou shalt always let the hat be the focal point of the outfit.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: Dwaun@shoppingsavage.com

Monday, January 3, 2011

Dear Shopping Savage...


Dear Shopping Savage,

I read an article recently that men's hats are making a comeback? Is that true?

Signed,

Lidded Lad

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Dear L.L.,

When did men's hats go out of style? In one version or another, hats have been a stead-fast accessory for men (and women) since time immemorial. Most fashion archivist would agree that hats were created out of necessity, primarily to keep the head cool and protected. However, today's use of hats is one part fashion, one part function with an emphasis on the fashion portion.

The resurgence you and the article are probably pointing towards is the rise in male celebrities topping off their outfits as of late for identity protection and of course, the cool factor. Remember Ashton Kutcher's obsession with trucker hats in 2003? Legions of fans took to the cap craze like lemmings to an Ed Hardy-Von Dutch sea. Today, the only persons not aware of its decline in popularity seems to be the cast of 'Jersey Shore'.

Today's trendy topper for men is the fedora which can currently be seen on just about every major male celeb, with Justin Timberlake, Johnny Depp, Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman leading the pack. Other popular styles to not go unmentioned include: the pub cap, the newsboy cap, the ivy "driving" cap, the porkpie and of course, the baseball cap. (A hat glossary below will help you identify any styles you can't remember off the top of your head.)

Most of the hats mentioned are currently in the fashion queue, but each style remains only as popular as its captive audience. Even if the style you settle on isn't in-style according to Hollywood at the moment, it doesn't matter. Once you find the style that suits you best, you come to realize that hats can dress up or down any outfit; can be worn year around, keeping your head cool in the summer and warm in the winter; and with so many variations in the form of styles, materials and design flourishes, its nearly impossible to not find one that suits you. Hats are like a cup of coffee on the go: although you're fine without one, its always best to put a lid on it.

This website is great for its extensive and affordable hat selection, but also its "Hat University" which not only provides a glossary of hats, but a sizing chart, a section on care, cleaning and even has a section for hat etiquette. Consider this your guide to putting your best fit forward.

Need sartorial advice? Email me: ShoppingSavage@gmail.com