You can leave your hat on

Hats have many practical purposes - from keeping you warm (thanks, beanie) to keeping you cool (thanks, wide-brim). They act as the perfect solution for covering up yet another bad hair day, as well as protecting you from the rain.

Image: Pinterest

And they also have the power to act as a major fashion statement. You only have to look at something like The Royal Ascot, a British event where women are encouraged to 'wear smart attire with a hat or fascinator'. Yes, you heard that right, a fascinator - a light, decorative headpiece that's a combination of hat and those fancy headbands you wore in year 9 dance class. 

Other fashion statements? Well, everyone links the iconic Audrey Hepburn with the black, chic, oversized hat she wore in Breakfast at Tiffany's. And the catwalk - from high end designers like Chanel, to the more affordable Topshop, will also use hats as a standout piece on the runway. 

So what does this mean for us? Well, whereas once hats were something more 'practical', the last five years or so have seen a real shift in incorporating hats into fashion and general aesthetic 'fun' - regardless of any practicality they may serve. Indeed, fashion is cyclical and this is a perfect example of that. Go back to the Edwardian or Victorian era and huge hats were all the rage - a sign of status and, crucially, a major fashion statement.  

Image: Pinterest

If there's one thing I'm excited about this Autumn, it's pulling out a mustard yellow beanie hat to brighten up my day (and outfit). It'll be snug and warm, yes. But it'll also look bloody awesome. On my recent holiday to Greece, I took not one, not two, but three hats with me. Okay, this is in part because I never pack light, but also because it gave me so much option when it came to outfits. There was the khaki cap (typically worn with denim shorts for a boyish look), the floppy sandy hat (perfect for the beach) and the black wide brim hat (a more formal, crisp option).

So there we go. Get happy - or should that be hatty. Be as mad as a hatter. Forget sex appeal, it's all about hat appeal. Okay, will stop now - but just remember, you can leave your hat on...