Stay warm and stylish all winter

Designer Christian Dior once said, “Without hats we would have no civilization.” With winter upon us, there is no better time to express your unique style while staying warm under the latest, trendy hats of the season.

“Clothing is a unique expression of self and hats definitely get noticed,” says Susan Lee, hat designer with the Village Hat Shop. “Hats stand out and you can easily change the entire look of an outfit simply by changing your hat. There is no better time than winter to start experimenting with hats.”

Lee offers a heads up about this winter’s hat trends.

Start With the Basics

Berets are hot. High-quality berets are versatile, well made and can be worn all year long. They can be worn in a more traditional “French” style or pulled back to fit on the crown of the head for a more modern look. Traditional berets are made with wool, but the look of a beret can be changed entirely when made from chunky yarns, Angora or even velvet.

Get Artsy

Knit and crochet hats provide warmth with an artisan feel. A popular celebrity accessory of late, the crochet “slouch” hat is an artsy way to hide a bad hair day. Whether the entire hat is crochet or features crochet accessories, a handmade look enhances any outfit.

Indiana Who?

For decades handsome men have sported classic fedoras, but they look great on daring women too. With a brim to tilt and a grosgrain ribbon to dress it up, a fedora can make a woman look mysterious like Marlene Dietrich and make a man look (and feel) like Indiana Jones or Frank Sinatra. A fedora is also a great winter hat as the brim helps keep rain, sleet and snow off the face.

A Soft, French Bell

Making a big comeback is the cloche — the French word for bell and a soft style inspired by hats of the 1920s. This feminine hat can be dressed down in fleece or felt or even dressed up in silk to complement an elegant cocktail dress. Plain or embellished with sequins, feathers or flowers, a cloche adds romance and elegance to every look.

If you’re worried your trendy new hat will leave you with flat hat hair, don’t. If you’re wearing the hat for less than a few hours, take off the hat and add a styling product to reshape your hair. “If you’re wearing the hat for longer than a few hours,” says Lee, “just find one that’s too good to take off then you don’t have to worry about hat hair.”