An ode to the most underrated fashion accessory
It’s no secret that I have a soft spot for hats. I’ve been wearing hats for as long as I can remember- my mom would cover my head to shield me from wind, sun and cold since I was a baby and all throughout primary school. Given that the Netherlands are a very “do anything you can not to stick out” kind of country, and hats are not part of what is considered “normal attire” over here, I would get my fair share of looks and comments. If I’d gotten a euro for every time someone grabbed my hat off my head and ran away with it/tossed it, I could’ve bought more Barbie dolls than I could ever play with. It was without a doubt the most annoying aspect of hat-wearing, but looking back even now I still don’t really see why a kid in a hat attracted so much attention. Peers mostly made fun of my hats, while adults thought I looked adorable, but days when I wouldn’t get any type of remark were rare.
As I got older, after a brief period of not wearing hats in order to get some peace and quiet, I started to see the practical benefits of hats as well as their sheer fabulousness. There’s nothing like a big, floppy felted hat to keep raindrops off your head, or an airy straw hat to protect your hair, scalp, face and shoulders from burning sunlight. Not to mention they look SO GOOD! Hats can be a true show-stopper in an outfit, or just simply complement and complete it.
I don’t think I’ll ever understand why wearing a hat elicits such strong feelings in people, and automatically pegs you down as either eccentric or aloof. At this point though, I can’t say I really care. To me hats are classy and old-timey in the best way possible, and I love seeing people in them. I truly wish they’d come back into mainstream fashion more but until they do, I’ll proudly wear mine and cheer on anyone who does as well.
Summer is slowly drawing to an end but the sun has not quite lost its strength yet. We’ve just come out of a heatwave over here and I hope to get some wear out of my summer hats this year still. Today I’d like to proudly present my humble but beloved straw hat collection!
1
Originally from Primark, paper.
This hat is without a doubt the most fabulous out of the bunch. It’s a wide-brimmed paper hat with a beautiful open crochet border. This is my default summer hat that I’d pair with nearly any outfit. It’s also the one I wear when I sit down on the balcony to do some work on my laptop, as the brim is wide enough that the shade covers my screen.
2
Originally from a market stall, paper.
If I’m completely honest, the only other people I’ve ever seen wearing hats like this are elderly Chinese ladies. That won’t stop me though, haha! In my opinion, this hat is adorable and the closest thing to a bonnet you can get that still looks somewhat modern. It’s also surprisingly practical when you’re wearing a backpack or leaning your head against something. I love the large blue bow in the back!
3
Originally from Primark, straw.
Now if this isn’t cottagecore personified. I love everything about this hat: the raw edge, the lace around the brim… It’s the perfect mix between rustic and glam and I simply adore it.
4
Originally from a market stall, paper.
For a long time black was by far the most dominant colour in my wardrobe, so of course I had to have a summer hat to go with that as well. This black one is quite simple but elegant with the round top and bow around the base. It’s one of my more inconspicuous hats and very easy to style!
5
Originally from H&M, paper.
The latest addition to my collection is this lovely number. I’ve been lusting after a ribbon-tie hat for a while and this one is just perfect. The brim is narrower which sets it apart from my other hats, and I love how versatile it is with the scarf. It can be worn over the top of the hat like this, or around the brim, and tied under the chin or behind the head. This one’s going to see a lot of use, I’m sure!
Do you wear hats? And if you do, do you feel like they attract a lot of attention?
When I lived in Australia on my gap year, I loved that hats were so normal. I wore them all the time and brought them back with me to Europe but I haven’t worn them since (unless in my own back yard). What a shame right!
Oeh, ben ook van de hoeden (en petten), en dan vooral van vilt of van die cowboyhoeden… zo gaaf! Als je wel eens in Haarlem komt, ga zeker een keer naar Cosi van Tutti! Ik ga daar nooit zonder hoed weg haha.
Maar draag jij je hoed ook op je achterhoofd of ‘gewoon’ recht en tot bijna de bovenkant van je oren? Op je achterhoofd vind ik altijd wel leuk staan maar zo onpraktisch! Dan floepen ze er toch zo af?
Ligt aan de hoed, maar ik probeer mezelf wel te beperken tot hoeden die “rechtop” ook leuk staan want op het achterhoofd vliegen ze er inderdaad zo vanaf, haha! Het is sowieso wel een struggle in de wind, hoor. Ik overweeg serieus om een ouderwetse hoedenspeld te kopen, daarmee kan je de hoed vastzetten aan je haar 😂
Ik zal zeker even bij die winkel kijken volgende keer dat ik in Haarlem ben!
I love hats. They aren’t very common in the US either, but I wear them frequently. I have a large collection of big floppy straw and paper hats I use in the sunnier months to help protect my scalp.
You know, I have been dying to try out hats (especially such dreamy straw hats) for a long time, but here as well hats aren‘t really „fashionable“ and you get rather strange looks (at least where I live in Germany). I never really bothered trying, but I think this finally gave me the push to go for it!! P.S. I really enjoy your YouTube Videos :) Thank you!
Do iiiit! 😍
I think the Situation with Strange looks is the same in Germany as in the netherlands. But last year a started to wear a big hat in Summer, too. Out of practical reasons. You get shielded from the Sun wherever you Go and sit- even for an Hour or so. No pair of sunglasses can do that for you!!! Hats are so much better, ppl didnt wear them for Agnes without a reason!!