Hat Tricks

Accessorizing your formal suit with a hat brings it to a whole new level of old-world glamor. But before you make a headwear faux pas, you should get a heads up on what kind of hat is the most stylish.

The fedora

The fedora

Channel a mysterious prohibition-era gangster by donning a fedora. Wear a fedora when you?re dressing sharply, because it will look ridiculous if paired with casual clothing.

Fedoras are the ubiquitous hat, meaning there?s plenty of variety but also plenty of poor-quality fedoras that should never touch your head. A fedora is invariably made from stiff felt, making it the hat you wear when you want to keep your head warm rather than when you want to shade your face from the sun.It should have a band with a bow or buckle, in a color or shade which compliments the hat.The crown is pinched, making the hat appear more interesting and creating angles that can compliment your jawline.

The porkpie is a hat similar to the fedora, but with a flatter top. If you have a particularly long face, then try a porkpie rather than a fedora, as it won?t elongate your head even more. If you have a wide face, a taller hat will help balance you out.

Fedoras are the easiest style of formal hat to carry off, as they always look fashionable without being too quirky.

The bowler

Bowler hats are more bulbous than the fedora, and are typically made from dark colored felt. They were worn by the working class in the late 1800s, but are now rarely seen. The bowler hat is best suited to be worn on the way to work if you wear a suit, just like how it was traditionally worn. However, times have truly changed and the once commonplace headgear now channels vintage glamor.

Beware, if you wear a bowler hat with a mustache you will be told you look like Charlie Chaplin.

The beanie and the cap

A beanie should not be what you think of when you think of a hat. It can add to an outfit and keep your head warm, but is not the formal, old-world accessory that a classic hat is. Keep your beanies for casual encounters in chilly weather, but don?t try to pass them off in any other situation.

Caps are even less of an accessory. Wear them to watch sports or when you?re playing sports, but that?s it.

Hats off inside

The one unbreakable rule of hats is not about their shape, style or color. It is about manners. Taking your hat off inside signals respect to the owner of the house or venue that you?re in, and to the people you are keeping company with. Taking your hat off inside seems like a very antiquated notion, but keep in mind that wearing a hat is an old fashioned thing to do.

Having to take your hat off inside places limits on when it makes sense to wear a hat. There?s no point wearing a hat if it?s just for the five minutes of walking between your car and the venue, and once you take it off inside you?re going to have to hold your hat, which is bound to be annoying. Only wear a hat if you are going to be outdoors for a decent amount of time.