Julia Roberts is quoted as saying, “I enjoy hats, and when one has filthy hair, that is a good accessory.” This is unquestionably so, as the hat has proven itself to be a typical remedy for bad hair days and skipped showers.
Fortunately, a malfunctioning snooze button isn’t the only problem to be fixed by a hat.
Could a quick revamp to knotted hair or a lackluster wardrobe really exist? Perhaps its classic persona has rendered the hat tragically overlooked.
As winter continues to linger and cold fronts come in from wherever they may, a hat has become more of a necessity than an accessory – but why can’t it be both?
Not only has it embellished high fashion lines for generations, but it has evolved into a style problem solution and an inexpensive cure to a clothing crisis. For instance, the drab combination of jeans and a t-shirt can be updated in seconds with a knit beret. Most knit hats are unisex, and they can transform an outfit from every day dull to retro or hippie chic in no time. Coincidentally, knitted hats can be found anywhere from Bloomingdales to the Dollar Tree.
Take it from some of Hollywood’s current fashion icons, like Mischa Barton and the Olsen Twins, who have been spotted wearing fedora hats. This masculine brimmed hat made predominantly of felt has been around since the nineteenth century, and continues to be a fashion staple if worn correctly.
Fedoras and knits can be found for both men and women at trendy retailers like Urban Outfitters and H&M, where they are displayed to add spice to simplicity.
Lacoste introduced knits into its line last fall, as well as newsboy caps, front brimmed hats, and fedoras. Marc Jacobs dolled up his fall 2007 collection with knit crowned caps both short and wide brimmed.
The hat has proven itself to be both classic and contemporary. It is as timeless as it is trendy.
It maintains function while making a statement. Even those who claim to have no interest in style or fashion can be spotted sporting a baseball cap, whilst dramatic divas take center stage in brimmed and bedazzled sun-hats.
Just think of the health benefits. They guard skin from UV-rays. They provide warmth. They shield innocent bystanders from a stranger’s hair grime. They defend. Helmets are among the oldest forms of battle protection, and have kept the heads of extreme athletes, fighter pilots, and roller bladers safe forever. Like Boy Meets World’s Eric Matthews says, “Life’s tough. Get a helmet.”
But as excitement mounts, to make mention of every type of hat would take decades. The varieties are infinite – whether they are bonnets, berets, baseball caps, beanies, fedoras, fitteds, top hats, army-navy’s, helmets or babushkas. Whether it is taken for granted, lost, or forgotten, the right hat holds the potential to dissolve a styling crisis in seconds.
Well put, Julia Roberts.
