Hats, beyond the common baseball cap, are enjoying a resurgence in fashion, with a focus on characterful designs. These headwear items, sometimes called 'personality hats' or 'silly little hats', are being seen from Milan Fashion Week to high-street stores.
High-end brands have showcased a variety of distinctive hats. Loro Piana featured hats on almost every model, while Thom Browne presented straw boaters with colourful mesh. Chloé included see-through hats and white sailor hats, and Courrège offered space-age designs. Burberry displayed large bucket hats, and Bottega Veneta featured charismatic styles.
The trend has also reached high-street fashion, with retailers like Asos and H&M selling wool and pillbox hats. John Galliano's collaboration with Zara includes Napoleonic-style bicorne hats and a design reminiscent of Mary Poppins. Pillbox hats were also observed on the streets during Copenhagen Fashion Week.
David Long, author of The Hats That Made Britain: A History of the Nation Through Its Headwear, suggests that, excluding beanies and baseball caps, hats offer a rare chance for display, allowing wearers to show individuality. Milliner Noel Stewart noted that hats can be a significant indicator of personality and intent.