Hats are Back in Fashion for 2008

Posted by Gill Hart Feb 3, 2008

Designer James Coviello’s eccentric sculpted cloches and subdued broad-brims are all set to hit stores for fall 2008. Trilbys and Fedoras are currently complementing the trend for boyfriend dressing and Panamas look likely to provide stylish alternatives to sunhats this summer. I have never been much of a hat person but when I lived in Dubai, some kind of head covering was essential to provide protection from the searing heat. One of the biggest dilemmas with a hat, however, is what to do with it! Not so with my Dubai sunhat. Made from a soft, resilient mesh, it was designed to be folded or rolled up for carrying, and then bounced straight back into shape the moment it was opened. Here in Thailand they sell much less up-market versions. Simple cotton sunhats built around a fan-like frame, which can be opened or closed, just like a fan. Cheap and cheerful, but practical none-the-less. My other close encounter with hats was when I lived in Istanbul and was dating a male model. Never one for the limelight I was always a little shy of the media attention and I remember us going to an opening party, with me hiding my face under a fashionable porkpie hat. However, instead of having the desired effect of shielding me from the spotlight, our party photographs printed in the newspapers the following day revealed that the hat had made me even more noticeable than usual, so it was a lesson well learnt! All I can say is that given some of the bold fashion-forward designs on offer this year, wearing headgear is not for the shy or faint-hearted. If you are brave enough to wear a hat you are sure to get noticed, so beware!