The Only Hat Hire in Ascot
For Royal Ascot Week, Mid June, Every Year Collect and Return from Royal Ascot Tennis Club. View Location Map
How to choose the right Hat for your Face and Body Shape.
Some woman like to wear hats and others do not, but in general it is because they do not know how to select the right hat. A hat is the most personal of fashion accessories, and the most powerful. They are worn on the most visible, and most photographed part of the body. They frame the face, and make one walk tall; they cause heads to turn, and compliments to follow.
Points to Remember
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Colour Matching
Doesn't need be PERFECT.
Don't think you have to hold the hat against the fabric of your dress to determine if it matches, as the fabrics used on headwear and dresses are so different they will rarely be an absolute match. When worn the hat and dress don't sit next to each other of course as your head is in between, so a near match will look as perfect as an absolute match. The best way to tell is by wearing the whole outfit which will allow you to see the overall look.
The key to choosing the right hat is balance. Choose a hat that is best suited to your face shape, body, and wardrobe. Most importantly, always choose a hat that reflects your personality and sense of style.
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Flatter yourself
Hats for your Skin Tone
Because a hat is worn so closely to your face it is important that the colour of the hat flatters your skin tone. If you have pale skin, a warm colour such as pink or rust is a good choice. Darker skin is easier to choose for, although if it is very dark, black is best avoided. The colour of the outfit with which the hat is to be worn must also be considered. If the hat matches the colour of the outfit exactly it is important to introduce at least one other colour into the outfit, and if the hat is to be a contrasting colour, it must be a colour that complements the outfit.
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How the Hat is Worn
Best Position
Never wear a hat on the back of your head. Hats can be worn tilted, over the forehead, or straight, but never sitting tilted backwards. Around 90% of hats are designs you find will have been designed to be worn on the right hands side of head. The traditional side to wear it. If you order custom made, then you can request hats to be made to the left, and most Milliners will be able to make for the opposite side. If order / buy from department store, and are unsure when you receive it, then assume it is for the right hand side, as this will almost always be the case.
Never wear a hat narrower than your hair-do, as this will make the hat look like it's too small for you. Fascinators and headpieces can be smaller, but be sure to wear them on the front (about 2-3cm above eyebrow), or side, (if very small) and not on top of the head.
Is there a hat for someone who says "I like hats, but they never look right on me"?"
Every milliner hears this and they all enjoy proving it to be false! People simply haven't found the right hat for them, or don't have the confidence to wear them. In reality, hats give you confidence, and any milliner will assure you there is a hat for everyone.
Thanks to Kate Middleton, Victoria Beckham, Paloma Faith, and Meghan Markle, Hats and fascinators are one of the most fashionable of accessories.
All our Hats are available outside of Ascot for Mother of the Brides, Mother of the Groom
and other Race Meetings
by Mail Order or you can Collect
Consider your Overall Face and Body Shape
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Body Shape
1. If you're petite: Don't choose hats with really wide brims. Select instead hats that have interesting detail to the crown. Avoid really big hats, which can be overpowering to small frames.
Want to add inches to your height without wearing heels? If you're small you can use a hat with interest/features and feathers on the crown to give the impression of extra height.
2. If you're tall:Choose hats with a wide brim, as your frame will allow this and select a shorter crown to avoid making you look like a giant. Avoid narrow, angular-shaped hats.
If you're full-figured: Wider, full-brimmed hats can add balance to a curvy figure.
Consider Your Face Shape
1. If you have an long face: Avoid narrow brims, which can add length to your face. Choose wide hats with curled or floppy brims. If you have a long face, steer away from the taller crowns. The crown of the hat shouldn't be narrower than your cheek bones. Feel free to play around with hats that have feature details.
2. If you have a round face: Round faces look best in hats with high brims and angular shapes. Avoid round, circular, or floppy-shaped hats. If you want your face to look longer, try a taller crown. Always select hats that are wider than your face for a slimming effect.
3. If you have a square face: Square faces are most attractive in a hat worn at an angle. Square crowns work for larger heads. Make sure you look for a hat that offers a good deal of height at the crown. Your face typically looks wider than it does long. Height at the crown can add length to your face.
4. If you have a Heart Shaped Face: Wear your hat straight across the brow and hairline. To create balance it is best to choose a hat with a medium sized brim. Look for hats with moderate height at the crown.
5. If you have an oval face: Lucky You! You can pull off almost any style of hat. Experiment with a variety of styles to find what works best for you.
Fascinators
Victoria Beckham sparked the millinery frenzy when she wore a simple feathered one at Buckingham Palace when collecting David's MBE in 2003. Since then Fascinators have evolved from the humble beginnings as a glorified hairclip with feathers to towering, structured creations.
Fascinators are the styles that are worn to the side of the head, and usually attach by a simple thin alice band, crocodile clips or combs.
Larger designs than fascinators, that sit on a substantial base (pillbox, smartie, button, or saucers) are known as headpieces, and these are the style that are permitted in the Royal Ascot Royal Enclosure. The base is larger than 4", rather than just a clip, comb or alice band.
Headpieces
Kate Middleton has become a fashion icon in her own right, and it's great to see her style and fashion sense includes headpieces. Kate is almost always seen wearing stylish headpieces no matter if she is attending a formal royal event or merely hunting pheasants in the sticks. For formal occasions, weddings and other public events with Prince William, Kate has usually chosen a beret, saucer, or large button / smartie base headpiece rather than a hat, and popularized their use. She could be the single person who has popularized the use of the headpieces, in all shapes and sizes. Over the past few years Kate has worn large black saucers, front standing mini saucers, small teardrop perchers, and berets.
Ascot Royal Enclosure Rules
Please remember if you're lucky enough to have Royal Enclosure tickets, then a headpiece must measure at least 4" across the base. Outside of the Royal Enclosure a slightly less formal approach to fashion is observed, but everyone must be dressed in their finest attire, and Ladies are required to always be wearing a hat, headpiece or fascinator.
Which item should be chosen first, the hat / headpiece? or the dress?
There are many, many more dress options on the high street than hat options. So, if you want to get spotted at Royal Ascot, it's best to choose the show stopping hat first, then buy the dress, as it will be easier to find a dress from the thousands on the High Street than to find a hat if you've already selected the dress. However, most people do it the other way around. Fortunately we have lots of colours, sizes and styles, so you should still find the perfect solution.
LADIES BEWARE: When you find the perfect hat, be prepared for compliments and attention all day long. A lot of men love women in hats and will tell them so.
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Jane Taylor
Beaded Cocktail Hat
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Philip Treacy
Silver Floral Lattice Forehead Headpiece
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Peter Bettley
Large Silver Feathered Slice Hat
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Aoife Harrison
Black White Gold Feathered Slice
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Dress-2-Impress
Silver Beret Headpiece
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Philip Treacy
Fuschia Rose Polka Dot Headpiece
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Philip Treacy
Black and White Slice Hat
Summer Racing Trends Tips
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Colour Blocking
Add Depth, Creativity and Contrast
Why wear one colour when you can have two or three. Colour Blocking is still one of the Biggest Trends for 2020. Wearing Multi Brights guarantees a striking entrance. Perfect Matches: Purple and Tangerine Orange, Purple and Emerald, Navy and Tangerine, Lime and Royal Blue, Magenta and Purple, Turquoise and Purple, Canary Yellow and Pillar Box Red.
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Black and White
Monochromatic Fashion for the Races
Black and white Monochrome checks, polka dots and stripes are big news for Spring Summer 2020, and the bigger and bolder, the better. Wearing Black and White is easy to top off with a striking high contrasting Jet Black and Clean White Headpiece, and always striking for a day at the Races. Remember Vivien Ward in Pretty Women. or Audrey Hepburn in My Fair Lady .
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Oriental Styling
Floral Silks / Delicate Florals
European design houses Prada, Etro, Christopher Kane and Emilio Pucci, (as well as Asias own leading Deigners Issey Miyake, and Yohji Yamamoto) Looked to the east for Japanese silhouettes and oriental blossoms that creep up kimonos and other silky dresses in oriental shapes. Why not take some tips from the Gheishas and dress in pretty delicate floral headwear.
Pantone Colour of the Year - Living Coral
Pantone Colour experts have announced the Colour of the Year for 2019. 'Living Coral'. Slightly more pastel than the Red / Orange Coral, but more vibrant than Peach. Just as Greenery reminded us of all the Avocado pictures on Instagram for 2016, this years colour reminds us of the Pink Grapefruits we've seen uploaded on Social Media. It's warm and exotic but easy to wear as it's not the very brightest of Corals. Coral is one of the most spectacular colours to have become fashionable in recent years (this is not the first year its featured in the wardrobes of any fashionista). Initially to those not used to wearing coral, it may seem difficult to combine, but the truth is that there are numerous options to choose as it combines well with lot's of colours you already have in your wardrobe. 'Living Coral' is a soft orange, and can be worn by most people regardless of skin or hair tone because it has equal parts of warm and cool combined in it. Against our skin, Coral is universally flattering on all skin tones. Coral can work, either as your main colour or as an accent. Read my tips on how to filter Living Coral into your outfits.
Colours for Spring / Summer Racing Fashion
Pantone Colour of the Year 2020 will be announced soon, but will almost certainly be from the following.
Flame Scarlet: This confidence-building fiery red is all about determination. This “here-I-am, pay-attention-to-me” shade is indicative of the women’s movement, and always popular for Royal Ascot outfits. During the G7 in Biarritz, France, First Lady Melania Trump wore a Flame Scarlet-colored Alexander McQueen dress, and at the VMAs, Lizzo played up the “Siren” aspect of the color with a strapless Moschino dress.
Saffron: Yellow is always a spring colour — the full Summer 2020 colour forecast has both Saffron and Sunlight. This very strong and determined shade adds a shot of brilliance to an outfit. Influenced by of course Saffron, this is not the first time we have seen food colours influence the fashion colour forecast. Greenery in 2018 was exactly the colour of Avocado. Saffron is not the only edible colour for 2020 either — chive green also features this year.
Classic Blue: Following the one-two punch of a real wham of color, is this more dependable boundless blue. Reminiscent of the wide-open evening sky, Classic Blue hints at possibility and has a calming influence. And as the name suggests, this deep dark navy has a little more life and vitality. Meghan Markle is a believer, having worn Classic Blue dresses from Jason Wu and Roksanda Athena. Steadfast and dependable, this color is one that nearly all understand and feel comfortable wearing.
Biscay Green: Cool, refreshing and transportive, this aqua shade is flattering to many skin tones and the name can conjure up travel plans. Madras lovers and “The Preppy Handbook” readers adopted this colour long ago. nIt’s one of those I-wanna-go-away, stop-the-world-I-want-to get off colors. When people see it in the marketplace, their hand reaches out for it. And it evokes vacation thoughts.
Chive: Move over kale, this restorative herb is winning over the style-minded in terms of favorite colours. Olivia Colman chose a chive-colored gown for her Oscar Night appearance, and the shade has been supported a few times by the ever appropriately dressed Kate Middleton. At this point, no one needs reminding that healthy greens are key to a healthy diet. This fact has opened people up to the concept of using the colour green in other ways. If we are more familiar with a colour through cooking, eating out or ordering food in, that has a huge impact on consumers’ awareness of a colour and on their willingness to use it.”
Faded Denim: Nineties-loving Millennials have helped to extinguish the dark denim trend and have replaced it with this more machine-washable baby blue. Proenza Schouler, Missoni and Alberta Ferretti embraced Faded Denim last year. Every colour works with Faded Denim Jeans, and can too when used on other clothing items.
Orange Peel: Is orange really the new black? This happy colour has been hanging on as an influential shade more than ever before in the past 10 years, with designers consistently adding the hue to their Spring/Summer collections. Celebs are on board with the colour, too. Orange was always a slow grower in fashion. It would be around for a few seasons and then disappear. Now season after season there is some tonality of orange. That is the ultimate in happiness warmth.
Mosaic Blue: Issey Miyake and Elie Saab were among the designers who got an early start on this color trend with their spring 2019 collections. Art admirers recognize this teal-ish shade as one favored by Vincent Van Gogh. More complex than most blues, this is the kind of blue that one might find in a tapestry with historic significance. It is a graceful and sophisticated blue with an air of mystique and depth of feeling.