History of the Hat

There seems to be no grey area when it comes to hat lovers. Either you are, or you're not. Either you look great in one, or you don't. Personally, I've always loved hats and thankfully, I fall into "look great in one" category, if I do say so myself, but my real reason for loving hats is their ability to cover my frizzy big hair on the most humid of days.

Funny how the hat has come full circle. Initially, hats were worn as a protective device, then they became a sign of authority, later, as a form of art and etiquette, followed by a fashion statement, and now, once again, we return to a must have protection against the elements of nature.

My pet peeve is people who don't know how to wear a hat. I have to restrain myself from going up to strangers and fixing the way their hat is sitting. A hat should skim the eyebrows, since you want it to frame your face and accentuate your eyes. A hat should NEVER be worn where the rim is standing on top of your head, unless, of course, you are going for the "don't I look ridicules" statement. And, if you have long hair, please, pull it back so it does not look as though your hair is growing out of the side of your hat. I'm sorry, I know that sounds cruel, but some things are just not acceptable, and improper hat wearing is on the top of my list.

Buying hats for the store is one of the highlights for me at trade shows. I will spend hours trying on every hat before placing an order. From basic straw hats, to one of a kind custom hats, ranging in price from $20.00 to $400.00. I even found a wedding hat once, that was so breathtaking and strikingly beautiful that I considered getting married again, just to wear it!

As if protection from the sun and preventing premature aging isn't a good enough reason to start wearing hats, perhaps the fact that men love women in hats is. There is something mysteriously sexy about a woman who covers her head.

The secret to wearing hats actually has nothing to do with facial features or body type...it's all in the attitude of the person wearing the hat, find that, and every hat will look great on you.