adminleading up to the big day yesterday, I cannot help but reminisce on what a busy month it was.
The month was filled with so much activity certainly here in Zimbabwe and the other countries too.
Weddings seem to have taken centre stage in our country; I guess all the young and not so young couples want to tie the knot while the weather is still warm when fashionable items are easier to wear. One of the longstanding traditions at weddings is women wearing hats.
This is one fashion accessory that transcends the racial divide as women at many weddings wear them. However, this tradition is slowly being relegated to the mothers of the bride and groom and to the more mature female relatives.
This is a pity really as I am quite fascinated by some of the designs and the sheer opulence that accompanies the wearing of these hats.
The Royal Wedding of Prince William and Kate Middleton which was held yesterday had the milliners in England working flat out to ensure the ladies attending the women were indeed “fit for royalty”.
A milliner is a person who makes and sells lady’s hats and a hatter makes men’s hats. Hats represent a time when fashion and was pure elegance. Hats were worn not just for special occasions but just because it was the thing to do.
Times have indeed changed and nowadays hats are for special occasions like weddings, the big race days and occasionally to church.
Upcoming race days to prepare for include the Castle Tankard and the OK Grand Challenge. As a result of wearing hats becoming such a rare occurrence most people will refer to themselves as not being “hat people”.
Let me allay your fears that a hat can be the perfect accessory to help finish off your outfit in style if you just consider a few factors.
Hats are not the only headgear you can wear, there are also fascinators. Most hats are made from straw or from a product called “sinamay”. This is made from the fibre of banana plant leaves.
It looks similar to straw but the strands and the weave of the fabrics are much finer. Hats are also available in fabrics like silk, felt or even satin.
How to choose a hat
The option of hats can be quite daunting some are up or down turned, with a round or angle crown and so on. The key to remember is that different people suit different hats. Your height will influence your style of hat. Tall people can wear most styles of hats while shorter people should best avoid hats with a down turned brim.
An upturned brim is turned up toward the sky and this will help to draw the eye up, and therefore help to make you look a little taller. So shorter people should best avoid a cloche that is the hat that looks like an “upside down flower pot” style. It gives the impression of pulling you down even further.
The perfect hat should complement the shape of your face as well. For a round face, choose something with a broad brim or a small, pull-on hat. A brim wider than the face will balance it. If you have a long face, look for some kind of softness or movement such as feathers, or an adorned headband or Fascinator.
If you have a square face, you need an asymmetric hat which will balance your jaw line. If you have a heart- shaped face you can basically choose any style although hats that sit high on your head and have a talk crown are more flattering.
The crown is the portion of the hat which sits over the head. If you wear glasses, do not let them overpower the hat. Pick a style that is turned up at the front which will frame your face.
Fascinators
Some people are not too comfortable wearing hats so these trendy little options are fast gaining popularity. A “fascinator” is a hair accessory which is often on a comb or a head band that is most commonly adorned with plumes of feathers. They often also incorporate straw, sinamay, beads and crystals.
They can be small and delicate or as large and over the top as your imagination will take you. Large or small, traditional or abstract, structured or completely capricious, Fascinators are so easy and comfortable to wear.
They can be designed to complement your outfit and your hairstyle while still allowing you to make a statement in the same way a hat would.
A fascinator should be on the right base for you, that is a comb, head band or small clip so that it is comfortable and secure and you are confident and free to enjoy your day without worrying about whether it will stay in place. If you feel confident you will look and feel fabulous too. Fascinators can be worn at weddings, race days, christenings and even black tie events.
Matching the Style and suiting the occasion
If you are wearing a tailored dress or suit then pick a hat with structure. If, however, you are dressed in a floaty summer dress then you will look fantastic in a soft hat with drapery or ribbons. When you go shopping for your hat take the outfit you will wear to the occasion or get something with a similar neckline so that you have a good picture of whether it suits you or not.
Remember if you are a guest at a wedding wear a hat that is more subdued, leave the lavish hats to the mothers of the bride and groom! A fascinator or a little pill box with a veil are ideal for an afternoon wedding going through to the evening.
However, if it is to an event like a high tea or horse race event then be as outrageous as you wish. Mother of the bride or groom, remember that you will be greeting many guests and wearing a wide-brimmed hat can make kissing and hugging tricky. – Sources: UKWeddingStore.co.uk/dailymail.co.uk
l Christine Nyirenda-Chimuka is an internationally qualified and accredited Image Consultant and Communications Professional running Milestone Communications and can be contacted on [email protected]
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