Whether it’s your first visit to ascot or you attend events regularly, you’ll know it’s not all about the races, fashion is a huge part of royal ascot events, and of course, no royal ascot outfit would be complete without a gorgeous hat. So below we’ve put together our top tips for choosing the perfect hat.
Express yourself
Fashion is an excellent outlet in which we can showcase our personalities. We all express ourselves through the clothes we wear each day, and it’s the details of our outfits that really make all the difference. For example bright pink stilettos will radiate a confidant feminine vibe, whereas a dark nail polish may give off an edgy, even mysterious vibe. A Royal ascot race is a day to be enjoyed, the atmosphere is electric and exiting, a hat is the ultimate accessory that enables you to convey your own excitement and appreciation of the event, simply by resting on your head!
Personal Style
If you have taken a look at the set of dress code regulations in place for royal ascot (which we highly recommend), you will have noticed that they are indeed, quite strict, but these regulations should be viewed more as guidelines, that help you to make the right outfit choices, and will leave you feeling fabulous at your next event. The regulations in place needn’t restrict your personal style or taste. Use the regulations as a base for your choice of outfit and hat, then begin to build your look and inject your personal style into your outfit through colour, material, accessories and of course the hat!
Where to begin
Some ladies will spot the perfect dress and then choose a hat to compliment it, others will spot the perfect hat and then the dress comes after, some ladies base their outfit around a gorgeous pair of shoes, the truth is there is no set rule in place for creating your royal ascot outfit, but we think the hat is a good place to start. Royal ascot races are known for their showcase of beautiful, unusual and striking hats, so if you find yourself a little bit overwhelmed when it comes to planning your royal ascot outfit the hat is an excellent place to begin.
Design
If you’re unsure where to begin when it comes to selecting a hat, start by looking at the shape of your face. Round faces are often complemented by a hat that has more angular, asymmetrical shapes, a tilted brim also works very well with round faces, as round faces are already very symmetrical, by wearing a design that is not symmetrical at all, this balances the face and creates a lovely look. We love this Juliette Botterill turn up brim hat, the brim is completely tilted, while the off centre embellishment really brings the design to life, perfect for rounder faces. You may also want to avoid hats with large circular brims, these will make your face look smaller and more round, and it may become lost in the design. If you do want to go for a hat with a larger brim, opt for a thin asymmetric brim, this large brimmed velvet hat is perfect because of its upturned design. If you have a longer more oblong face, wider brims are the way to go. Hats with taller shapes can make your face appear longer than it actually is, so opt for one with a shorter crown. Cloche hats compliment oblong face shapes beautifully and this classic cloche hat ticks all the boxes. If you want something a little bit more striking a saucer hat is an excellent choice. This beautiful saucer hat is perfect for longer faces because of its slightly downturned brim. Faces with a squarer silhouette will usually have quite a chiselled jaw line. To compliment square faces hats that boast curvy designs with soft edges balance out the face and create a gorgeous elegant look, this extra large brim freeform hat will compliment angular jaw lines perfectly. Heart shaped faces are wider at the top, and boast a slim jaw line. Hats with downturned brims are excellent for heart shaped faces as they flatter the upper half of the face while accentuating the jaw line. This classic down turned brim hat is a match made in heaven for a heart shaped face. If you have an oval face, there aren’t many designs that won’t compliment it, so you really do have an opportunity to be daring and out there with your hat choices.
Colour
We all have a favourite colour, we may all have a colour we can’t stand, and if you take a look at the inside of your wardrobe, you’ll probably come to realise that there is a colour you often opt for above all others. If you followed our guidelines on choosing the right hat shape, then you may have narrowed your hat selection down and are left with a few options. Colour is a lot more forgiving than shape when it comes to hats, so let’s start with this question, what colour do you love? Does pink brighten your day? Blue make you feel serene? Or do you like to feel sophisticated in black? Whatever your favourite colour take a look at this first above all else, no one wants to wear a colour they hate just because it compliments their skin tone, their shoes, or their handbag, if you don’t like the colour, you simply shouldn’t wear it. Once you’ve decided on your colour, we can then begin to take a look at how it does work with your completion. If you love white, but you have a pale complexion and don’t want to become washed out, a bright lipstick can make all the difference, this will break up the dimensions of your face and avoid everything becoming blended together. Fuchsia works excellent with white, and red is a beautiful classic colour, choose a shade of lipstick that compliments your skin tone, usually with undertones a couple of shades deeper than your natural skin colour. If you have darker more olive skin, most colours will suit you, so it really is a case of ‘what do I love’. Darker skin tones look beautiful against pastel colours such as lilac or dusky pink, however if you hate pastel, then darker colours can of course work too. Hat embellishments can work the same way as lipstick to bring out colours in the face and avoid looking washed out, if you have darker skin with cooler undertones a hat like our upturned classic hat, will enhance this beautifully because of the white feather detailing. Warmer undertones will be complimented with this guibert headpiece.
Making the decision
It’s all about what you feel comfortable in. Guidelines are just that, they are in place to steer us in the right direction and help us to make better choices. Following them religiously will be counterproductive and usually result in a regrettable choice. Fashion is an art form, and certainly presents itself as so when it comes to millenary, personal taste plays a huge part in art, and it really is all about having fun!
Express yourself
Fashion is an excellent outlet in which we can showcase our personalities. We all express ourselves through the clothes we wear each day, and it’s the details of our outfits that really make all the difference. For example bright pink stilettos will radiate a confidant feminine vibe, whereas a dark nail polish may give off an edgy, even mysterious vibe. A Royal ascot race is a day to be enjoyed, the atmosphere is electric and exiting, a hat is the ultimate accessory that enables you to convey your own excitement and appreciation of the event, simply by resting on your head!
Personal Style
If you have taken a look at the set of dress code regulations in place for royal ascot (which we highly recommend), you will have noticed that they are indeed, quite strict, but these regulations should be viewed more as guidelines, that help you to make the right outfit choices, and will leave you feeling fabulous at your next event. The regulations in place needn’t restrict your personal style or taste. Use the regulations as a base for your choice of outfit and hat, then begin to build your look and inject your personal style into your outfit through colour, material, accessories and of course the hat!
Where to begin
Some ladies will spot the perfect dress and then choose a hat to compliment it, others will spot the perfect hat and then the dress comes after, some ladies base their outfit around a gorgeous pair of shoes, the truth is there is no set rule in place for creating your royal ascot outfit, but we think the hat is a good place to start. Royal ascot races are known for their showcase of beautiful, unusual and striking hats, so if you find yourself a little bit overwhelmed when it comes to planning your royal ascot outfit the hat is an excellent place to begin.
Design
If you’re unsure where to begin when it comes to selecting a hat, start by looking at the shape of your face. Round faces are often complemented by a hat that has more angular, asymmetrical shapes, a tilted brim also works very well with round faces, as round faces are already very symmetrical, by wearing a design that is not symmetrical at all, this balances the face and creates a lovely look. We love this Juliette Botterill turn up brim hat, the brim is completely tilted, while the off centre embellishment really brings the design to life, perfect for rounder faces. You may also want to avoid hats with large circular brims, these will make your face look smaller and more round, and it may become lost in the design. If you do want to go for a hat with a larger brim, opt for a thin asymmetric brim, this large brimmed velvet hat is perfect because of its upturned design. If you have a longer more oblong face, wider brims are the way to go. Hats with taller shapes can make your face appear longer than it actually is, so opt for one with a shorter crown. Cloche hats compliment oblong face shapes beautifully and this classic cloche hat ticks all the boxes. If you want something a little bit more striking a saucer hat is an excellent choice. This beautiful saucer hat is perfect for longer faces because of its slightly downturned brim. Faces with a squarer silhouette will usually have quite a chiselled jaw line. To compliment square faces hats that boast curvy designs with soft edges balance out the face and create a gorgeous elegant look, this extra large brim freeform hat will compliment angular jaw lines perfectly. Heart shaped faces are wider at the top, and boast a slim jaw line. Hats with downturned brims are excellent for heart shaped faces as they flatter the upper half of the face while accentuating the jaw line. This classic down turned brim hat is a match made in heaven for a heart shaped face. If you have an oval face, there aren’t many designs that won’t compliment it, so you really do have an opportunity to be daring and out there with your hat choices.
Colour
We all have a favourite colour, we may all have a colour we can’t stand, and if you take a look at the inside of your wardrobe, you’ll probably come to realise that there is a colour you often opt for above all others. If you followed our guidelines on choosing the right hat shape, then you may have narrowed your hat selection down and are left with a few options. Colour is a lot more forgiving than shape when it comes to hats, so let’s start with this question, what colour do you love? Does pink brighten your day? Blue make you feel serene? Or do you like to feel sophisticated in black? Whatever your favourite colour take a look at this first above all else, no one wants to wear a colour they hate just because it compliments their skin tone, their shoes, or their handbag, if you don’t like the colour, you simply shouldn’t wear it. Once you’ve decided on your colour, we can then begin to take a look at how it does work with your completion. If you love white, but you have a pale complexion and don’t want to become washed out, a bright lipstick can make all the difference, this will break up the dimensions of your face and avoid everything becoming blended together. Fuchsia works excellent with white, and red is a beautiful classic colour, choose a shade of lipstick that compliments your skin tone, usually with undertones a couple of shades deeper than your natural skin colour. If you have darker more olive skin, most colours will suit you, so it really is a case of ‘what do I love’. Darker skin tones look beautiful against pastel colours such as lilac or dusky pink, however if you hate pastel, then darker colours can of course work too. Hat embellishments can work the same way as lipstick to bring out colours in the face and avoid looking washed out, if you have darker skin with cooler undertones a hat like our upturned classic hat, will enhance this beautifully because of the white feather detailing. Warmer undertones will be complimented with this guibert headpiece.
Making the decision
It’s all about what you feel comfortable in. Guidelines are just that, they are in place to steer us in the right direction and help us to make better choices. Following them religiously will be counterproductive and usually result in a regrettable choice. Fashion is an art form, and certainly presents itself as so when it comes to millenary, personal taste plays a huge part in art, and it really is all about having fun!
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