Hats

Hats have fallen by the wayside over the past few decades. Once upon a time, they used to be the icing on an outfit's cake. No woman nor man would have walked out of their front door without donning a little chapeau of some kind. Right up until the end of the 1950s hats continued to be a feature when out in public. A hat was evidence of a person's decorum. Hats commanded respect for the wearer and looked wonderfully elegant at meal times when all ladies of consequence would keep them on, in spite of the handicap they must have imposed when trying to stuff a cucumber sandwich into the mouth.

By the 1960s hats had ceased to be obligatory. They were relegated to the rank of accessory, an item to be worn when desired, but no longer an essential part of the overall outfit.

Back in those heady days of innate elegance a woman knew how to wear a hat. She knew whether her face was suited to an upturned brim and when a small hat was more appropriate than a picture version. Today we have not a clue. Yes, we are aware that people turn up to a wedding wearing a hat, but that is the only occasion we feel duty bound to put one on, aside, perhaps, from a day at the races.

But don't be scared of hats. They shouldn't be just for weddings and race days. A casual hat can be the saviour of a bad hair day. These rare sightings of hats, like spotting an animal on the verge of extinction, has increased their importance.

The average woman will probably buy only two or three hats in her lifetime so will want to make sure she chooses the right ones. If you can find the shape that suits you, an investment hat should last you for life. We have worked this out by trial and error.

Looking back at family snaps of ourselves we have been only too aware of the hats that enhance our features and the ones that turn us into sad sacks.

There are a few other helpful pointers:

• High foreheads can wear beanies.
• Low foreheads (like Susannah's) can only wear high-crowned hats. Anything else turns the face into a bloated blow-up, all fat features and nothing else.
• High foreheads get away with more or less any style of hat, but people with these do have a tendency to be burdened with eye bags.

These must never be shadowed by a low brim because two words - Grim and Reaper - will immediately spring to mind.

• If you are one of the front pew party at a wedding, think before you choose a huge hat. You'd probably block the view of everyone behind you.
• Downgrade a smart trouser suit with trainers and a beanie.
• If you have to buy a hat for a special occasion, invest in one that is truly spectacular. If you are only going to wear the hat a couple of times, be sure to do it well.
• The smaller the brim, the more casual the hat, unless it is shaped like a piece of sculpture or bedecked with assorted bits from the haberdashery department.