Getting ahead

Above, Pamela, £110, made to order, by BD-i Design, call 01772 556554, or visit www.bd-i.co.uk

Sam Pope says it's easy to have some fun when deciding what headgear to wear to a wedding

Not many of us have the opportunity to dress up to the nines every day so, when a wedding invitation comes along, many women head straight for their local hat shop.

The hat you choose should be smart and stylish but, as with all fashion items, should suit you as an individual. Many women assume they can hide under a hat but, in reality, a hat draws attention to you, particularly your face.

If you do not like being in the spotlight, you might like to reconsider wearing one!

To save worrying about how you look all day and fiddling with and fretting about your hat, we talked to Louise Claire, of Wallingford-based Louise Claire Millinery, about choosing the perfect hat for you.

Her advice is not to be afraid when buying a hat, especially if you have never worn one before.

"Try on lots of different styles," said Louise. "You will know instantly what suits you and what makes you feel comfortable. Go with that instinct."
If you are still struggling, Louise believes your face shape should help dictate the style you choose.
Square face:
Wear a hat with a slight tilt or an asymmetrical brim to balance out your features.

Narrow face:
Avoid tall, narrow hats at all times! Instead, experiment with brims and full hats to broaden your face.

Wide face:
Off-the-face styles, and those with turn-up brims, are excellent for making the face look more in proportion.

Round face:
Small hats will make your face look rounder, so opt for larger styles. A good rule is to choose one whose crown is not narrower than the face.

Heart-shaped face:
These are the easiest to suit, as almost any style suits you. Feel free to go wild!

Your height can also influence your choice of hat, as Louise Claire revealed.

"If you are short, do not choose a wide brim or too-deep a crown. They will accentuate your height
- the hat will be wearing you.

"If you are tall, avoid crowns that are too high Ñ they will only lengthen you. Instead, go for wide brims, which will make you look fantastic."
Whether you want to hire or buy your hat will depend on your own preferences and, more importantly, your budget.

Some women think it is a waste of money to buy a hat they will only wear once. Would you would wear the same hat to another wedding?

"Hiring a hat has become more acceptable in recent years," said Louise.

"And hiring gives you the opportunity to wear different shapes, trims and colours for each event and to try styles that are perhaps too adventurous to purchase. You can also get specialist advice on colours, style and how to wear your hat if you visit a milliners, rather than buying from a high street store."

If you do not like the idea of wearing a hat that someone else has worn, you can buy one from from a milliner or a high street store.

Many, like Debenhams, Marks & Spencer and John Lewis offer traditional wedding-style hats, while stores such as Monsoon and Accessorize have pretty and more unusual styles.

If you really do not feel comfortable in a hat, but would like to wear something on your head, a fascinator can be a great, stylish compromise.

These are head pieces, often fastened to the hair with a small comb or tiara, and are particularly good because you will not suffer Ôflat hat hair' which hats can inflict.

"Since Victoria Beckham wore a fascinator to Buckingham Palace, younger people have gained an interest in wearing them to weddings and other formal occasions," said Louise.

"And Camilla wore a fascinator at her own wedding, so the Ômature' lady can also comfortably experiment with, and wear them too."

The only tricky thing about fascinators is learning how to wear them properly.

"It very much depends on the style of the fascinator, but usually they sit on the right-hand side of the head, off the top the crown," said Louise.

"Never wear them slap on the top of your head. Your hairstyle is another factor. Are you putting your hair up or leaving it down? Ask your hairdresser for advice on how and where to add a fascinator to your style."

Wearing hair slides, combs and flowers Ñ fake or real Ñ can be a great way of adding individuality to your hairstyle on the day.
Flowers give a very pretty, feminine look, while jewelled pins and combs can be glamorous and dramatic.

A florist will be able to help you choose appropriate flowers, and may even be able to pin them together for you, to make adding them to your hair much easier.

Beautiful hair combs and slides are available in many high street stores at reasonable prices.

Whatever you choose to wear to a wedding, simply use your imagination and have some fun!

Above, Catherine wheel gold beaded hair grip, £15, from Jewellery by Sally Jane, of Didcot	Above, lilac flower hairpin, £18, from Jewellery by Sally Jane, of Didcot, call 07788 712831, www.jewellerybysallejane.co.uk

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