FashBlog.com

Well, it is that time of year again. The magazines and papers are full of lovely young ladies showing off bathing suits, cover-ups, sandals, beach bags, and yes-straw hats. It never ceases to amaze me how many flattering hat styles there are in the world of advertising, but how rarely I see them in real life. It’s also surprising how few look good on me.

It is hard to deny that there is a good hat can give a woman an allure that’s different from anything else. If it suits the person wearing it, a hat can add more charm and charisma than the newest or most envied outfit, and can enhance one’s face even better than makeup or a hairstyle. When you think about it, it’s rather an enigma, isn’t it?

Women years ago knew this; I wonder why women of today don’t make more use of this resource. Right now I’m looking at a model that is holding one side of a floppy-brimmed straw hat that has flipped down over one eye before if flips back up on the other side. Without this prop, the model would have been attractive enough, but it’s the hat that causes a viewer to look twice. The peek-a-boo eye, the framed face, and the enhanced cheekbones make the most of this particular gal’s assets, which is not to say it wouldn’t do the same for millions of others as well. So why don’t we see more of these hats being worn?

Another ad involves a hat that does not touch the nape of the model's neck; it is simply wider in the brim and meant to be worn without any flip. Yet, the brim itself gently curves from high on one side of the model’s head, to low on the other, sort of like a larger, more summery version of the famous one worn in the movie Casablanca. The cap area isn’t too large or too small, and the attached side bow is perfectly positioned so that the overall appearance is total synchronicity, regardless of the swooping line. Why can’t I ever find a hat like that?

Perhaps if I had the time to travel to a slew of haberdasheries (are they still out there?) and have professional stylists helping me, I could claim success. Or, maybe if I had long hair like the models, a hat would work better. The other issue is, where would I wear it? Since the majority of my time is not spent in resorts, I think it would be relegated to the position that many of my past straw hats held, and that is on my closet’s top shelf. I’d drag it out a few times a year when I visited a beach, but I’d have to struggle to keep it in place. As much as I hate to admit it, a sporty cap that allowed a ponytail to stick through are much more practical on a windy beach; not only do they stay put, I have better eye protection and don't have to worry if it gets wet by errant waves splashing up as I stroll along the ocean’s edge. I guess I could wear a perfectly lovely creation for a nice lunch or dinner outdoors. Too bad my husband and daughter think those places aren’t conducive to eating even under the best of circumstances, let alone on hot, sunny days when a hat would be appropriate.

Now, I do notice that this year there seems to be a compromise of sorts-there are visor-like brimmed caps constructed of straw, with designs stitched around the cap area. They seem to be a dressy step up from the regular material kind of brimmed caps or visors, but as cute as they are, they don’t have the same panache as a wide brimmed, floppy straw hat. On the plus side, though, they seem to be partnered with similar beach bags, and may get more wear than their flashier cousins. They may also be easier to pack.

So, depending on your lifestyle, your hairstyle, and your bravery, you may just want to try on a few straw hats within the next few weeks before fashionistas snatch them up for the upcoming summer events. Perhaps wearing one for an hour can help us all feel glamorous-for a change.