SHOPPING FOR A HAT

Don't leave home without asking yourself four (4) basic questions: Why? When? (w)HAT? Where/Wear?

1. Why am I buying this hat? (motivation)
2. When will I wear it? (time of day or year)
3. w(HAT) do I want it to do? (purpose)
4. Where will I wear it? (occasion)

Then add "Who?" and  go shopping with a friend who you trust to give you an honest opinion.

Visit several stores and try on a broad palette of designs and colors, turning them this way and tHAT to discover wHAT flatters your face, head shape, and hair, as well as wHAT looks best for your overall fashion style and body scale.

Try brims of different widths, hats with crowns of different depths, caps with visors of different degrees of projection.

Don't overlook hats made from woven paper or a mixture of paper and cotton.  They are lighter than straw and available in a variety of colors.

For a tailored look, test lightweight fedoras and panama hats at men's stores--which can also have a broader range of hat sizes.