If you don’t consider yourself a “hat person,” maybe you just haven’t found the right one yet. Fashion stylist Mosha Lundström-Halbert shows you some of her favourite hat picks for summer.
Hats are the quickest, easiest, and most impactful way to change a look. There is a hat for every mood, occasion, and style. This is one area of your wardrobe where you definitely want to experiment, have fun, and splash out. Here are some staple and statement styles.
Bucket Hats
This is the lipstick or lip balm of hats. Keep ones in every nook and cranny of your car, your tote, and your home. The soft structured style is incredibly versatile and most importantly, provides key sun coverage. But these aren’t your average fisherman’s bucket hats, oh no. Look for novelty prints, reversibility, and unexpected materials.
GANNI-Beige & Black Recycled Tech Leopard Bucket Hat
Western Hats
Nothing tells a story quite like a proper western hat, by a proper western hatmaker. They instantly take jeans and t-shirt from basic to iconic. These hats hold incredible power and energy, so choose wisely. Two makers who we recommend are Thundervoice, a Navajo brand that believes hats are a form of medicine. Designer Lehi ThunderVoice Eagle takes reclaimed vintage stetsons and transforms them with elements such as Turquoise, Lavender, Sage, & Vintage Coins. Check out the arrow crease, which truly seals the deal. These would look just as stunning hung on a wall as they would worn.
Thundervoice- Hat 742 (Broken Arrow Series)
The second brand we recommend is Calgary’s own Smithblits. Since 1919, they have been making a variety of felt and straw hats for cattlemen, gauchos, horsewomen, and cowboys. Whatever style you choose, it’s important to make sure you pick a complementary hat band and even some accoutrements such as feathers or charms. A bandless hat is considered very poor form amongst true connoisseurs.
Smithblit Hat- 3X Cattleman Wool
Packable Straw Hats
Can we just all have a moment of silence for all the warped, wonky, and crumpled straw hats out there? Some of us just lack the care and consideration that is needed to own stiffer straw styles. Ergo, we recommend packable, smushable straw styles that are available at every price point.
Banana Republic-Packable Straw Hat
Statement Hats
Jaycow Millinery, is by amazing Toronto-based designer Jay Cheng. We recommend the Ma hat from the collection. The shape is hand-formed on a vintage hat block and is their version of a toque or beanie. Genderless and chic, made from Slate Black Japanese Toyo Paper. $25 from every hat sold is going to Daily Bread Food Bank Toronto. Jay also does custom work too.
Headpiece
Who knew Canada had so many wonderfully mad hatters? And diverse too? Introducing Hello Darling, a label we recommend out of Winnipeg. Founder Miriam Delos Santos handmakes her collection using remnant and deadstock fabrics, so they are sustainable too. Check out these incredible poufy linen headpieces that are the fashion equivalent of the icing on a cake. Customers wear these everywhere from a zoom meeting (or wedding!) to a fancy grocery store run. The price point is fabulous as well.
