In my previous post I shared tips and tricks for finding a perfect fascinator taking to account your outfit, colors etc. This time I want to help you how to choose the best hat or fascinator for your face shape. Similarly like clothing also headwear can be chosen in a way that will underline your unique, flattering features and create optical illusions for a well-balanced look.
What is my face shape?
Some of you may already know whether your face is round, heart-shaped, oblong, oval or square. The easiest way to find that out is to get in front of a mirror, remove your hair form the face with a headband or hair elastic. Take a look at your forehead, cheekbones, jaw line, how tall/ wide your face is… Then take a lip-liner, eye-liner or something like that and draw the outline of your face on the mirror. Now what does it resemble – round, heart-shaped, oblong, oval or square?
Hats for oval shaped face
Most people have an oval-shaped face. If you are among this lucky crowd, you can wear almost every hat or fascinator. Experiment to find what suits your aesthetics and underlines your personality – fedora, sun hat, pillbox, saucer hat fascinator etc. Have fun!
The only thing to consider is your height – if you are tall, you can balance the look with a gorgeous wide-brimmed hat or hatinator (like a shallow hat that fixes with a headband or hat elastic). If you are short, wide brimmed hats can look too overwhelming. I would suggest choosing something of smaller proportions. If in doubt, look at yourself in a long mirror.
Hats for round shaped face
For people who have a round face there is only one rule of thumb – choose hats and fascinators that elongate your face. There are different ways how to get this optical illusion – choose hats with long lines, asymmetrical brims that slope away from the forehead. The same effect can be reached also with trimming – long feathers and ribbon trims can work wonders. You can also try on some hats with longer crowns, e.g. the part that your head fits into, just make sure they have the right brim. Avoid hats with rounded crowns, the same goes for cocktail hats.
Hats for oblong face
People with a long face usually have an equally wide jawline and forehead. To balance out this feature try finding a hat or fascinator that can hide your forehead. The classical bell-shaped cloche hat will be a great choice. You can find these in wool felt for winter and straw, pari-sisal or sinamay for summer. Pillboxes can also be an option, just make sure to keep away from those mini pillbox hats, as these can look too small and only accentuate your long features.
Hats for heart shaped face
You have a heart-shaped face if you have a wide forehead and a narrow, pointed chin. People with such a lovely face shape are lucky as they will look great in most hats and fascinators. However there are some shapes that should be avoided. Be careful with small fascinators and pillboxes, as these will make your forehead appear big. The same goes for hats with extra large brims that will hide your face and emphasize your pointy chin. Best choice would be to look for something medium sized, probably with an asymmetrical brim.
Hats for square shaped face
If you have a short, square face, try on hats that soften your straight jawline. In winter go for floppy fedoras or those wide brimmed sun hats in summer. Choose hats and fascinators with round, flowing lines. Asymmetrical hats will also be a good choice, as they will optically cut the rigid features of your face. Look for flower, feather trimming as well as birdcage veil that will soften your look. Avoid hats with sharp lines and angles, fedora hats.
Hat colour and your complexion
You may have noticed which colors of clothing go well with your skin color. The same rules apply also to choosing a hat or fascinator. If you have fair complexion you will never go wrong with pastels and neutral colors. Olive complexions on the contrary will look gorgeous with headwear in bold and bright colors – crimson red, emerald green, royal blue etc. This does not mean that people with fair skin must not wear bright hats or people with darker complexion should not wear pastel colors. If you feel like it, go for it! Nothing suits you more than self-confidence!
And now go find your perfect hat or fascinator!
Not sure which of my headpieces will suit your face shape, contact me and I will be happy to help!
How can I convince my wife to do something special for her son’s wedding? Like, a cool hat?
P.S. my best friend’s name is Rita. So, you have a step up.
A wedding is one of the rare occasions when a woman can wear a hat or some other special headpiece. This is the time when the mother of the bride or groom can “shine” and not only feel but also look special. I once had a customer, a bride who ordered a headpiece not only for herself but also a full size hat for her mother. She later wrote me that once her mother tried the hat on she would not want to remove it, she felt so special in it 🙂 All I wish is that every mother would feel so special when her child gets married. And if a full-size hat looks too intimidating, you can always choose something smaller, like this SANDRA headpiece that can be made in a color to match the outfit.