Hats off to the weather

As if we needed another reason to love the sunshine, one of my favourite reasons is that I have every excuse not to wash my hair.  For a start I can't, as if I do, you can see my hair from space.  Monica in the Caribbean has nothing on me.  But then there's the sweaty head... Sweaty AND dry and coarse and verging on its own postcode is just cruel. 

A hat is the answer.  I love love love a hat in the Summer.  I've never *quite* mastered (actually there's no quite about it - I mean *haven't remotely*) the hat in the Winter bar a wooly hat and that's not entirely lunch out appropriate (assuming it's not pelting down with snow).  A mission for this Autumn right there then. 

But in the meantime, I am on a hat mission.  

Summer hats - as well as being ridiculously useful for disguising a rough head of hair are also fabulously functional.  Sensible sentence from me now which isn't something you hear v often.  They protect your hair from the sun (mine is probably beyond any form of protection - I genuinely am one hair cut off wig) but perhaps more importantly, they protect your skin.  

I have turned into that person, only a couple of years ago I thought was a lame dullard.  I don't put my face in the sun at all.  Chanel fake tan on the face has been my saviour.  And when I'm feeling the need for a bit more of a glow, I whack a slick of the Cocoa Brown Dark mousse.  I am browner within an hour than I would be from sitting in the sun for two days. 

Is anyone else a Summer hat convert?

I currently have a couple - one from Fat Face which is older than my 7yr old and still going strong - and one I bought two years ago from Zara Men. 

Which leads me onto my next issue.  Yes folks, I am back in the men's department as I have a massive bonce.  Big headed, that's me.  To be fair, at 5ft 10, if I had a normal sized head, I would look frankly odd, but it does mean that unless the hats come in different sizes (Very Large being one of those sizes as opposed to a teensy small and merely a poky medium) they perch in an unattractive manner atop my head.

But one in multiple sizes, I have found at H&M.  The large is PERFECT for me. 

Straw Hat in natural white £9.99


It was a toss up between the one above and the more beige natural one with a burgundy ribbon.  (I went with the white and black).



In my experience, if a hat is one sized it's perfect for normal people.  

One size now from Warehouse. 

Wide Brim Panama Hat from Warehouse was £20 now £10



I am GUTTED this one isn't in the large for my massive bonce as I adore the yellow and would order in a second. 

Straw hat from H&M £7.99


Whilst shopping yesterday in M&S (for jamas for the boys - oh the glamour), I happened to wander into the men's department (if anyone is interested, the pics of David Gandy in his pants and other states of undress are very near to the hat section.  Just saying.  Small tip mind you - if you hang around in the men's section for too long and take photos, the Security Guard will take an interest in your behaviour.  Fact.) to try the hats there. 

And I came up trumps with a couple.  Actually all the panama style hats were gorgeous BUT they're not cheap.  As the lovely Sales Assistant explained to me, it's because they're actually from Panama.

Luxury Panama Hat from M&S £49.50  This is the Medium (and that's me holding my Zara one from last year that I wore yesterday).





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However I have to say, it was the £25 one that I loved.  Don't say anything to anyone from Panama, but it was much sturdier and I thought better quality.... Again this is a Medium.  The large was enormous. 

Oh and this is the Security Guard, deeming me a person of interest...  And my Uniqlo bags are full of coats that I snaffled in the sales for the two boys.  £15 for winter coats which are pretty much identical to the new stock £30 ones.

Weaved Ambassador Texture Hat from M&S £25





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Larger hats I love.  Alas, they don't love me.  They normally only come in one size which means that they twist on the rim which is a sign they're too small (and look daft).  Funnily enough there aren't many men's hats with wide Audrey Hepburn style brims.  Can't think why?   

If you have a smaller head, please buy this and wear it so I can be ridiculously envious.

Taffy Black/Cream wide brim hat from Reiss in the sale was £60 now £40



Actually I'm now lying.  I did try this one on yesterday in H&M (when I bought the trilby one) and I looked just wrong diddly in it.  On the other hand, my friend who was with me looked epic in it and bought it (wearing it straight out on the school run afterwards - that's my girl).

Wide Brim Panama Hat in Black £12.99


And I would love to say I've found loads more but I haven't.  Well, I didn't find any others to try that I liked and rated on the high street - so those are the best that I have. 

Except.  If you have a big head, head to Zara Men's and pick up a bargain in the sales.  Here I am today with my £5.99 special from yesterday.  Zero left online alas.  Cannot recommend highly enough and had two people ask today in London (neither of whom were security guards, can I just mention) where I got it from. 

Day in London for meetings. 



Hat - Zara Men
Porcelain midi shirt dress - & Other Stories
Tan sandals - Forever 21
Whiskey Medium Marcie Satchel - Chloe

And the day finished with me changing into harems and a tee for a TWO hour walk with the children.  Love/hate relationship we've developed with Pokemon Go.  I hate it, they clearly love it.  The fact one of them didn't collide with a tree is a miracle.  The dog clearly thinks it brilliant though.  Two hours let loose in the woods. 

Last day at school for the 11yr old tomorrow.  Leaver's Assembly.  I have a handbag full of tissues at the ready....

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CONVERSATION

28 comentarios:

  1. I'm so glad someone shares my pain!! I do have a nice selection of men's hats some of which I've added an extra ribbon to to make them slightly more feminine. I like to say it's all the brains.....
    Sarah x

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    1. Oh I like the idea of adding other ribbons.... Genius!

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  2. I have the reverse problem to you. I'm a pin head so any M&S ladies hat in Small is too big and the men's hats in Small are a perfect fit (as well as being more stylish and less old lady'ish.

    LBB :)

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  3. &otherstories do fantastic hats in different sizes. X

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  4. &otherstories do fantastic hats in different sizes. X

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  5. Just got into hats the last 2 summers.. I have a Fat Face one and looking for more so thanks for these. Btw, we have the same phone cover, Gotta love Orla Kiely (Amazon bargain)

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    1. Omg mine wasn't an amazon bargain - I had to pay full price in john lewis!!! And I've lost the other one...

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  6. Absolutely PMSL at the security guard situation. I too have a massive bonce, and so will be checking out your recs as my old £2.99 H&M trilby is looking really tatty this year. x

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  7. Haha! I love your blog; amusing and informative!! Alas I have a pinhead and just look ridiculous in hats even though I really feel the need to wear one in this weather Also, how do you get it to stay on at the beach where it is almost always windy, at least it is here on the north Norfolk coast.

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    1. Ah. Yes. They're not that easy to wear when we go to Suffolk... That's usually a messy top knot sort of solution! Can't even wear my hair down as it's just too windy and I end up eating it!

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  8. I have a large head/ridiculous amount of hair! So find hats tricky, however, I find cutting into the band (if it has one) on the inside of the hat makes them that bit bigger thus avoiding the perched on the head look/terrible hat headache! 😂

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    1. Interesting... I would probably end up cutting the hat though. DUh!!

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  9. I am a hat wearer too on account of the melasma I have on my forehead which darken exceedingly quickly in the sun. Melasma are pregnancy related and as our last day at Primary School is coming up too, I have been a hat wearer for a long time!

    Hope your leavers assembly goes well - I am with you on the need for tissues, although I have already been told this may be embarrassing!

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    1. Oh we all sobbed!! The husband rolled his eyes a lot and said that if were this bad at primary school, what on earth were we going to be like at a wedding!

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  10. Primark has a great Panama style hat in S/ M and L/ Extra Large in the Men's Department for a fiver. I have a big head and lots of hair so the large is perfect for me - I bundle it all up on a dog walk and feel quite natty !
    Love the blog btw, really look forward to the posts .

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    1. oh great idea. I really should make an effort to go Primark - it's just so far..!

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  11. I love a hat and have quite a few. The OH (who has a massive head and finds it hard to find hats that fit) says all hats suit me.

    Panama hats are actually from Ecuador! Strange but true....

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  12. I'm with you you on you on the large head and lots of hair! I have been wearing a hat in all vaguely sunny weather this summer after a big hair colour job + impromptu visit to the park resulted in a sunburnt scalp - ouch!

    I always get told I look very summery, actually I'm pale and need some shade on my head and face. I agree that h & m have larger hats, New Look do too. I haven't found the perfect hat but am getting a good selection.

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    1. Yes big head and lots of hair = nightmare to get a hat! But I agree, they do finish an outfit off nicely x

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  13. I'm not a hat wearer unfortunately, I always end up looking rather less than cool, however hard I try! I do wish I could crack this one, although I think part of the problem is that I tend to have my hair up, in the summer due to the heat (can't be doing with a sweaty neck), and the rest of the year due to work!
    You can do hats though, and I am ever do slightly jealous ☺
    Danish Pastry

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    1. That should read "ever so slightly"!!!
      Danish Pastry

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    2. There are lots I can't do though...!!

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  14. Another large headed/big haired hat wearer! Been buying from the men's department for years, but just recently scored a sale one from Zara like you - not exactly the same style, but a wide-brimmed fedora. Nice sturdy construction, not wild about the pink ribbon on it but going to swap it out for something more me! It was such a bargain I couldn't leave it behind though!

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    1. Oh I think the pink ribbon sounds lovely! Mine was £5.99!!!

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