My friends Mr. Blue and Mr. Blond are going to Paris and London this September. I don't hate them for this (she said through gritted teeth) because they are two of my most beloved friends and of course it makes me happy when people I love go to my favorite places on Earth (even without me).
Recently, Mr. Blue sent me a note about the trip:
"I'm wondering if I'll need a hat, since we'll be walking around a great deal and, well, Mother Nature no longer covers up my scalp the way she used to. Will sunburn be a factor in September? And if so, can you recommend a certain style of hat for me?"
Well, good heavens, I told Mr. Blue, when don't I recommend a hat??
September in Paris could be summery and could be autumn-y, but I think they're more likely to have warmer weather. (Those with a better knowledge of Paris, please feel free to correct/amplify on this. I've been there in August, and I've been there in October, so I'm extrapolating.) Of course, they will be much further north than they are at home in Dallas, so the sunshine won't be anywhere like as intense, but it's never a bad idea to protect the scalp. I would suggest a trilby. A trilby is always sharp, covers the ol' headbone, is not as affected as a fedora. I think for these purposes something made of fabric -- it's really a little late in the year for straw (summery) and too early for felt. (And god forbid you should ever, EVER even contemplate a leather fedora. Just put a knife in my heart & be done with it.) Knowing Mr. Blue's wardrobe & coloring, I suggested blue or gray.
I love a trilby because it takes a guy's wardrobe up a teeny notch -- with a nice hat on your head, you feel a little less inclined to wear dirty sneakers and cargo shorts, but it's not so snazzy you can't wear a pair of jeans.
Hats are funny. People can be very resistant to them, but once they start wearing them, usually I find their response is, "Oh, of course, why haven't I always been doing this?" Many people think they will feel self-conscious wearing a hat, but I find that while I do sometimes get attention for wearing one, it is without fail positive attention. And in Paris or London? Pshaw. Seriously, you could die from how chic the Parisian men are. And Londoners? Nothing phases Londoners, fashion-wise.
So, yeah, absolutely. Hat it up, baby!! Here are some ideas:
Metallic Gold Mesh Trilby Crushable
(This isn't for Mr. Blue, of course, this is for ME! How fantastic is this?? I am SO buying this hat!)
Linen Cotton Ribbon Band Trilby
(This one is also a bit femme-y for a man, probably. But all of these hats would look great on a woman.)
And how did all this hat talk turn out? Well, see for yourself.
M. Blue dans son nouveau chapeau.
This is deeply satisfying. Because the only thing Style Spy likes more than telling people what to wear is having them listen to her and actually wear it!
6 comments:
oooh, excellent work, style spy! He looks great.
Great hats! A trilby will both protect you from the sun and keep your head warm, whatever the weather.
That worked out well. Good choice!
I love those hats. I just got one from Gap (Albertus Swinepoel), and it's my first hat purchase in God knows how long. Maybe I'll have the chutzpah to wear it out around town...then again, most likely I'll just wear it to the park.
I love the whole hat thing for men...in fact I love the whole hat thing for women. I hope that this becomes and enduring style because hats + suncreen = good skin
Worst sun burn I ever got was...on a sunny February day. So, the sun is the sun..is the sun..is the sun..
Hats are a good idea 365 days of the year, period. Another choice if one finds the trilby a little too casual is what is termed in the trade as a 'stingy brim' - that's a fedora with a smaller brim width. My father(who was 5'8" on his best days) always wore his hats with that width of brim because he said regular fedoras overwhelmed him.
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