How to Jazz Up Your Winter Headgear

by Valerie Gladstone — January 11, 2008

A hat is an extension of your hair, and it has the power to alter the way you feel about yourself. But choosing one that's substantial enough to keep you warm yet unique enough to stand out can be a challenge:

• Embrace variety -- Move beyond what you wear every winter. Try newsboy caps that are oversize, which you can buy in the men's department. Or try a neat little leather one for a mod look. Fedoras are more dramatic, and you can pull the rim down so that the crown is very low or crease the felt to look gangster. Remember to choose a shade that matches your hair color; for instance, if you have black hair, a black fur hat for evening or a black fedora during the day.
• Flatter yourself -- The best and most universally becoming style is the stiff knit cap with a one-inch rim, which gives extra framing around the face. And the fact that it has a bill makes it kind of like a baseball cap, which everybody looks great in.
• Size it up -- To avoid "hat hair," get the right fit. All hats should be worn loosely. If you have bangs, an overly tight rim will flatten and distort them. If your face is round, a skull cap will just accentuate the roundness. A tight hat will make frizzy, big hair look clownish. If any style gives you sad eyes, then you know it's too tight. Still, you should shake your head a little bit to see if the hat stays on and make sure it won't fly away in wind.
• Make some adjustments -- Embellishments are an easy way to make your hat special. Attach brooches from a flea market to glamorize it, or roll up a scarf and tie it around the rim. Feathers could work too.