Always Listen to your Mother

Remember, as a child, when your Mom told you that you would catch a cold if you didn't wear your hat during cold weather? Turns out she was right (of course).

Most of your body heat escapes from your head. Therefore, wearing a winter hat is a very effective way to stay warm. And, stay with me, staying warm conserves your body's resources which can be used to fight off a wintertime cold.

Just another reason why hats have been such an important part of human existence. And just another reason to thank your Mother this Thanksgiving.

Top Hats and Fedoras – Presidential Inauguration or Pop Culture Awards Show?

While the debate continues whether or not gentlemen's hats have disappeared from the political spectrum for good, pop culture icons like British comedian Russell Brand and singer Ne-Yo showed us traditional men's hats are not lost forever.

The long awaited 2009 MTV Video Music Awards aired a few weeks ago, and not to anyone's surprise there were as many unexpected outbursts and actions this year as in years past. Thank you, Kanye West, for rushing the stage during Taylor Swift's acceptance speech for Best Female Video. We now have more to talk about than your collection of white sunglasses.

But what I look forward to every year with the MTV VMA's is all of the new styles. No other awards show truly welcomes the originality of each artist's fashion sense. From classy evening gowns to over-the-top lace body suits that cover your face (Lady Gaga wins the award for most outrageous!) we're always in for a treat.

Hosting the awards for the second year in a row, Russell Brand did not disappoint with his edgy British style. Dressed with ultra-skinny pants, he adorned his attire with a top hat! Brand offered a new spin on this traditionally old men's hat to give pop culture a look at how we can take something from the past and turn it into a piece that works with fashion today.

Then of course, all eyes turned to Ne-Yo as a performer and presenter this year. Known for his trendy headwear, Ne-Yo stood true to his style in a variety of fedora hats. Almost always topping his look with black hats, he looks stylish and sexy with the traditional men's hat turned into a trendy compliment for all his clothes. Now, if the fedora could make all men look as good as Ne-Yo, that would be perfect!

After an exciting evening of performances and awards, we have seen some interesting changes from some artists and classics that work so well they need not be changed. Whether you want the edgy style of Russell Brand or sultry style of Ne-Yo, be sure to top it off with a hat!

-Katie
Hats in the Belfry

Hats Off to 2010 Headwear Hall of Fame Inductees

Three showbiz icons and three modern day performers were chosen as the newest inductees into The Headwear Association's Headwear Hall of Fame.

Whether singing, acting, dancing or serving as a goodwill ambassador, this year's inductees literally wear many hats including stylish ones in their off-screen lives.

The 2010 Headwear Hall of Fame inductees include:

• Humphrey Bogart
• Audrey Hepburn
• Jennifer Lopez
• Sarah Jessica Parker
• Brad Pitt
• Frank Sinatra

Annually, The Headwear Association recognizes the positive influence of famous hat wearers by choosing six people to be inducted into the Headwear Hall of Fame. These inductees comprise current day hat wearers as well as early influencers that have had a positive impact on the evolution of hat wearing and headwear fashion.

Winners will be formally inducted into the Headwear Hall of Fame during The Headwear Association's annual gala dinner on Thursday, March 18, 2010 at the Central Park Boathouse in New York City.

A Few Good Hat Movies

I have recently seen 3 very good movies featuring hats: The Sting, Funny face and Grey Gardens. While the first 2 are the classics and the 3rd is a bit of an acquired taste, all 3 feature many stylish, unique and inspiring hats.

Funny Face

The Headwear Association Reveals Hat Person of the Year 2009

Brad Pitt can add one more award to his mantle. He has been crowned the winner of The Headwear Association’s Hat Person of the Year, an annual event for the 101-year-old organization.

With 37 percent of the vote, Brad Pitt beat out Justin Timberlake (18%), Sarah Jessica Parker (17%), Samuel L. Jackson (11%), Jessica Simpson (9%) and Nicole Kidman (7%) to win this illustrious award.

“We created this award to honor well-known people that wear a hat in their everyday life,” said David Goldman, president of The Headwear Association. “This year, we tip our hat to Brad Pitt, who wears many hats on and off the screen and recently has been spotted globe-trotting in ivy caps and stingy-brim fedoras.

The results were based on a global poll on The Headwear Association’s website during the month of August where people could cast a vote for their favorite hat wearing celeb.

For more information about The Headwear Association, please contact Susan Weiss, SWPR at 312-222-1337 or email susan@swpr.biz.

THE HEADWEAR ASSOCIATION REVEALS STYLISH AND AFFFORDABLE HAT TRENDS FOR FALL/WINTER SEASON

Retro hats prevail as stingy-brim fedoras and cloche make a comeback

Need something to spruce up you fall and winter wardrobe during this gloomy economy? Hats are the most practical accessory to refresh your style and update your look without breaking the bank.

Placing a hat as the centerpiece of your wardrobe allows a cost-effective way to modernize your attire; to get noticed, and to transform a rather ordinary look to one that is memorable.

“As consumers continue to worry about the economy, men and women are looking for something special to give them a lift. A hat can be that unique piece, injecting color, texture or a new style,” said David Goldman, president of The Headwear Association.

While hats used to be a sign of conformity – it now viewed as a sign of individuality. Some of the current hot trends include the stingy brim hat, fedora and the cloche hat.

For the fall and winter season there has been a revival of the stingy-brim fedora, which is a brim of 1½ inches wide. This style offers a cool-factor; a laid back, and smart look. Fabrics range from wool flannel, to traditional herringbone, plaids, and wool felt.

Fedoras in all styles continue to top the hat trend with winter fabrics like wool and tweed. Between Johnny Depp donning a fedora in the recent movie “Public Enemies” and Don Draper (actor Jon Hamm) sporting one in AMC's dramatic series “Mad Men” – it has been a widely popular year for this type of hat.

A fedora has been around for more than a century and it was the signature hat style of movie legends like Humphrey Bogart as well as gangsters, private eyes and newspaper reporters. A fedora can totally transform your look and is compatible with suits to jeans. It comes in every color imaginable – with black, grey, tan and brown as the most popular.

When wearing a fedora, it is important to have the correct size, so that it doesn’t fall down over your ears or leave a red mark on your forehead when it’s removed. A fedora looks best angled slightly to one side and titled forward so the brim rests right above the eyebrows.

Even though a fedora is seemingly menswear-inspired, it can still have a feminine touch by adding a hat band, beads, flowers or feathers. Some hats can be trimmed to fit women’s smaller frames by making the brims shorter – which can look more flattering.

Cloche hats, a fitted, bell-shaped hat made popular during the 1920s, are a great way to add sophistication to women’s fall and winter outfits. This versatile hat is worn during the day or night and should be worn pulled down over the head falling right above the eyes. Recently, the cloche has been seen on actress Leighton Meester on the TV show “Gossip Girl” and on Angelina Jolie in the movie, “The Changeling.”

For more information about The Headwear Association: contact Susan Weiss, SWPR 312-222-1337 or susan@swpr.biz.

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WSJ article

My Saturday morning got off to a great start - sunshine, workout at gym, good breakfast and the Wall Street Journal article on headwear!!
"The Latest Hat Craze....Thin brims, straw trilbies and the ins-and-outs of wearing one" captures some of the new styles and looks currently being offered by many manufacturers and retailers in the THA.

Hope that you enjoyed your Saturday as well.

THNX
David Goldman
President
THA