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Bareheaded? Why we stopped wearing hats and why fashion might be ready to crown them again

 


It’s the one accessory that can do it all: the hat. For some, it functions as an almost royal status symbol and a timeless marker of elegance. The fashion-bold use it as a striking statement piece. Others value it as a practical companion—protection from wind and weather, bad hair days, and a lack of hairstyling inspiration. And yet, when it comes to headwear, things remain surprisingly minimalist around here—if not downright bareheaded. So where have all the hats gone? 

There was a time when no one would have dreamed of stepping outside without a hat. Headwear was a matter of decorum, as noted in Debrett’s Etiquette for Girls, the authority on modern manners. Granted, these are British voices speaking—but not without reason. The UK boasts a flourishing millinery guild, Royal Ascot remains an annual catwalk of elaborate headpieces, and royal dress codes still require women to wear hats at official daytime events until 6 p.m. Even Google confirms the imbalance: a search for “hat etiquette” in English yields roughly 43 million results in under half a second. The German equivalent barely scrapes 146,000. And it’s not just online. On this side of the Channel—especially in German-speaking countries—the hat has largely vanished from the streetscape, despite fashion deities, style icons, and self-appointed fashion popes celebrating its comeback for years.

An Anti-Hat Agenda?

The automobile, of all things, is often blamed for the hatless reality of the late 20th and 21st centuries. Fashion YouTuber and outspoken hat enthusiast Mina Le argues in her video essay In Defense of Wearing a Hat in a Hatless World that the decline began in the 1960s, coinciding with the rise of cars. Quite simply, there wasn’t enough room inside vehicles for both head and headwear.

My own Bamberg-based milliner says that modern hatlessness is also a result of increasingly relaxed dress codes, where comfort reigns supreme. Fashion has to be comfortable. Sneakers, jeans, sweatshirts, windbreakers, and padded jackets now dominate everyday style. Anything else—quiet luxury and preppy trends notwithstanding—is often dismissed as conservative or stuffy. As a result, today’s hat wearers need one thing above all else: confidence. A beautiful, handmade hat always stands out simply because people aren’t used to seeing hats anymore. The British arbiters of etiquette agree. According to Debrett’s: “Today, hats are more a question of originality. Anyone well-hatted will draw attention—whether they want to or not.”

The Myth of the ‘Hat Face’

So how do you find a hat that turns heads for the right reasons? For my milliner, the answer is clear: Every hat should flatter the person wearing it. That means it must suit their head and face shape perfectly. If it doesn’t—if it slips, pinches, disrupts the look, or feels unflattering—it fuels the persistent myth of the so-called “hat face.”

That’s why buying a hat is less about chasing the most beautiful runway piece, Bella Hadid’s beanie, or the latest It-Girl baseball cap. If a shape or color doesn’t suit you, don’t follow that trend. Ater all, countless styles can enhance a wearer both aesthetically and stylistically. From Harrison Ford’s fedora in Indiana Jones and Charlie Chaplin’s bowler to Josephine Baker’s cloche, Jacqueline Kennedy’s pillbox, and Fay Dunaway’s beret in Bonnie and Clyde—the range of iconic hat shapes is virtually endless.

In summer, classic white Panama hats or simple wheat-straw styles with a wide brim and dark grosgrain ribbon are a dream. In colder months, shapes become smaller and fit closer to the head. Felt or boiled-wool hats sit securely despite hoods and oversized collars, won’t slip into the wearer’s field of vision, and offer better protection against wind and weather. In this regard, the milliner notes, little has changed over the years.

Craftsmanship at Its Finest

Another aspect of headwear that has been passed down through generations of milliners is craftsmanship—skills like the nearly invisible stitching of a grosgrain band or the delicate edging along a brim. Beyond its individuality, what truly distinguishes a quality hat from mass-produced alternatives is the fact that it is assembled by hand over many hours, using carefully selected materials.

At my milliner's workshop, everything begins with a plaster or wooden mold, most of which we make ourselves. The straw or felt is shaped over it—ironed or pulled into form. Depending on the weather, the raw piece then needs about two days to dry before the brim can be finished. Only after that do we add the inner band, decorations, and finally sew the crown and brim together. A simple design may take three to four hours; more elaborate pieces featuring ribbons, feathers, flowers, or other decorative elements can take up to a week. But in the end, the result is a hat as unique as the head it crowns.

Hat Etiquette: What to Look for When Buying a Hat

  • Fit is everything
    A well-fitting hat is essential for both comfort and appearance.

  • Style with intention
    A hat should suit the occasion, your personal style, and your face shape. As a rule of thumb, it should be slightly wider than your cheekbones.

  • Less is more
    Especially when it comes to decoration. The only exception? Royal Ascot—where feathers may be half a meter long and bows unapologetically oversized.

  • Handmade beats mass-produced
    Quality craftsmanship and materials determine both durability and appearance.

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