Boater hat

Not so long ago, the boater hat returned to fashion, she began to appear in fashion shows and street style photos, fashion bloggers also took this style into service. An excellent occasion to also pay attention to this model, making it part of your summer wardrobe.

Let's find out together what a boater is, how to choose it and what to wear with?

The boater hat appeared in the second half of the 19th century; it was worn for rowing to protect the head from the scorching sun. Hence the name (from the French. Canotier - "rower"). In Venice, gondoliers began to use it as a headdress; hats of this style can be seen on them today.

Then she was a part of the men's wardrobe for a long time, and only at the beginning of the twentieth century migrated to the women's. At first it was worn for cycling and horse riding, as the hat was very light and did not cover the view with wide fields.

She did not like the elaborate hats that the ladies of that time preferred. Therefore, one of the first hats she created was a laconic and strict felt boater. This model became the hallmark of not only Mademoiselle herself, but also of the annual collections of the Chanel house.

An authentic boater is a round straw headdress. Distinctive features - flat tulle, lack of beveled streamlined corners, which are found on most other models.

Fields are perpendicular, they are straight and narrow.There are also other models: with wider fields and even a small visor.

Mandatory presence of a ribbon decorating the tulle, traditionally, it should be dark blue.

Of course, today boater is found in various interpretations, it can be decorated with colored ribbons, bow, flowers, veil. Caps from other materials also appeared - felt, wool, textiles. Since this model has returned to fashion, designers have been offering us a huge selection for every taste.

For production, flat straw pigtails are used, which are stitched or intertwined. Most often, ordinary dried wheat is taken as the basis, but it can also be the stems of other plants: Florentine wheat, rice straws, toquilla (a plant growing in Ecuador) and other herbaceous plants.

In the manufacturing process, the product is treated with steam, making it softer, soaked in hot water, and then manually adjusted to the desired parameters. Such a long process is necessary in order to make the product as pleasant to wear as possible.

Due to the popularity of the straw boater, the designers decided to introduce the same felt model into fashion. It is suitable for socks in the offseason, when you need to protect your head from the wind, light cold and light rainfall.

There are two types of felt - soft and hard, but the boater, of course, is made of hard. You can not change the shape of such a hat, making dents on the top or tilting the field. Therefore, you need to choose a hat exactly in size so that it fits well and does not fly away from a gust of wind.

Fabric models retain their traditional stiffness and hold their shape well, therefore, they are not recommended to be subjected to harsh washing, because of which you may encounter difficulties in care. But there is no risk of damaging such a hat during transportation - the hat can be safely packed in a suitcase.

A boater will look great on tall, slender, especially thin girls with a triangular face. It will look good on the owners of the oval face, which go almost any hat.

For girls with a square or round face, this model is categorically not suitable! You need to avoid rigid form models with small margins - they are definitely not for you.

• The best are hats from Ecuadorian straws. The material requires a long preparation of dressing and weaving, as they are usually made manually. The cost of the finished headgear is high, but the quality is appropriate.
• Be sure to try on your chosen hat, make sure that pieces of straw do not stick out from the inside, which subsequently may cause discomfort in the sock.
• Pay attention to the presence of soft textile tape, which should be sewn from the inside over the entire diameter of the tulle. It is necessary so that the hat fits correctly on the head.
• Needless to say, the hat should be exactly the right size for you. This is especially important when choosing straw hats, as they are very light and the wind can blow them off your head.
• In care, the straw boater is not very demanding. Dry brushing with a soft brush will suffice. If it is very dirty and needs to be washed, do it quickly and in no case leave it in the water for a long time, otherwise it may become deformed.

The hat will look great with all kinds of sophisticated dresses and sundresses. It is desirable that they be light and airy, to match the hat itself. Give preference to pure, bright colors - white, blue, blue, red, pink, green, yellow.

Another great solution is denim and lightweight cotton T-shirts and blouses. It can be torn boyfriends, skinny skinny jeans, flared jeans, a skirt and even jumpsuit. As shoes, sandals or espadrilles are suitable for such an image.

Lightweight airy blouses will look great with lightweight cotton shorts or trousers, with a trapezoid miniskirt or a lush midi skirt to the knee. For shoes, choose sandals with a small heel.

It can consist of a vest, lightweight wide trousers, sandals or pumps without a heel, and a small cute hat. Complement your look with themed accessories: jewelry in the form of anchors or a chiffon scarf with a marine print.

A business image is not a reason to abandon the headgear. In this case, you can recall how the boater was worn by men, and create a masculine look: a three-piece pantsuit, white shirt and tie. From shoes fit loafers or oxfords.

Do not forget about exquisite jewelry. Depending on the image you choose, these can be elegant vintage clips and medallions. Thin chains, many rings on the fingers and small earrings-rings in the ears are also suitable. Such a set of jewelry will be appropriate in combination with jeans or trousers.

It is not surprising to put on such a hat with a coat that is decorated with a fur collar, just like Merlin Monroe did. Wear it over a chiffon dress, complementing your look with heeled ankle boots.

• Great summer look for every day. Short denim shorts, an elongated blue cotton shirt, beige suede sandals, a pale blue handbag and a wide-breasted boater. Comfortable and stylish!

• This image is suitable for a walk around the city and a romantic date. A short white dress with green stripes, made in the style of minimalism. A small blue handbag on a long strap and a hat - nothing more.

• Going to a wedding for a friend? A boater hat decorated with flowers on top of a tulle will be a great addition to a festive look. The base will be a blue sheath dress, lemon pumps and a small beige clutch.