Sunday: Object of Desire

Oh hi, chapeau.

Oversize leather hat with stitch detail by ASOS Premium

Top It Off

'Known by the sobriquet of the Artful Dodger.'

The top hat has made a return to men's fashion, and this is being in part attributed to the immense popularity of Downton Abbey.  I love a man in a good hat, and I am also enjoying this current vogue for proper English Edwardian dandies. Men and boys: channel your inner Artful Dodger (that lovable rogue!) and cut a dapper dash as you go about town this winter.

You Can Leave Your Hat On

My favourite all time accessory is without question the hat. The options are unlimited and with this trend, literally anything goes. You can go grungy in a slouchy knitted beanie (the bigger and chunkier the better); edgy in a trilby; top off a preppy look with a felt cloche; or channel Charlie's Angels glamour in a floppy wide brimmed 1970s hat.

A hat has the ability to turn an outfit into an unforgettable look. I like to think that if an outfit is the image, then the hat provides the frame. A woman in a hat is instantly rendered more mysterious purely because the hat provides a buffer between her and the outside world. It is a talking point, certainly, but it does not invite questions and conversation from strangers. A hat stands alone, to be admired from afar.