By Sola Onitiri

May I be blunt? That's a rhetorical question because technically this is a one sided conversation - Although when I write these pieces I always imagine we're two brunch cocktails in and I'm convincing you to be extra. So, allow me to be blunt and say, if you're not rocking hats (yup hats as in plural) you are severely F-ing up. And if you're one of those, "Hat's don't look good on me people" booooy do I have some news for you. Turns out that you (yes you!) are indeed a hat person. You just haven't unlocked your inner bad-ass-fashion-hat-wearing-diva. So let's tip our hats to 2017's biggest hat trends (see what I did there) and how we can get you into one or five today. 

The Baker Boy hat

Ok full disclosure, this hat is semi triggering for me. Allow me to explain. When I was in middle school, I was so determined to be a little fashion plate. With my nose in every fashion magazine readily available, I took it upon myself to dress like the models in the editorials and at the time baker hats were VERY in. So imagine - I'm way too tall for my age, a little chubby, ZERO eyebrow game, with a pair of classic UGGs, a thin copper scarf and a khaki (yeah you read that right, khaki) baker boy hat to match. Are you shuddering yet? Because I am. Luckily, this was pre-social media and all of those pictures have been eradicated from the face of the planet - but let me tell you what you probably have already deduced; the struggle was evident and real. 

So you can imagine my surprise, at this past NYFW, when all of the modelesque show goers were rocking none other than the baker boy hat of my youth (albeit $200 plus dollars more because mine was from Claire's at the Freehold Raceway Mall in NJ). I was shocked, I was baffled, I was floored, but then I came around. There actually is something really chic and wearable about this hat. Not quite as casual as a baseball hat, and not as splashy as the wide brim, the baker boy hat gives you this classy New Englander equestrian look without the tweed and riding boots.

This hat is best suited with a few looks and a few hairstyles. Turtlenecks, collared shirts, dresses, and lastly blazers. If you typically don't like rocking a middle part OR if you have short bangs, I would probably pass on this hat. But you won't know unless you try it. So buy one on the cheap on Amazon (This one's under $20) and try it out. 

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The Dad Hat 

Oh, the trend that launched a thousand baddie Instagram accounts. Forget the sports snapback and hip-hop flat brim of yore - the dad hat is what all the cool kids are wearing. This style hat, which technically made its big splash last year, comes in so many shapes, sizes, colors, fabrics, and logos. The curved brim and unconstructed crown allows you to give off a chill, minimalistic, norm-core vibe without even mentioning that you really haven't been up to anything lately. Its worth mentioning that this hat is the perfect juxtaposition to an outfit or makeup look that's already loud and proud.  

Say you're wearing your newest rose gold metallic knee length coat. Now, that's already one hell of a look. But, after reading our piece on being extra, you decide to go one step further and really lay on the highlighter (because who doesn't freaking love a good highlighter) and a bold lip. You look incredible, but then you realize that you're only going to that one local spot where everyone's going to be wearing there team's jersey. So do you change clothes? HELL NO. You put on your dad hat and keep moving because why not look your best literally all the time. You see the baseball hat acts as a buffer. It gives the illusion of casual even when you're doing the most.  

So if you're looking for a hat that projects the chill vibe of a father of three vacationing or cutting the lawn on a brisk Saturday morning, but still want to put on a completely beat face - this hat is for you. Also, literally everyone alive looks good in one of these hats. Seriously, everyone - no matter the hair length or outfit. 

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The Beret

The ultimate cool girl has a new best friend in the beret. For those of you who need a little refresher a beret is a soft, round, flat crowned hat made of wool or cotton. The Beret has lived many a different life - you have the contemplative french existentialist beret, the revolutionary symbol (as donned by Che Guevara) beret, the Beatnik bongo playing beret, and the colorful crocheted Rastafarian beret. So, all that being said, you have a lot to pull from inspiration wise so the sky is the limit. 

Here's the thing though. You need a lot of confidence to pull off a beret. I mean oodles and oodles of it. Because without confidence berets can make you feel a little costume-y. And that's understandable given the fact that to many people our age, berets are those hats with a stem that mimes wear. And although I see mimes as fashion-inspo, not everyone does. Or, if you're really looking for a #TBT, beret reminds me of that one episode of Lizzie McGuire where she is running for class president and she has to hang out with the foreign exchange kids who drink coffee and wear all black with berets. But I digress...

If you feel that your wardrobe is starting to wilt into a wall flower, what you might be missing is a beret. Now color is very important when picking a beret. For starters, don't start with black. Shocker I know, but seriously, give black a rest if you want to avoid mime realness. So go for colors like navy blue, forrest green, or camel. This gives your outfits a lot of wiggle room in terms of both colors and color blocking. Wear your beret with a classic red lip, or your favorite no-make-up make up look. 

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The Beanie 

Sometimes function is all your need for a hat to be fashionable. Take, the beanie for example. This hat goes back for decades because it's a working mans hat. Kick back because it's time for a quick history lesson. The beanie, or the seamed/skullcap hat, is a brimless knitted cap. In the 30s and 40s, the beanie was the original american apparel worn by welders, mechanics, and other blue collar workers who didn't want their hair in their faces while they worked. Not to mention, it was also super warm for miners and farmers. 

Now flash forward to the present. Even if you're not working in mines or welding, you still need a hat that's going to keep you warm and make you look...well let's say rustic. Just like the dad hat, the beanie has that same "Gotdamn do you see this lean, I'm so casual" vibe. However there are a few beanies you should avoid and the list is below.  

First--and this should go without saying--Make America Great Again beanies or any variation of that red abomination of a problematic fashion statement. Enough is enough, seriously. Next up, hot pink or animal print beanies. NGL, all beanies are not made equal. And by that I mean some beanies are just plain tacky. And the tacky 

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You see, there are so many different hats you ought to be wearing. Are you a hat person or a newly reformed hat person? Comment below or let us know. 

PSST...Keep reading!

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