What are the rules for matching hat to attire?

[k2clones29]

Hi all, this is my first post. I've been wearing fedoras since last fall. I picked up a few wool ones for the winter and also got some panamas for the summer. I have one off-white, which I know I can't wear until after Memorial Day, so I got a light brown one as well.

Now that spring is here, I'm gearing up towards switching to the panamas. My only option is the light brown hat for the time being. The issue I am having is that the hat does not match all of my suits, ties, and shirts. The good thing is I have shoes and belts that match it, but I'm worried that it may clash with many of my clothes (particularly with black and charcoal).

Are there rules with matching a hat to other attire? What are the general guidelines that I should follow?

 

[Yeps]

If you are worried about wearing an off white hat before memorial day, you should leave off the straws until then. Panamas are traditionally summer hats.


EDIT: However, if it is warm enough to dictate straw hats, I say go for it, and don't worry about the color.

 

[Feraud]

Are there rules with matching a hat to other attire? What are the general guidelines that I should follow?

Your hat doesn't have to match your outfit but compliment it.

 

[scottyrocks]

Right.

And, there are no hard and fast 'rules.' If you like the way a combo looks, then it's right for you.

 

[Gin&Tonics]

You can find a basic primer on colour theory here:

http://www.colormatters.com/color-and-design/basic-color-theory

Colour coordination is really largely a matter of science rather than art, and there are certain "rules" behind it, as the article illustrates. That is not to say that the "rules" can never be broken, but as some esteemed members of the FL have observed, one must first understand the rules before one may break them successfully.

Matt Deckard has some very astute comments with accompanying photos regarding this subject on his blog: www.deckardsguide.blogspot.com
Neutrals such as gray and black are, in my opinion, a good place to start, as they can go with almost anything and look good. A gray fedora goes just as well with a blue suit as it does with a black suit (perhaps not brown) and even a gray suit provided they're not too close in shade to one another.

The "Putting it All Together" thread in the suit forum is also an excellent resource.

Best of luck!

 

[k2clones29]

If you are worried about wearing an off white hat before memorial day, you should leave off the straws until then. Panamas are traditionally summer hats.


EDIT: However, if it is warm enough to dictate straw hats, I say go for it, and don't worry about the color.

It's 78 degrees in Syracuse, New York right now. Last year, we didn't hit 70 degrees until mid-June. I'm not putting the wool ones in the attic just yet, but I'm definitely not wearing them in weather like this!

 

[Mystic]

If you are worried about wearing an off white hat before memorial day, you should leave off the straws until then. Panamas are traditionally summer hats.


EDIT: However, if it is warm enough to dictate straw hats, I say go for it, and don't worry about the color.

I think Al Gore adressed this white hat before Memorial Day issue in his little known film......The Inconvenient Hat Truth

 

[TipTop]

I don't see any mention of human coloration here, and will add that I grew up believing (and observing) that as men grayed with age, their hats too became lighter in color (women's fur coat colorations, too). You don't have to look any further than the old Cav ads to see those silver temples under dove gray hats. I also recall my father's hats getting paler as the years went on.

And since the Deckard blog was mentioned above, I'll say that I am a bit out of it as a NE old prep perhaps, but don't fancy the "winter white" look with heavy overcoats etc. Maybe I've seen too many westerns or Open Roads, but I still associate those pale colors with spectator shoes and warmer climes.

 

[Seth Hawkins]

I wear whatever material and color makes me happy with little regard to the season. This applies to not only my hats, but my entire wardrobe.

If you have found your personal style, and are secure enough with who you are to wear it, then I say do what makes you happy. As the others have said, the hat doesn't necessarily have to match your clothes, just compliment them. The right shade of gray hat can look good with the right shade of blue suit. Sometimes a little contrast looks good, too. But you have to have the self-confidence to pull it off.

 

[zetwal]

If you have found your personal style, and are secure enough with who you are to wear it, then I say do what makes you happy.

+1 (and welcome to the Lounge) ... :yo:

 

[alanfgag]

You might be successful in getting your hats to compliment your clothes, but I would be careful in public. Folks tend to get uncomfortable around talking hats.

... and another welcome to you, neighbor!

 

[tonyb]

I was waiting for someone to pipe up about that, Alan. People get "complement" and "compliment" mixed up almost as often as they use "effect" when their English teachers and/or editors would much rather they use "affect," or vice versa.