Journal

How to build a hat wardrobe: the pieces that cover every occasion

Four pieces cover almost every occasion a year will ask of you: a summer straw, a felt hat for the cold months, a headband for evening and one statement piece. Here is what each one does, what it c...

Choosing a hat colour that photographs well at races and weddings

Mid tones with texture hold their shape in photographs, while very pale hats blow out under sun and very dark ones lose their sculpting. A practical guide to hat colour for races and weddings, cove...

Why formal headwear is being worn again, from inside the workroom

A London milliner's view on the return of formal headwear: the occasion calendar that makes a good hat worth the money, the dress codes that still apply, and what separates a hand-blocked piece fro...

How to choose a men's hat for your face, height and build

A practical fitting guide for men buying a hat: how to measure head circumference properly, what the centimetre figure means, and how brim width, crown height and the way a hat sits should answer t...

What men actually wear to Royal Ascot, enclosure by enclosure

A plain guide to the men's Royal Ascot dress code, enclosure by enclosure: morning dress and the top hat requirement in the Royal Enclosure, suits in Queen Anne and Village, hiring versus buying, a...

Occasion hat trends for 2027: colours, shapes and materials to know

Our forecast for occasion millinery in 2027: the botanical colours, sculptural shapes and natural materials worth knowing, with how to wear each one at Ascot, weddings and beyond.

The pillbox hat: history, the Jackie Kennedy moment and how to wear one

A milliner's guide to the pillbox hat. Its military origins, the Jackie Kennedy moment that made it famous, where to position it, who it suits and how to wear one to a wedding or Royal Ascot today.

How a couture hat is made by hand

An inside look at the London atelier, from blocking and wiring to hand sewing and trimming, and why every stage is worked by hand.

How to choose a hat for your face shape and your height

A milliner's guide to reading your face shape and your height, then matching brim, crown and proportion so a hat looks made for you.

Fascinator, cocktail hat, headpiece or hat: the difference and when to wear each

A London milliner explains how a fascinator, cocktail hat, headpiece and hat differ, when to wear each, and the Royal Ascot 10cm rule that decides your choice.