When it comes to wearing a hat, sometimes just throwing one on doesn’t do the trick. Sometimes hats are meant to be worn at angles, or lower on the forehead, or showing a bit of fringe in front. Angles can make all the difference in how a hat looks, and how you wear it (and not having the hat wear YOU).

Here are some simple rules when it comes to putting on that eye-catching accessory:
DO wear a brim to frame your face. The taller you are, the wider your brim can be. Brims can sometimes hide a multitude of sins and take your outfit from simple to spectacular!
DON’T do “matchy matchy”. Matching the same leather cap to your leather jacket and trousers is not a good look. If a hat is made from a heavy material like leather or fur, the best thing to do is let the hat do the talking and tone down the rest of your outfit.
DO choose a classic cap with a pattern, even if you think it’s a traditional “men’s cap”. Depending on your style and face shape, sometimes caps can look fantastic on a woman. Caps are best when they have a lovely tweed or houndstooth pattern. No need to go for crazy colors or patterns if it feels too loud for you.
DO show a bit of fringe under a knit hat. Chunky knit hats aren’t made for stuffing in every strand of your hair. Leave a bit of fringe on your forehead and pull the knit cap back from your face a tiny bit. And berets are the best when you don’t pull them tight over your face. Loosen them up and pull them back a bit on your head.
DON’T use a hat to save a bad outfit. A hat is supposed to complement, or even enhance your look, not rescue it. If your look is sloppy, a great hat will completely throw it off kilter (and end up making the hat look worse in the process!).
DO use a hat to dress up denim. A great way to dress up your jeans is to add a tweed cap or casual fedora. It dresses up (but still makes it unstuffy) a casual, country look.
DON’T reach for a baseball cap. It can be trendy sometimes, yes, but most of the times a baseball cap (or a trucker cap) will throw your look slightly off-kilter and take the style points down a bit.
DO play up the masculine/feminine look. Just because you throw on a fedora or trilby, doesn’t mean that you need to tone down the sexiness of your look. A well-made fedora, for example, will still look great with lashings of red lipstick and hair pulled back.
DON’’T try exaggerated, oversized shapes. If you’re new to hat-wearing, it’s best to choose a hat that’s more of a classic, rather than something that looks like an art piece or really too big for your comfort levels.