In weather like this, a good sunhat becomes less of an accessory and more of a necessity. The best ones do more than shield your face; they bring an elegant ease to summer dressing that no amount of SPF can provide.
My own search for a replacement began when my favourite fedora — handmade and much loved — finally lost its shape.
Having recently rediscovered Monsoon's talent for summer dresses, I took a closer look at its sister brand Accessorize and was impressed by the chic and quality of its hats. Thankfully, theirs are not trend-led pieces destined to be forgotten about after one holiday, but chic hats designed for multiple warm-weather settings. And the edit here will work with everything from cotton summer dresses, to swimsuits or tailored shorts and a T-shirt.
I chose the Bead Trim Fedora for myself, drawn to its shape and the subtle crystal detailing tucked beneath the brim, and that it is made from raffia rather than polyester.
Arriving flat-packed, it looked unremarkable at first, but once shaped, it came into its own. The wired brim allows it to be moulded to suit your face, giving it a chic, lived-in quality usually only found in pieces you've owned for years.
What impresses me most, though, is the balance of quality and price. Their paper and raffia hats sit between £28 and £35. And I don't need to tell you that in hot weather, natural fibres are worth every penny: lighter, cooler and considerably more comfortable to wear then sweaty plastic hats.
Accessorize's hat collection is broad, so I've edited it down to the five best, including their Riviera-worthy bucket hat, elegant fedora and subtly beaded medium brimmed styles that work for day whether you are in the city or by the beach.
The very best and most useful accessories are rarely the most attention-seeking. They're usually the ones that quietly become part of your life. These hats are very much like that, and worth every penny.
Affordable, chic, and made from natural fibres?
I'm still looking for the catch.
