The 2024 social season is on the horizon, which means whether you have weddings or Royal Ascot coming up, you may be on the hunt for a haute new headpiece.
Though finding the perfect outfit for such events sometimes feels like an arduous task, it's actually the easy bit if a hat or fascinator is part of your desired ensemble (or essential, if in the Royal Enclosure).
Finding the perfect headwear can be a daunting task, particularly if you don't know where to start. But Jane Taylor - a millinery expert and founder of her eponymous brand tells Hello! Fashion: "There are simple ways to navigate the millinery. You must think about the occasion, because a hat for a wedding is very different from a hat for the races when you can have more fun with the design."
Jane's designs have adorned the heads of the globe's most illustrious names, from Beyoncé to the Princess of Wales, so we trust she knows a thing or two about finding the perfect fascinator.
© GettyWhether you're looking for a design to suit your face shape, pick out a piece that is on trend for 2024, or styling advice, Jane gave us a guide to everything you need to know about fascinator fashion in 2024.
Jane Taylor's expert's guide to choosing a fascinator:
Which fascinators suit different face shapes?
If you’ve got a long face, you don’t want to extend your features by having a deep crown so choose a hat that’s asymmetrical and cuts across your face. If you’ve got a round face, go for an angular hat and if you’ve got angular features then go for flowers and veiling to soften the look. Asymmetrical shapes and brims suit everyone and are very flattering along with rounded cocktail hats.
© Victoria Adamson"Asymmetrical shapes and brims suit everyone. They're very flattering, along with rounded cocktail hats"
How do I find one that will suit my style?
It can be daunting to choose a hat but there are simple ways to navigate the millinery. You must think about the occasion because a hat for a wedding is very different from a hat for the races when you can have more fun with the design.
Think about the proportion of your silhouette. If you’re wearing a 1950s dress with a big flared skirt then you want a brim that’s quite wide, whereas with a tailored suit a neat cocktail hat is better. If you’re tall you need something substantial otherwise it may get lost.
Are there any trends to look out for in 2024?
Big brims are back such as boaters and shallow crown large brimmed hats, along with lots of feathers - especially ostrich and long cockerel feathers. Veiling and tulle are also having a comeback.
In terms of colours, a mixture of soft pastels and neutrals with bold splashes of colour are set to take over 2024. Hot highlights of red, pink and orange with metallics will be one of the main trends we will see.
© Victoria AdamsonShould a fascinator colour and outfit colour be the same?
Not necessarily. If the outfit is tonal and predominantly cream, white or black, then the fascinator chosen could be any colour. Often when an outfit is multiple colours, we would then look to match the hat to one colour in particular from the dress.
We advise our clients to bring in their chosen outfit when they visit our atelier in London, so that we can perfectly match a hat to their clothes. Equally, we often receive swatches from the dress designer which the team are then able to very precisely colour match, in order to create a bespoke piece that is the exact same colour as the outfit.
Which side of the head should a fascinator be worn?
This depends on the design and how the designer intended it to be worn. We recommend you look at images of the headpiece on a model in order to ensure you’re correctly wearing the fascinator. There will often be an elastic band which is intended to run around the base of the back of the head and should be covered fully by your hair, and there is occasionally a small comb attached to the headpiece which is there to provide extra support and avoid the headpiece coming loose.
Do you have any advice for somebody wearing a fascinator for the first time?
Don’t wear your hat plum on top of your head. A cocktail or small hat should sit just above your right eyebrow - it can be over the left brow but traditionally it’s the right. Lastly, enjoy it. I love seeing the effect of wearing a hat or headpiece on how a person feels.
