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Original poster

Wedding wear - hat or fascinator?

29 replies

PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 16:34

Going to a smart-but-trendy wedding soon and am in a headwear quandary.

My outfit is navy blue, accessorised with hot pink. I think a full-on hat will be too much and I think I should go for navy blue headwear, nothing OTT.

I have been trying to find a pillbox hat a la Posh at the Royal Wedding or Kate at a recent wedding, but no luck. I've been scouring the eBay sellers too, to no avail.

Any ideas ladies, please?

OP posts:
MrsLettuce · 09/05/2012 16:50

Hat! Without a doubt.

I'll keep an eye out for one.

BunnyLebowski · 09/05/2012 16:52

Definitely not a fascinator. Especially given the 'trendy element of the wedding.

Can you link to your outfit?

MrsLettuce · 09/05/2012 16:54

too fussy

RetiredDJ · 09/05/2012 16:55

Are you in London. I got a lovely pill-box style fascinator in John Lewis on Oxford Street for only £40

Original poster
PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 17:38

Thanks MrsL, that is on the right lines but I don't like the netting!

RetiredDJ I'm near London. Popping in to town might be an option. Thanks for the tip.

Don't want to link to dress as I will out myself!

OP posts:
Fulhamup · 09/05/2012 17:41

Hat. Fascinators v. old hat now! Try John Lewis/ Debenhams/ House of Fraser.

EdithWeston · 09/05/2012 17:43

Some fascinators would work - ie the more substantial ones that are like a little hat that is anchored by a headband. It's quite a different thing to a spray of feathers/ribbons.

I think any of the big London department stores would have a good selection. Or there's always Edwina Ibbotsen on Queenstown Road in Battersea if you have £££.

Original poster
PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 17:50

Thanks for setting me straight on fascinators, haven't been to a wedding for a couple of years. All I seem to find on t'internet is feathery fascinators!

If I can't find a hat, will look for something headband-y or a substantial sparkly clip. Does that sound ok?

Why do I never think of House of Fraser? I walked past one last week, could easily have looked in there.

OP posts:
Original poster
PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 17:52

Unless something better comes along tonight in this thread, I might order the one from MrsL's link anyway because it is by far the closest thing I've seen to what I want. Can always return it if it doesn't look right.

OP posts:
EdithWeston · 09/05/2012 18:00

What do you think of this from Debenhams? It calls itself a fascinator, but is more of a small hat.

Original poster
PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 18:02

Definitely a contender, Edith, thank you!

Why didn't I ask you lovely ladies earlier? Have been searching for weeks...

OP posts:
MrsLettuce · 09/05/2012 18:06

The netting should be very eaty to remove. TBH I hought I'd linked to this one

Good job I got it wrong Smile

SphericalRotundities · 09/05/2012 18:10

Hat for sure - fascinators have been done to death. Keep hunting - you'll find something...pop into every second hand shop you find - you might find a real treasure...

EdithWeston · 09/05/2012 18:15

Places like Selfridges and Harvey Nicks have next to no hats (or hatty fascinators) on their their websites - perhaps because they don't want to post them? If you end up in London, it's probably worth a browse in both shops.

Original poster
PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 18:20

A fortunate error, MrsL! I did see that one actually. Probably a little too much, yes, but still on the right lines. Prefer the accidental link though.

I thought net-a-porter would have something for sure, but no. I'm relieved that I at least have a fallback option now. I'm very determined not to look like a Mum-from-the-suburbs, even though I will likely be accessorising with a patch of baby DS's dribble on one shoulder, as normal.

OP posts:
MrsLettuce · 09/05/2012 18:28

too simple?
I know you said navy, but...

MadameChinLegs · 09/05/2012 19:01

WOW MrsL, that pink pillbox is perfect, I would say!

polyhymnia · 09/05/2012 19:15

Think pillboxes could look fab, though couldn't wear one myself. As long as you don't go for the 'classic' fascinator which I've always thought naff and now mercifully has had it's day .

tethersend · 09/05/2012 19:22

A friend of mine is a milliner- here

MrsLettuce · 09/05/2012 19:22

It looked pretty damned perfect to me, yup. Nothing mum-from-the-suburbs about it and that is always a bit of a risk with navy.

TerraNotSoFirma · 09/05/2012 19:55

Oh please pick the pink pillbox (Try saying that three times, fast)

MadameChinLegs · 09/05/2012 19:57

Oh please pick the pink pillbox Oh please pick the pink pillbox Oh please pick the pink pillbox

Grin easy peasy

Original poster
PoppyWearer · 09/05/2012 20:01

The only thing is that if I don't go with outfit 'a' for some reason, my back up choice is a lovely DVF navy-and-white wrap dress...

I do like the pink one though, it's not the right pink though (need magenta). Liked the other links too, come to that. Thank you all!

OP posts:
axure · 09/05/2012 20:06

Have you looked in TK Maxx, I recently got one which looks identical to the suggestion from Edith but in silver grey, the feathery bit is on a hair clip and slots into a tab on the hat, so could be taken off and worn on its own, it was only £15