Hat or dress

[Anxiodogo]

Dh has very generously offered to buy me either a posh hat or dress for ascot. We are likely tongo to royal enclosure every year although this is my first time. He want to go to Philip Treacy today.
It wouldnt be an every year purchase, he thinks I'll be able to wear the same hat for the next 15 years and just change up the dress.
Does this seem a good idea? He very generous but I'm not sure if it wise.
Maybe a dress for 1/5 of the price, then I'd have to hire a hat which for a nice quality would be £100 or so....
Please advise on this lovely birthday dilemma!!

If it's one or the other I'd go with the dress. I'd say it's far easier to change up a dress with a different hat & shoes etc. than to wear the same hat every time. Plus you could wear the dress to other occasions where a hat might not be needed.

Dress. You don't want to wear the same hat every time you have a hat occasion.

Thank you. I should add, I have dresses already but no hat.
My weight fluctuates (due to mental health not dieting) and I go from size 8 to a 'rounder' 10 every few years. So a dress bought now may not fit next year!
A chanel handbag also never gets too small.... but the ship has sailed on chanel pricing I don't think I'll ever afford one of them now.

Oh, get the hat! There’s so many beautiful ones on Phillip Treacy’s website.
Going to the actual shop would be so lovely!
Having a fantastic hat that you can wear different outfits with is great idea.

I know Philip Treacy's brother. Had to drop that in "by association" lol.

I'd get a P T hat for sure, of course I would! If I could afford one that is.

Do you have a nice dress you would wear? I own one posh hat and I’ve worn it to every hat occasion for the last 10 years (not that I go to many occasions). So maybe that hat if you own a dress already. If not the dress seems important for feeling good.

I'd look for a local milliner (not a hat hire shop, an actual milliner) and then hire from them each year. The lady I go to is incredible and having a custom hat from her was a fabulous process, but she is very good for hire and so helpful in picking the right hat for me and my outfit

Oh, and I'd probably hire a dress these days, theres so much choice in hire