Do people still wear hats at weddings?

[Jurassicparka]

Do people still wear hats at weddings? I’m attending an in-law’s wedding soon and fancy wearing a hat, but don’t want to look silly. I’m 43. Have my eye on one of those ones with a headband.

Thank you for all your input! I’ve found a beautiful headband. I’m wearing gold jewellery/shoes and it’s gold/cream flowers on the headband - so not trying to match but hopefully coordinate. I’ve also got a backup dress so I’ll see what it goes best with.

Nope. Not that blue fascinator. Its a bit old fashioned

I wore a large fascinator (probably similar size to the one you posted) to a wedding for the first time recently as it was a midday outdoor wedding with zero shade and I wanted the sun off my head a little. I wouldn’t bother normally and rarely see people wearing them other than mothers of the bride. Avoid anything with feathers, they are naff.

Personally, I think a fancy hair decoration is better, I’m thinking along the lines of a small fascinator or fancy hair slide/clip IYSWIM. The problem with hats is you end up with hat hair for the rest of the day when you take it off for the meal. Easier to remove a small fascinator or fancy hair slide/slide for the evening if you wanted to.

Love that

@Fiftyandnotsonifty ? Have you ever bought a modern hat? You don’t have to
have one that fits right over your head. Very many are attached to headbands and are saucers. I think the OP’s original one is like that but it’s too small and has no impact. The modern hats are light and easy to wear. Others will have an elastic band to hide with hair. These can be the smaller tear drop style ones. All these hats maintain a hairdo and hats are best worn with long hair pulled back.

I wear hats everyday so I definitely would to a wedding!

The only time I’ve ever worn a hat at a wedding was in Wales. Everyone there wore one.

If you can’t wear a hat to a wedding then when can you wear one? Go for it!

The last couple that I've attended, it's been a mix of no headwear or a fascinator - no hats.

I love wearing hats. (Granny was a milliner, which might have had an impact too). I’ve quite a few and am always on the look out for a special one. To me they just seem to finish an outfit off - but frankly I’ll grab any excuse to dress up these days as we seem to have so few opportunities!

Just one word of warning though - rain can ruin a hat. I was at a garden party once - very formal due to some of the VIP guests - and it poured - there wasn’t enough shelter and the stiffener (starch?) was dripping out of what were some very expensive hats. So take an umbrella if the weather looks dodgy.

Having said that, the last wedding I went to was very informal, so it wasn’t appropriate to wear a hat. I just wore a hair band I poshed up with some silk flowers etc. I guess it’s whatever the bride’s style is. For example I’m off to what on paper should be a very informal register office wedding soon, with the reception at a local pub. However after chatting to the bride and her mum, the bride’s mum has bought a fantastic dress that screams wedding party (I’ve seen it!) and bought a huge hat to go with it. So it’s all systems go to go full hat mode! I’ve sorted my outfit (from EBay, a Country Casuals dress in silk). I’ve also just picked up a great hat in a charity shop that’s a perfect match, for £4! Complete with hat box too! Can’t wait.

So I guess the answer is it all depends on the wedding vibe, and on what suits you.

The last few weddings we’ve been too have been almost hat free zones. We saw only 2 at the last one and they were on oldish women.

I actually hate fascinators more than hats, but they seem to have died out too.

I love wearing a hat to a wedding.

I wore a gorgeous fascinator in 2022, I was the only one in my friendship group (early 40s) recent weddings I’ve found people don’t wear them.

I had a nosy at the "society" wedding in the local village church the other weekend which was very swish - absolutely amazing flowers inside and outside the church, all the men in morning suits, lovely vintage Alfa Romeo - and there were only two hats, both of which were on very elderly women. Couple of headbands, "family" ie. owns a swathe of Yorkshire tiara on the bride, everyone else bare-headed.

I love the second one.

OP @Jurassicparka aren’t you going to post a pic of your headband?

Depends on the wedding surely?

The last 3 I've been to you would have looked silly in a hat (all were abroad, one in the desert, one on a beach and one on a clifftop overlooking the sea) all were smart just not hat territory.

I hate fascinators (unless it's a hatinator), either wear a hat or don't.

your age is irrelevant

i love wearing a fascinators and have made them and there are lots in charity shops

most people dont bother these days but you do you

hats tend to squish your hair do
but headbands less so and you can keep them onall day if comfy

@pimplebum Many hats these days are on thin headbands. Or an Alice band by another name. Few people wear a hat that pulls right down now but if you do, a sleek hairstyle is a must. Then your hair is already flat! Fascinators are in charity shops because they aren’t worn by the original owner any more, and there’s a reason for that. Too
many looked like floppy sad feathers. There are now far better designs that make a statement but are not a huge brim hat. You only wear a big hat at Ascot these days but there are lots of very good hats on bands that look stylish for the right wedding.

I love wearing a hat at a wedding. But feel I can only do so if MOTB is also wearing one. So I normally check beforehand. Just checked my wedding photos and the majority of the women are wearing them - both mothers, 8 aunts plus family friends etc.

Yes, I worked at a wedding last week (Couple 29 & 30) 150 guests and ALL of the women wore hats, hatinators or fascinators.

There are lots of good suggestions on here but these are glorious.

I think large, deep crown, wide brimmed hats that cast a shadow on the face have gone a bit out of fashion but some form of headwear is still lovely and really lifts an outfit, imo.

Hope you had a lovely time. Dress is fab.

Wore one for the first time to my son’s wedding. I rather liked it. Go for it!

A good hat looks great. Sorry-hats on headbands just don't.
And I've never seen a fascinator look good/stylish on anyone. They cheapen every outfit they are paired with, no matter how much it cost.
Good hats are fine at formal weddings. Fascinators are not.
And fascinators are not a good look at casual weddings either.
As you can probably tell, I loathe fascinators!!!

It’s not a hat, it’s a fascinator. If it suits you and you want to wear it, do so. You can always take it off if you think it looks out of place.