This Summer Accessory Was on Every Runway and Makes Everyone Look Elevated

There has been a lot of talk as of late about elegant hats. During the most recent fashion month, on the runway at Emilia Wickstead and Altuzarra, models wore little pillbox hats. They were very dainty and fanciful, albeit not entirely practical. But their appeal lies in the fact that they're evocative of a simpler time, when people went out for lunch but didn’t post about it. They're retro and cutesy! I want one, but I just don’t think we’re going to be seeing them play out on the streets in a big way for some time. Instead, I think we’re looking at the absolute opposite happening: I think we’re in for a large hat renaissance.

Everyone in fashion remembers where they were when Jacquemus sent its giant sunhat down the runway at its spring 2018 show. I remember seeing it and realizing I had been thinking about hats incorrectly my entire life. Up until that point, I’d only ever worn a hat to keep my ears warm, but hats are so much more fun when they’re frivolous. Plus, an extra-large sunhat protects from sun damage. So it’s still practical! The extra largeness might actually make it more so, since it covers more surface area. (Right?!)

In the years since, large sun hats have been quietly popping up elsewhere. They were notably on nearly every model at Chanel’s fall/winter show last year. I interviewed a handful of guests after the show, and nearly every single one told me the hat was what they most wanted to wear after seeing the runway.

This past season, big sun hats appeared at Valentino, Louis Vuitton, and Prada. And in an informal survey of my fashion friends after fashion month wrapped, the desire was high for a funky, oversize designer hat for the summer vacations ahead.

And then there was The White Lotus and the viral custom pink Jacquemus outfit Chloe wears at the infamous boat party. The entire internet—including me—wanted the outfit. Of course, it was also topped off with a large sunhat. It wasn’t as oversize as the iconic Jacquemus one from 2017, but it still felt flippant in a way that’s so fun.

So when you're looking to invest in must-have pieces for summer, just go big or go home. And if you're not quite ready for the oversize sunhat, you can always start small and work your way up.

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