How to Choose a Flattering Mother of the Bride Hat

Everyone knows that the mother of the bride needs a good hat, but finding the right one to suit your face shape can be tricky.

Luckily, renowned London milliner Rosie Olivia has some brilliant tips for finding the perfect hat to add that all important finishing touch to any mother of the bride’s wedding day look.

Image – Slawa Walczak Photography

Why Does the Mother of the Bride Need a Hat?

A hat finishes off an outfit, but it doesn’t necessarily have to be an exact colour match. A complementary but similar colour can be just as chic and adds a twist of contemporary styling to your look, especially if it corresponds with your accessories.

READ MORE: The Most Stylish Mother of the Bride Dresses

What Makes the Perfect Wedding Hat?

The perfect hat is comfortable and secure – you’re an important member of the wedding party and will be moving around a lot to greet people, so it’s crucial your chosen headpiece stays in place.

I love to encourage my mother of the bride clients to wear their hair back when wearing my hat designs – it works to enhance the elegance of the wearer by exposing the neck which looks sleek and glamorous.

READ MORE: How to Make Your Own Wedding Hat

What Should Mothers of the Bride Consider?

It is a good idea to consider the shape of your face when you are looking for a hat. Different hat styles suit different people and with a variety of shapes it is important to select the right one. Large brim hats suit taller ladies, whilst smaller hats and pill box hats suit round faces. For ladies with a fringe, it is best to cover the hair line so the fringe does not get squashed.

READ MORE: Mother of the Bride Make-Up Advice

Wedding Hats for Square or Long Shaped Faces

I would recommend a hat in the Ballarat style for someone with a full, square face and a stronger jawline. The tilt of the hat and the wide brim will flatter the face and balance the face shape. This shape of hat will also flatter a long face shape as the full and lower brim counteracts the longness of the face.

Wedding Hats for Triangular Shaped Faces

The Foxton hat works brilliantly on more triangular shaped faces as it’s designed to be worn straight on the head which helps to draw attention away from a large or wide forehead and accentuates high cheekbones.

READ MORE: How to Choose Your Wedding Hair Accessories

Wedding Hats for Heart Shaped Faces

The Kalang style looks fab on a heart shaped face. This face shape suits many hat designs but this one in particular looks great as it’s of a medium width and not too large, with a fun pop of colour that will add interest without taking too much attention from your face. 

Wedding Hats for Oval Shaped Faces

If you have an oval shaped face you should count yourself lucky as most styles will suit you! This fabulous Roxas hat is one of my favourites – the best thing about this is that it is a neutral colour that will match with many different outfits.

READ MORE: How to Manage Parents Paying for the Wedding

Wedding Hats for Round Shaped Faces

A round face shape is beautifully flattered by asymmetrical shapes such as the Tokyo. The height that the intricate details on these designs add will also help further enhance your face shape.

Rosie’s Wedding Hat Advice

Once you have found your perfect hat experiment with its position. Not all hats belong in the centre of our heads, some look best further forward or angled above the eyebrow. For a stylish look, I recommend placing hats at an angle to match the angle of your jaw line.

(The Carvalho Hat)

And above all look after your hat before and after the wedding! A special hat can last a lifetime and come in useful for many an event. So, invest in a hat box to ensure your hat stays in good condition by protecting it in tissue paper, with plenty of room around any detailing in a hat box.

For more style ideas, be sure to check out our range of mother of the bride designers for the most gorgeous dresses, accessories and inspiration!