2021-2022 Style Obsession Guide:: Winter Hats Favorited By Austin Moms

Winter Hats Favorited By Austin Moms | Keeping up with notable fashion trends has completely missed me for the better part of the last 7 years. This strange new world we live in has only intensified my dwindling interest in today’s fashion and mentally I have slapped back anything and everything that doesn’t fit the narrative. I find it easier these days to just recycle what I already own in my closet.

As typical as this mindset may be for someone like me, a woman who sits comfortably in the age group of 35-44, there has been a sharp rise in people disregarding the trends pushed on us by fashion magazines and runways since the 19th century.

With the convenience of smartphones in the hands of over 7 billion of people and the popularity of social media, namely Instagram and TikTok, fashion trends are now developed from the bottom up, starting with us and largely the tech savvy teenagers of Gen Z. 

Fashion houses that have noticed the power of social media have made a strong comeback. However, new style cycles are blink-of-an-eye short thanks to the fiercely competitive social media subculture trends.

It’s not unheard of for an individual to own a closet that includes chic and tailored, bohemian and cultured, sporty and athletic, and so on. It’s also not uncommon for someone to wear all these styles in the same week.

So much is considered in the evolution of trends these days like sustainability, functionality, practicality, accessibility, and culture and heritage. The good news is that if you’re working with just a few ounces of fashion sensibility then more than likely you ARE in style! There’s really no way you can go wrong. Well, mostly.

For the most favorited winter hats worn by the girl-next-door I collected the opinions of a few Austin Moms contributors that juggle busy schedules, but still look good doing it.

Winter Church Hat

A stylish winter hat that should be worn more often, in my opinion, is the church hat, which doesn’t necessarily have to worn exclusively to the house of the Lord. Overall, I usually don’t wear a hat, but when I do I think it should make a statement.

I’m pretty sure my appreciation for bolder fashion is borrowed from my mom, who undeniably channeled her taste for style from my grandmother. My granny used to say, “If you don’t look good, don’t come around me.” A joke we know all too well, but suggests the standards of her generation – a lady should always be presentable.

On an afternoon stroll with mom, who is wearing a chocolate cloche hat, we decided to take a stroll in the south Austin neighborhood, Castlewood, which is widely known for its lovely mid-century modern homes. We noticed that some of the streets were lined with old cars from the 1970’s including a classic taxi and police car. It felt as if we were transported back in time. Apparently, we were walking by the set of the upcoming HBO American crime drama miniseries, Love & Death.

Baseball Cap

Aw, the baseball cap. For many people, this look is a very familiar go-to. After a long day of work most moms only have a moment to step in front of the mirror before heading out the door to work their next job as soccer mom. Stephanie Howard, who is a happily married mother of two kids also enjoys owning her own business as a Newborn & Maternity Photographer at Stephanie Anne Studios. Busy days of juggling business and family is normal and baseball caps work best for her.

My closet is all about versatility. I love staple pieces that coordinate with an array of clothing options. Since my normal “uniform” is athletic wear, baseball caps fit that first, then I can dress it up for a casual night out with a blank T and jewelry or a cute vest.

Beanie

As popular as the beanie is today it wasn’t always this way in the beginning. The origin of the beanie was in the United States, but was worn mostly by college students and then later blue collar workers, who wore beanies out of necessity to keep hair out of their face and still allow for visibility.

These days many would agree that there are few winter hats more comfortable and convenient than the beanie and for that Austin Moms writer, Kamisha York, is a fanatic. The lightweight stretchy knit material works well for casual and dressy attire. Kamisha, a married mother to 3 children and a Food Advocate of her business, @peytonsallergyshieldofhope, explains.

I love to wear a beanie!! I think I’m obsessed with wearing beanie’s because they are so versatile!! I can pop a beanie on anytime of the year no matter where I’m  going. I can dress a beanie up, or I can wear it very casually!  Some days I don’t feel like putting much effort into doing my hair, but I can style a beanie on those days.  There’s days when I put curls into my hair, but will pop a beanie on and jazz up my outfit for the day.

Cloche

The cloche is the perfect example of art mimicking lifestyle. In the 1600’s, the French word cloche described a bell-shaped glass or bottomless glass jug that was used to protect small plants and seedlings from frost. This European practice was a small green-house planting method that was effective, but expensive due to the cost of purchasing many bell-shaped jugs for gardening and their fragile nature.

Later in 1908, a French designer created the cloche, a bell-shaped hat, which was easy to design, but had a simple sophistication that today is still considered an iconic accessory of 1920s fashion. Austin Moms writer, Malu Talan, shares her enthusiasm.

I love the the cloche style hat because it is simple yet elegant. It brings back a chic and flirty look that I have always admired from silver screen starlets. We are big classic film fans in my family. The style just never gets old. It makes me feel so classy!

Fedora

Did you know that the fedora was originally considered a woman’s hat? Women used to wear it during political campaigns and to demonstrate their fashionable independence. It wasn’t until 1924 when Prince Edward of Britain wore the fedora the popularity grew among men.

Today this hat is favorited both men and women due to its classic and effortless style. Certainly, a lifesaver for a busy woman like Austin Moms writer, Patrice Hernandez, who is a married military veteran that enjoys her kids and the family business. Somehow she has found time to juggle other interests and launches her website soon.

I love Fedoras! They are such a versatile statement piece. Pair them with leggings, denim, or dress it up. There options are endless!

 

One of the biggest perks about the fedora is that it’s not obscurely large with a brim that’s not too wide making it ideal for transport or walking in a crowd. The hat’s practical style also makes it perfect for the chills of winter as well as on a hot summer day in Austin. Keita Brock, who is a blogger, devoted wife of a military veteran, and a mother of three children can attest to this.

I love wearing hats because it adds an extra umph to my outfit! Not only that, but it also gives me confidence in knowing that I can switch up my style by adding a different type of hat. It has become a fun hobby to collect!

Subculture Winter Hat: Turban & Headwraps

So many of you may be wondering how the headwrap or turban could be a valid contender for a winter hat. Well, like the beanie, we have widely accepted that hats can be flexible enough to fold and don’t have to have a brim. Similar to hats, headdresses also rest on our head and can be made of varying materials to protect our head from the element or just simply be worn as a fashion statement.

The practicality of doubling the usefulness of either a scarf or bandana typically worn around your neck as a headdress makes this subculture trend an extremely accessible and adaptable style for most people.

 

We want to hear from you in the comments below. What hat style is your obsession?