In an ever-evolving landscape of fashion, certain accessories stand the test of time while continually reinventing themselves. Among these enduring pieces, hats are experiencing a notable revival, offering both function and high fashion statement potential. In a recent conversation with stylist, writer, and consultant Jalil Johnson of Consider Yourself Cultured explored what the endurance of hat styling means for contemporary fashion trend navigation.
“I think in general, accessories offer the punctuation to an outfit,” Johnson explains. “A hat offers that—it may be instead of a period, it adds an exclamation point or a question mark, but it’s a punctuation to the look.”
Johnson, who counts the women of his North Carolina upbringing among his style inspirations––themselves arbiters of headwear trendsetting and stylistic boldness across contexts––notes that while fashion cycles through trends, certain aesthetics maintain a timeless presence. “I think we’re also living in a time where there’s so many different aesthetics that make sense,” he says, comparing hat trends to other enduring styles like leopard print or Western wear, which never truly disappear but rather evolve through different iterations.
A New Headwear Landscape
The current headwear revival spans from practical staples to bold statement pieces. The oversized, slouchy beanie continues to dominate fall and winter wardrobes, with Johnson favoring timeless silhouettes like the bucket hat and the cloche for their styling versatility and comfortability.
High fashion houses are elevating headwear beyond functional practicality. Issey Miyake’s architectural approaches to hats showcase the potential for sculptural innovation, while Valentino’s elegant fedoras provide the perfect canvas for formal occasions like the Met Gala. Tolu Coker’s Spring/Summer 2025 collection also offered a new take on headwear.
Among the most notable trends is the renewed appreciation for the vintage-inspired cloche hat, championed by Miu Miu, offering a contemporary take on 1920s glamour. Meanwhile, Fendi and milliner Gigi Burris continue to push boundaries with their distinctive hat designs.
Bucket Hats: The Classic That Keeps Reinventing Itself
Despite the emergence of more dramatic silhouettes, the bucket hat maintains its stronghold on casual fashion. It has withstood decades worth of trend cycles, proving itself as a most adaptable accessory. In addition to being effortlessly wearable, with a shape that doesn’t overwhelm but still makes an impact, it’s a practical pick for a rainy day. As Johnson expounds, its strength is in its versatility.
“The bucket hat is such a versatile style that looks great on most people,” Jalil says. “It doesn’t read as too extreme, yet it offers opportunities to go really wild with fabrication. You can find everything from loose-knit versions like those from Loro Piana to practical flannel options that become winter staples.
That range is exactly why it remains a staple. It works across seasons, moods, and personal styles, adapting without losing its identity.
Compare that to a pork pie hat, which comes with an unavoidable sense of theater. “I think the bucket hat offers a lot of opportunities for people. It’s not too extreme, unlike, let’s say, a pork pie hat [which] fewer people may be brave enough to gravitate to out of the gate,” Johnson adds. The pork pie requires a level of commitment—it’s a reference to something. The bucket hat, on the other hand, is a blank slate.That’s why designers return to it again and again. Prada’s nylon version re-submitted it into the contemporary luxury conversation. Marine Serre’s crescent moon print made it futuristic. Whether it’s showing up in streetwear, high fashion, or just as a grab-and-go solution for a bad hair day, the bucket hat keeps proving its staying power. It’s functional, adaptable, and always just cool enough.
Emerging Silhouettes
Beyond these established styles, Johnson identifies several distinctive hat silhouettes gaining momentum:
The trapper hat has evolved from purely practical winter wear to a fashion statement, while Davy Crockett-inspired designs offer a maximalist approach to cold-weather accessories, particularly in ski culture.
Turban-inspired headwear, influenced by Alessandro Michele’s work, continues to appear in collections, though Johnson notes the importance of navigating this trend with cultural sensitivity. “There’s always a fine line between fashion inspiration and cultural appropriation,” he cautions, advocating for mindful styling of these pieces.
For Johnson, hats represent an opportunity to complete a look while playing with historical references. “For me, I pull references from a lot of different places, and I just put them all together,” he explains. “Yesterday I wore a hat to a luncheon—I went for a ‘ladies who lunch’ look, but it quickly turned from 60s to very 80s with the colors. I was very particular about the hat because I wanted something that would pull the look up.”
This approach to styling reflects Johnson’s thoughtful consideration of silhouette. “It was all about extending myself and making myself look very linear,” he shares, emphasizing how the right hat can transform not just an outfit but one’s entire presence.
As designers and milliners continue to innovate, Johnson predicts we’ll see even more creative expressions through headwear. The current fashion climate, which embraces multiple aesthetic perspectives simultaneously, provides fertile ground for hat experimentation.
“There is this disconnect sometimes between what fashion wants to push and advocate for, versus what the consumer is actually going to buy into,” Johnson observes. This tension creates space for designers who can bridge artistic vision with wearability—a balance exemplified by Ira Ackerman’s debut for Tom Ford, which Johnson praises as “really sophisticated, really smart, and really poetic.”
In a world where fashion increasingly serves as a personal expression rather than rigid trend adherence, hats offer a powerful tool for individual style statements. Whether through a classic beanie, an avant-garde designer piece, or a vintage-inspired cloche, today’s headwear revival invites everyone to find their perfect punctuation mark.
