Bringing Back the Bowler Hat (and a Modern Nordic Sweater) #iwillwearwhatilike

I don’t know what possessed me, but last week I wore my bowler hat for the first time in years.

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I knew I wanted a hat (potential for rain, hair not styled as I caught a crazy early o’clock train) and looked through my (somewhat vast) hat collection for the right one to go with this outfit. At first I put the bowler hat aside, as I always do… then stopped and thought about it.

Why NOT wear the bowler? I knew it wasn’t very “now” (you can’t get them at Asos, that’s always a good measure of what’s on trend), but that wasn’t a reason to reject it. So I decided that Operation Bring Back the Bowler would be my most important mission for 2020.

(Of course I’m not actually serious. Operation Sort Through All My Clothes and Get Them Organised is hard enough for me at the moment.)

 

Disclosure: This blog uses affiliate links (at no cost to you) and any items listed as* were gifted within the last 12 months. Full disclosure

 

SHOP THE LOOK:

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The last time I wore this hat was around seven years ago – and the last time it appeared on the blog was in October 2013 (scroll down to see the 5 Ways to Wear, with some very old outfits!). I must have been right to decide it needed bringing back (yes, I’m fully aware that I’m making it sound like I have Kardashian-style “influence”, as if #eyeroll), because on the train a lady told me she thought it looked fabulous, and that bowler hats need bringing back.

So there you have it – if a stranger on the train said Let’s bring back the bowler, who am I to argue with her…?!

The other star of the show is that ughhhhhhh-my-god-it’s-so-gorgeous Nordic sweater. (I got it in the sale at Warehouse, but there are only a few small sizes left so hurry if that’s you; another size is available here.)  Orange and olive green are colours I have all over my house, so of course it was totally coming home with me. Or just arriving in a box via a courier driver, I should say…

Paired with my coral coat (similar), the recently seen ‘Crocodile Rock’ platform boots and olive green trousers* (similar) and I was done.

Bold, warm, winter outfit? That mission was definitely accomplished.

 

Have you ever been a bowler hat wearer – and if so when did YOU last wear yours? Or what is your go-to hat style? Comment below!

 

P.S. Do add your outfits to this week’s link up – and if you’ve added a link to here or my button to your post you may be featured in my bi-monthly Women Who Wear What They Like post!

Bowler hat: Asos (very old, similar, 9 colours & lots of sizes available)
Sweater: Warehouse (on sale! Also one other size here)
Coat: La Redoute (similar)
Trousers: Next* (similar)
Boots: Asos (on sale!)
Bag: Next* (similar)
Sunglasses: Old (similar)

 

5 ways to wear a bowler hat…

Here are some of the other ways I’ve worn my bowler hat so you can see the different ways it can be styled:

Original posts: Top middle / Top right / Bottom middle / Bottom right

Pin for later!

 

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Thank you for joining the #iwillwearwhatilike link up!

This started as a campaign on Instagram in August 2015 where women over 30 wore everything on a journalist’s list of “inappropriate” items for 30+ women (including leopard print, short dresses and oversized sunglasses. Yes, really). It was so popular that I decided to carry it on weekly where women of all ages link up their fabulous style, never mind what anyone tells them not to wear!

The link up goes live every Tuesday at around 3pm UK time and will stay open for a week. Whilst the original article was of course aimed at the 30+, you can be ANY age to link up. The only prerequisite is that you’re wearing whatever you damn well like!

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