By Jennifer Ennis

Hats and headwear are a part of daily life for most Irish women, yet with our ever changing weather it is hard to know what to go for as the seasons change.

As usual on WhatSheWears.ie, I turned to both the catwalk and cool celebrity style makers for today’s inspiration and so here are my top five choices to decorate your crowning glory with this spring….

1) Beanie

While we wait for the weather to warm up, a classic beanie hat is a good option for staying cosy. Kiera Knightly and Gwyneth Paltrow are self confessed beanie girls but the one who really stole the show is Kate Beckinsale (pictured top right) who was spotted in New York last month in a snug black number. Copy her style with a super snug knitted beanie from Stradivarius (€12.95), Jervis shopping centre and Dundrum Town Centre.

2) Headband

Bottega Veneta’s creative director Tomas Maier sent almost every one of his models down the Spring/Summer 2010 runway sporting a white headband (pictured bottom right), while actress January Jones received high praise for her choice of a black one to the Golden Globe Awards this month.

In short, headbands are big news this season. Topshop have a great selection including a crochet one, available in black or cream for £12/€15. You can experiment with colour and style to vary your everyday look while a classic headband makes an excellent choice to compliment a party outfit.

3) Beret

Embrace the Parisian look this spring with a timeless beret. This hat is a style that suits all hair lengths – Mary Kate Olsen and T4’s newest fashionista Jameela Jamil are regularly spotted wearing theirs.

Brighten up your look and complexion with a white one a la Ralph Lauren (pictured bottom left). New Look do a great version named the Angora beret for £7/€10 and it also comes in grey.

4) Bow Hat

Cheryl Cole caused a stir when she wore a large black bow in her hair during The X Factor and the fashion world certainly noticed. Bows are everywhere right now, so why not add a girlie, feminine twist with a hat with bow detail?

River Island has a few woolly ones, but my favourite of them all is a Ted Baker Grosgrain one from fashion website ASOS.com – it is a gorgeous warm pink colour and currently on offer from €27 down from €48.  ASOS also have a number of bow headbands and hair clips.

5) Trilby

Victoria Beckham looked amazing when she touched down in Heathrow airport this month – and that was largely due to her eye-catching trilby hat.

Trilby hats can give a smart, stylish take to most outfits and are available in a wide variety of styles and shades this spring.

Reiss have a good selection including a studded one for £49/€58. This choice is ideal for the fashionista who wants to stand out from the crowd!

So whether you wear hats for warmth or adornment, with today’s Top 5 picks, all that’s left to do is hold your head high as you sail into this season in style.

Image credits: Style.com

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A couple of seasons ago the Prada turban was the must-have accessory for the Hollywood elite.
The turban saw a new found revival this week as worn by Kate Moss to the Met Gala in New York.  She can pull off almost any look donning a Stephen Jones turban with an asymmetric dress by Marc Jacobs, although we can’t say that the head gear is very flattering.

The turban is not an accessory you can wear to many events so luckily there are more glamorous head-adornments in the shops. We’ve spotted bejeweled, embellished, and ornamented headbands on the heads of a few movers and shakers lately. Here are just three:

Embellished headband

We can see why Victoria Beckham (left) is a huge fan of Alice Bands – they are great for a bad hair day, are easy to wear AND they are stylish. Posh has been seen wearing this black embellished Dolce and Gabbana headband (€405) in Dubai and Milan.  You can reach for a bejewelled head band that won’t break the bank from Johnny Loves Rosie for €45.  This label does the most imaginative headbands, hairclips and hair accessories  – they cost a bit more than high street shops but it’s worth having a look and paying a bit more for that wedding or races you have coming up – just to get the extra compliment.

Double-strapped elastic band

On other occasions Victoria has worn a simple, black, double-strapped elastic band shown here on the far right (it’s barely visible against her dark hair). H&M sell these bands in a selection of colours. How do I know this? I’ve bought them over the years in lots of colours, green and grey being my favourite.

Accessorize also sell sparkly and metallic (silver and gold) versions and sometimes triple strapped headbands which, personally, I found too tight on my head. The double-strapped elastic band is a great way to funk up your overall look if you can’t be bothered with wearing other accessories.

House of Harlow 1960 Headpiece

For a more boho or Grecian look, Nicole Richie wears a headband from her House of Harlow 1960 collection.  Nicole claims that the head pieces are her favourites from the jewellery collection she designs herself (her daughter is also called Harlow).  The collection is inspired by the ’60s and ’70s and seems to suit those girls with long, flowly, unkempt hair. 

The collection has finally become available this side of the USA, from My-Wardrobe.com. The House of Harlow Three strand diamond headband (pictured), costs £189, €210, buy it here.