June is the big start to event season, more specifically pre-wedding-prep month- whether you like it or not you are bound to be bombarded with news on the perfect dresses, accessories, nail polish colours, make-up, sophisticated up-dos, natural-down-dos and most importantly hats. So why would we do anything different?

Last weekend finally got around to reading Sunday Times Style Magazine from the week before (yes it takes me a week to read a supplement) and to my delight I saw their two page spread on picking a hat and the etiquette that runs with it. Personally I decided that this summer was the summer I was going to bring the hat back into my wardrobe and find some friends for my poor battered and now slightly red-neck-looking Heidi Klein cow girl beach hat. A few decent hats should be the type of thing any girl should have in her wardrobe for events of all natures, most importantly the big W type of event.

One of the most valuable pieces of advice this article has to share was hat etiquette (e.g. a lady should never remove her hat indoors unless in the boudoir- thank you Mr. Fellowes). Last year as the first of my friends was sacrificed down the aisle I was faced with a serious case of hat etiquette or rather lack of. Whilst I succeeded in having the biggest hat there (it was either that or a fashion turban) my other friends managed to successfully greet people in their wide brims with an upturned face and a craned neck, I merely ended up smacking people with my off-sided oversized beauty. I thought this was a once off but then I remember the handmade white ostrich feather side fascinator I wore to my brother’s wedding a few years previously, the feathers were so long I was perpetually tickling the person sitting in the pews behind me if we didn’t synchronise our standing and sitting. I am obviously a repeat offender.

Note to self, research hat etiquette before any event and read Style magazine with more religious fervour. TS

Milliners we recommend:

• Jane Taylor Millinery (great for weddings, ascot etc.) http://www.janetaylormillinery.com/
• Christy’s Hats (a little androgyny never hurt anyone) http://www.christys-hats.com/default.asp
• Whistles has some great casual looks www.whistles.co.uk
• A visit to Fenwick’s on Bond Street will always steer your right

Ladies who rock  a hat:

• Alice Bamford
• Jenny Jones (how does her hair still look so good in a beanie!?)
• The Queen