How To Style Fuzzy Hats For Winter

Since she became a mum earlier this year, it's been a rare thing to see an Instagram post from Rihanna. Yet this week the singer-cum-businesswoman shared a teaser video for Fenty’s new fragrance (caption: "smell me"). Before you even see her face, the camera pans to her big, fluffy, eff-off hat that obscures the frame. This isn't the first time the star has worn one of British milliner and fuzzy hat trailblazer Emma Brewin's designs. RiRi was sworn into the candy-coloured faux fur hat gang long ago (like circa 2016), with the likes of Bella Hadid, Dua Lipa and Miley Cyrus following in her fuzzy topper footsteps. And considering that every one of Brewin's hats is handmade and hand-brushed, who can blame them?

Falling in line with the maximalist aesthetics popularised by Y2K styling and TikTok trends, Brewin’s cosy-looking hats have influenced others, from the looks-like-an-animal-on-your-head vibe that Brewin has mastered to subtler, faux fur versions that could definitely pass as classic bucket hats. Now, as the temperature starts to drop, big fuzzy hats are back and likely to stay until spring arrives.

But if you’re not a billionaire singer/entrepreneur or an influencer with confidence fuelled by thousands of followers, is the season’s most obnoxious trend one that normal people like us can pull off? How exactly does one leave the house in a hat like this without feeling like a Russian Cossack or as if you're cosplaying as Gossamer from Looney Tunes? To find out, we gave it a go for the first few cool days of autumn.

By far the most extreme version of the trend, this one can be the hardest to style as it is downright wild. Styling this topper from ASOS, I went for a dark colour palette with a cross-body bag in the same rich shade of blue as the hat. The more minimal the outfit, the better (if you’re wary of being too ostentatious, that is). If attention is your forte, however, try a maxi dress with a wide skirt or a colourful co-ord to complete the look.

It might feel more natural to wear faux fur as a coat, or maybe even a scarf, but the faux fur bucket hat is worth a try this season. For those less inclined to wear bright, colour-block headwear, a brown, cream or black furry hat is your gateway to feeling like an A-list celeb on your next night out. I matched the brown tones in this Jakke hat with my brown trench coat and an all-black, casual 'fit. You could also try styling it with a mini dress and tights, or a cosy (non-furry) jumper with wide-leg jeans.

One for the Y2K girlies, the teddy bucket is the hat equivalent of moon boots or Crocs: kind of ugly but kind of cute in an unironic way. This Juicy Couture hat (also very pre-millennium) is a great addition to a wardrobe that consists of graphic tees and big silhouettes. That said, I styled it here with a contrastingly elegant leather dress for equal parts edgy and trendy. Style it down with a matching sweatsuit or a big bomber jacket and tee.