How to Wear a Hat for Short Women

Want to make a big fashion splash with just one accessory? Wear a hat. Although at one time a woman simply wouldn't leave the house without her hat, it's been decades since a hat has been considered a must-have fashion accessory. And because so few women wear hats nowadays, it's unexpected and unusual, so the woman who chooses to make a fashion statement by wearing a hat will definitely be noticed. Sometimes short women are overlooked, simply because of their lack of height, but women who wear hats attract more attention, whether they're short or tall.

Here are some fashion tips for the petite woman who wants to wear a hat.

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Select a Hat No Wider Than the Shoulders

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In order to keep your petite frame and fashion accessories in proportion, it's a good idea for a petite woman not to go overboard with a hat that has a huge brim. Many beach hats and fashion hats have very wide brims, and it's OK for a petite woman to wear a hat with a wide brim as long as the brim doesn't extend beyond the shoulders.

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Wear a Hat at a Jaunty Angle

Young black woman in evening dress — Colin Hawkins/Getty Images

Wearing a hat at a jaunty angle can help the petite woman look a bit taller. Experiment with different ways to wear your hat so that you can add the illusion of more height along with maximum fashion interest.

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Coordinate Colors

Sarah Jessica Parker attends the gala premiere afterparty of Did You Hear About The Morgans? — Dave Hogan/Getty Images

Wearing a hat in a color hue that matches clothing can help a short woman look taller. A hat can be the topper to a monochromatic outfit, or it can match or be a shade darker or a bit lighter than clothing, especially the top or jacket.

Here petite actress Sarah Jessica Parker maximizes the fashion interest of her hat, both by wearing a hat in a coordinating color and by wearing the hat at a jaunty angle.

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Wear a Fedora With a Dress or Skirt

Nicole Richie at Rip Curl Grand Opening In Santa Monica — Giulio Marcocchi /Getty Images

Fedoras traditionally have been menswear, but today there are lots of cute fedoras made just for women. Still, the masculine association remains, so make the fedora more feminine by wearing it with a dress or skirt, rather than with pants.

Here petite Nicole Richie appears in a fedora that matches her black dress. She also has perched her hat at a jaunty angle for more fashion appeal.

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Wear Western Hats With Jeans or Casual Clothing

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Wear Western hats with either jeans or casual clothing. Wearing a Western hat with a bikini can be an unexpected and stylish fashion statement at the beach.

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Don a Beret for a Bohemian Style Statement

Madonna at 'Sin City' London Premiere — Fred Duval/FilmMagic/Getty Images

Berets have long been associated with the Bohemian lifestyle. Boho is huge in fashion, and there's nothing like a cute beret to bring out the quirky Boho spirit.

Here petite singer Madonna wears a fashionable black beret.

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Wear a Fascinator

Prince William and Kate Middleton visit Trearddur Bay RNLI Lifeboat Station — Samir Hussein / Contributor/Getty Images

Inspired by Princess Catherine, the former Kate Middleton, lots of women have taken to wearing chic little fascinators, which are great for short women because they're not massive, but more in proportion for the petite woman. A fascinator is an appropriate fashion accessory to wear to a wedding or out to dine.

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Avoid Wearing a Flat or Level Hat

Portrait of young girl holding skateboard. — Alexa Miller/Getty Images

Wearing either a flat hat or a hat that sits level on the head works against the petite woman because it only emphasizes her short stature. A better fashion strategy is to perch the hat at an angle so that asymmetry can enhance the illusion of height.

Here we can see what to avoid, a hat that sits perfectly level on the wearer's head.