Dear ESB,
I've been going back and forth on whether I should wear a hat at my wedding in September, and now is the time to decide. On the one hand, wide-brim hats make me feel instantly glamorous. On the other hand, I don't want to look like I'm emulating Fergie's daughters (or the royal wedding in any way).
In the end, the practical consideration that trumps trendiness is that the wedding will be held outdoors at 4 p.m. in early September -- and I have this problem where if I'm out in the sun for any amount of time without a hat in the summer, I get a migraine. So basically, I need to set up a tent or shaded arbor, carry a parasol, or wear a hat.
Here is my dress. I'd like a hat that serves its core hat purpose (not some silly fascinator), but is a little nicer than your standard straw (though I have and love the purple one you can find in these pics). I'm thinking grey or silver, to match the dress's ribbons at waist and knee. I would be very open to color, but we don't really have wedding colors other than that the bridesmaids' dresses all have some green in them. Finally, I would rather not spend more than $200. I realize that this may be a fantasy, but do you have any leads?
Thank you!
*****
I really wanted to say don't wear a fucking hat. I mean. You're the bride. Make some SHADE for fuck's sake. Leave the hats to the quirky guests.
But then I remembered Bianca.
And so, with the help of the twitterverse, I looked at EVERY HAT IN THE ENTIRE INTERNET.
And I concluded that you really ought not wear a hat. They're all stupid ugly, and besides, if you use a hat to shield your face from the sun you'll also be blocking your face from your guests.
Make some shade. (Did I say that already?) Visit the ceremony site at 4pm a day or two before the wedding to see where the sun is falling and plan accordingly. There may already be a spot of shade you can set up the altar in.
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Fallback: This is the least worst thing I found in your price range, but unless you get something custom-dyed there's a pretty good chance it'll clash with your dress.
