If you follow a lot of ~fashion people~ on Instagram, you’ve probably seen this oversized Jacquemus straw hat being toted around on tropical vacations. Well, maybe toted is too casual a word, because this hat is seriously huge.
I loved this hat as soon as I saw it, and I was really happy when I saw more manageable versions of it popping up on my Instagram feed. I’m not really a hat (or any kind of accessory) girl, but I really wanted to see if I could style an oversized straw hat for more occasions than just going to the beach. I came up with three outfits that I think wouldn’t be totally out of place in a city setting.
For my first look, I paired the hat with a simple sundress and some sandals (try saying that one five times fast).
I decided to keep it monochromatic, and styled it with brown sandals, a brown purse, and a gold necklace.
I chose this dress specifically because I think the shade of brown played really nicely with the light brown ribbon on the hat, but you don’t have to keep it neutral—this type of hat goes really well with bright or muted colors as well.
For the second look, I went for a more casual/less Kentucky Derby look.
I paired the hat with a smocked, cropped tube top that I borrowed from a friend, and my favorite high-waisted jeans. I reused the sandals from the first look, but I also think this outfit would look super cute with platform espadrilles or some open-toed mules!
Look number three is a little less casual than the first two.
I styled this one with the juxtaposition of “city clothes” and the beachy look of a straw hat in mind. Personally, this one was my favorite because of that juxtaposition—I read this Man Repeller piece back in 2015 and it’s clearly had a lasting impact on me.
To achieve this look, I put together an outfit I could wear on a casual work day—a white blouse, clean, high-waisted denim, and some short black heels—and just added the hat. I think this elevated styling worked because the whole outfit was neutral (because let’s be real, denim is a neutral) and it could be impactful without being obnoxious.
Even though hats aren’t really my thing, I had a lot of fun styling this trend! I’d love to see how you all style it too, so make sure you tag @HerCampusStyle on Instagram -- you may even get reposted! Thanks for reading about how I tried this trend, and make sure to check back in a week for the next one!