Certain hats transcend fashion and become part of cultural history. These are the hats that defined eras, launched trends, and proved that a single accessory can change everything. Here are the hat moments every woman should know.
"When I create a hat, I am adding to a tradition that includes some of the most iconic moments in fashion history. That is a privilege and a responsibility."
— Kathryn Lee
Audrey Hepburn: Breakfast at Tiffany's (1961)
The wide-brimmed hat that Audrey wore as Holly Golightly defined an entire era of glamour. Designed by Hubert de Givenchy, it was elegant, dramatic, and effortlessly chic. It proved that a hat could be the most memorable part of an outfit, and it inspired millions of women to embrace wide-brimmed silhouettes.
Jackie Kennedy: The Pillbox (1960s)
Jackie Kennedy made the pillbox hat her signature. Designed by Halston, her pillboxes were structured, modern, and perfectly suited to her elegant style. She wore them to inaugurations, state dinners, and public appearances, making the pillbox synonymous with power and poise.
Princess Diana: Modern Royal Millinery (1980s-1990s)
Diana brought millinery to a young, global audience. Her perchers, veiled hats, and pillboxes were modern, flattering, and endlessly photographed. She worked with milliners like Philip Somerville and John Boyd, and her hat choices influenced an entire generation of women who might otherwise have ignored millinery entirely.
Queen Elizabeth II: The Power of Colour (1926-2022)
For over seventy years, Queen Elizabeth wore colour-blocked hats in vivid shades so she could be spotted in any crowd. Her milliner Angela Kelly designed matching hats for over 5,000 outfits. The Queen proved that hats are the ultimate power dressing, and that consistency and confidence in headwear create an iconic personal brand.
Sarah Jessica Parker: Met Gala 2014
SJP wore a Philip Treacy headpiece to the Met Gala that became one of the most photographed hats of the decade. The dramatic black and gold creation showed a new generation that hats could be fashion-forward, daring, and utterly spectacular.
The Jean Shrimpton Moment: Flemington 1965
When supermodel Jean Shrimpton arrived at Flemington without a hat and wearing a mini-skirt, the scandal was front-page news. The incident showed just how central hats were to Australian racing culture, and how the absence of a hat could be as powerful a statement as wearing one.
The Common Thread
Every famous hat moment shares one quality: the woman wearing it owned it completely. Confidence is the invisible ingredient that makes any hat iconic.
