It truly ties together every look…

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By FP contributor, Kendall Peel.

I’ve always been told I have a face for hats. At least, that’s what my mother used to tell me when she’d plop all matter of silly little hats on my head as a toddler. Whether she was being truthful or not, I sure grew up wearing a lot of…hats. I was no stranger to the bucket hat, countless berets, lieutenant hats, newsboy caps, beanies and trappers in the colder months, and many, many bandanas fashioned as headscarves like a young Dutch girl in and amongst the tulip fields, if that counts. But, alas, how could I forget the classic baseball hat? The styling opportunities with this hat are endless. Are you wearing a ponytail? No problem. Stick it through that hole in the back and you’re good to go! Haven’t washed your hair in 4+ days? Don’t worry, I won’t tell. – just throw on a baseball hat. Days at the zoo, weekend getaways to the beach, trips to Disney World, amusement parks adventures = baseball hat included.

Ever on the hunt for my next favorite hat adventure, I came across a new idea. One that first made me say, “Huh?” And then it made me say, “Huh...” (The lack of a question mark there is everything.)

A few months back, I learned that we would be getting a scarf baseball hat for the April hat assortment. As I mentioned earlier, I am a big proponent of the headscarf, and an even bigger proponent of the baseball hat. Two worlds were about to collide, and I could not wait to put this thing on my head. I began to dream of all the outfits I could wear with this “special” type of baseball hat. Imagine me on my upcoming trip to Europe, I’d be the peak of Copenhagen fashion. Or what about at Wine Fest in the Poconos at the start of summer? My head was spinning with potential.

I had only ever seen sketches of the scarf baseball hat, so I wasn’t quite sure how it was going to execute, but we were all very excited with how fashion forward it was and how we could style it. I just knew I had to try it on myself to be sure.

The months ticked away, and I almost, but briefly, forgot the scarf baseball hat was soon to come. Until one day while click-clack-clacking away at my desk, I was greeted by my fellow merchandiser, Claire’s, excited voice from across the room: “SCARF BASEBALL HAT IS HERE!!” She held the colorful orange and pink hat up triumphantly and gave it a wiggle. My eyes lit up with delight. Claire crossed the room in record time, passing the hat to me so I could inspect it as we often do when a new style comes in. I turned this idea-come-to-life over in my hands, much more “scarf” than “baseball” in its present state.

“Wow there’s a lot of scarf here,” I marveled. How was I ever going to figure out how to tie this? I plopped it on my head, fumbling around with the extra fabric in an attempt to tie it as I would a headscarf, but I needed to make it more like a baseball hat. I made a sad sort of lump atop my head and turned to Claire and we both laughed. Okay, this was definitely not the way to do it, but I sure was going to find someone who could make this look cute on my head.

We found ourselves in the studio that day, a normal part of our routine, scarf baseball hat in tow as we sought out someone to incorporate it into their styleout. We wanted to see this cutie in action. We showed off our newest accessory to everyone we came in contact with, gushing and guffawing over our latest soon-to-be trend. Julie, one of our stylists, reached for the hat, a smile creeping across her face, “I actually really like this.” A seal of approval from the stylists is all we need to get the ball rolling. I explained that I had tried fitting it on my head earlier and couldn’t quite make it work. Julie ushered for me to bend down so she could fit the hat on my head, her expert stylist hands working in ways I never could. Time for the big reveal. We did a sort of “Ta-dah!” moment and I stood up. Julie, Claire, and I all nodded in approval, “It’s SO cute!”

I was bringing this hat with me everywhere. It boasted all the things I loved about a baseball hat – so effortlessly fashionable, without being too much. That little knotted bow in the back made all the difference and added a whole new meaning to the phrase “tied with a bow.” It felt like the final touch.

As we walked back over to our desks, I once again found myself picturing all of the outfits I could wear with my new-found favorite accessory. After we sat down, I practiced trying to tie it a few different ways, making sure I remembered how Julie had fashioned it so I could replicate it once I got home. I wrapped the ends of the fabric around my chin, like a young Audrey Hepburn cruising the countryside in her Porsche – all I needed was a pair of cat-eye sunglasses. I tied it back into its rightful form, the baseball hat, and pulled up my phone camera so I could sneak another look. Do I really have a face for hats? I sure believe it..