Finding the Most Flattering Hat for Your Face

(Image credit: Design by Katja Cho)

As a hat person, it's my personal belief that hats are for everyone (hat democratization!)—it's just a matter of finding what suits you. Someone who shares this sentiment (and then some) is milliner-to-the-stars Eugenia Kim. Chances are, if you've spotted an envy-inducing topper on the likes of Sarah Jessica Parker or Emma Watson, it's one of her designs.

Since I've never been too good with a protractor, I asked Kim to help decode the angles and break down what hats are most flattering for each face type. And generally speaking, size matters.

"It's all about proportion and finding that sweet spot that brings harmony to the face," says Kim."If your face is small, don't overpower yourself with too wide of a brim and look to something on the shorter to medium side. If your face is large, look for styles with more width."

However, for those looking for the LBD of the hat world, there is a universally flattering style. "You really can't go wrong with a good old Panama style," she adds.

For a more comprehensive breakdown to choosing a style, Kim shares her tips for each face shape with designs from her gorgeous Spring 2015 collection.

Round Faces

"The goal is to create length, so something with a tall crown will give you that height you need," says Kim. "Look for medium to long brim fedoras, porkpies and trilby styles. Avoid anything low to the head and rounded—this will only accentuate the roundness."

Eugenia Kim Emmanuelle, $365; eugeniakim.com.

Oval Faces

"Congrats! You can pull off pretty much any style," says Kim. "Go for something cool and more fashion-forward like a fisherman cap or boater style."

Eugenia Kim Marina, $215; eugeniakim.com.

Oblong Faces

"You'll want something with a little width and a shorter crown that will balance out the length of your face," says Kim. A medium sized floppy, cloche, crusher, or bucket style would work best."

Eugenia Kim Jordana, $265; eugeniakim.com.

Square Faces

"You'll want to soften the angles," says Kim. "So anything with a curved silhouette will do the trick. Floppys, cloches, or bowler styles will help to round out your features."

Eugenia Kim Honey, $365; eugeniakim.com.

Heart Faces

"You'll want to slim the forehead to make it appear more narrow," says Kim. "Any brimmed style that is medium in length will achieve this"

Eugenia Kim Courtney, $350; eugeniakim.com.

You should also check out:

Skimmer Style: 5 Suave Boater Hats for the Weekend

Hats You Can Wear Indoors

Under $100: The Chicest Hats of Fall

Lauren Valenti is Vogue’s former senior beauty editor. Her work has also appeared on ELLE.com, MarieClaire.com, and in In Style. She graduated with a liberal arts degree from Eugene Lang College, The New School for Liberal Arts, with a concentration on Culture and Media Studies and a minor in Journalism.