Red Carpet Hats That Are Surprisingly Wearable
Elevated but down to earth.
Look beyond the show-stopping outfits, and you'll notice hats pop up constantly on the red carpet. Whether it's a casual event or the celebrity in question just wants to add a little dimension, headgear can be the perfect topper (get it?) to an outfit. We're not talking Ascot fascinators here—these are chic, everyday, down-to-earth hats. If you've ever been tempted to add a hat to a fancy-ish look, this is the list for you.
Rachel Bilson
In the '00s, the red carpet beanie was very much a thing (Rachel Bilson was attending the Teen Vogue Young Hollywood Party here). A more modern iteration would be more complementary to an outfit: a beanie in black, for example, to match the jacket.
Timothée Chalamet
The beanie could be utilized as a casual hat, more for function than fashion. However, it might also add a dose of unseriousness to a more formal outfit. Such was the case for Timothée Chalamet at the premiere of A Complete Unknown, channeling some of Bob Dylan's effortless cool.
Isabelle Huppert
Contrary to popular belief, one could wear a hat with a more formal outfit. French actor Isabelle Huppert, attending the 2024 Venice Film Festival, matched her pink sparkly dress with an equally sparkly beret. It was a nice homage to the historical French headgear.
Cynthia Erivo
A beret could also be part of a more outré aesthetic. Cynthia Erivo's style was center stage during the Wicked press tour. But she's been cool and forward thinking for ages (this was taken in 2018), with the bouncy orange hat contrasting her black outfit.
Christina Hendricks
A simple black beret could be quite chic in the right circumstances. Christina Hendricks was also potentially nodding to her Mad Men character (the beret was a popular, well-established headpiece in the '50s), but it was also perfect synergy with her outfit.
Jessica Biel
Sister to the beanie, the pageboy cap could offer just a tiny bit more structure in the form of a small brim (while keeping the same knit structure). Jessica Biel was snapped at Sundance in 2006, but one could go with a more dramatic option to match a more elevated look.
Billie Eilish
If one appreciates the look of a beanie, but wants to go even more casual, consider the "cat hat." Billie Eilish, whose fashions has skewed comfy cozy even on the red carpet, really looked like she was about to curl up on the couch and watch Netflix here at the premiere of Turning Red.
Salma Hayek
Ah, the bucket hat. It was beloved in the '90s and '00s and, for a time, became associated with that particular period. Indeed, Salma Hayek appeared at the Ever After premiere, bringing panache to her lilac floral dress with a mauve bucket hat turned up at the brim.
Jeremy Strong
Jeremy Strong, whose influences have been described as Paddington-meets-Entourage, offered a bit of both here. The green suit was very "LA formalwear in the mid-'00s," but the hat felt very "sweet British bear." In an amazing way, especially since the single color cohered the look.
Becky G
In a more modern context, the bucket hat could be the perfect topper for a relaxed outfit. This all-blue tonal look on Becky G allowed for a casual hat to match her casual crop top, cardigan, and jeans—leaning in on the aesthetic, even on the red carpet.
Rihanna
One could also pair a matching bucket hat for a more unconventional outfit. This was at a Fenty Beauty event: Rihanna, whose style has always been unique and daring, paired a snake skin tube dress with matching shoes, bag, bracelet and—naturally—a bucket hat for a fun surprise.
Britney Spears
The fedora really had a moment in the Y2K era, and it seemed like stars wore it to every possible red carpet. Britney Spears helped to popularize the trend thanks to this classic black option; with more structure than a beanie or bucket hat, it elevated her more casual outfit.
Eva Longoria
Eva Longoria showed off a black and white herringbone fedora at the "Young Hollywood Votes" event in 2004. This was obviously a more low-key event than, say, a formal red carpet (see also: her graphic cami top), but the fedora added structure and dimension.
Billy Porter
In its modern iteration, the fedora has become larger, more structural, and just...more, generally. Billy Porter has never shied away from a bold look, and here his oversized cream fedora literally elevated it. A maximalist look deserves a maximalist hat.
Whyte (?te壞特)
Taiwanese singer-songwriter ?te壞特 opted for a flat-brimmed pink fedora to complement her ombre pink hair and pretty pink outfit at the Golden Melody Awards Ceremony in 2021. In this instance, the fedora matched the exact vibe of the rest of her look.
Yvonne Orji
The ultra-wide-brimmed fedora can have a place in fashion, too—and one needn't be intimidated by it. On Yvonne Orji, it contrasted her darker black outfit, brought some structure back into a softer and frillier top, and established her fashion sense without saying a single word.
Jennie
At the 2025 Met Gala, Jennie opted for a Chanel boater hat, with a short and totally flat brim (a boater is often less angled than a fedora and usually made of stiffer material). At a more dramatic event, a structural hat was the exact right choice.
Zhang Ziyi
A traditional boater hat is often made out of straw or another stiff material; while it was often a casual piece of headwear for men in its original context, the hat now serves as an accessory for all genders. Zhang Ziyi wore one to effortless perfection at Cannes in 2024.
Vicky Krieps
Also at Cannes (attending the Bergman Island premiere in 2021), Vicky Krieps wore a shorter, softer boater hat. The smaller brim, the contrasting blue and white ribbon: the whole thing felt very "summertime" and "fun" without losing the red carpet feel.
Eiza Gonzalez
The wide-brim boater hat is a thing of beauty. The bigger the brim, the more it could work for a cooler context (here, Eiza Gonzalez was attending a Veuve Clicquot event in 2018, and the vibe was "drinking celebratory champagne and looking chic as heck").
Zendaya
Believe it or not, a baseball cap wouldn't be out of place on the red carpet (or a street style look), because it's structured but also casual at the same time. Zendaya was already working with a low-key outfit at the 2014 BET Awards in the jacket and crop top, so the baseball hat cohered the look.
Kylie Jenner
While the veil was particularly, exclusively relevant to the Met Gala (Kylie Jenner was attending in 2022, and the theme was "In America: An Anthology of Fashion"), the backwards-facing baseball cap was as American as apple pie—and a great way to style the hat.
Ciara
One could also insert a baseball cap as a counterpoint to a very glamorous outfit. Ciara attended the 2025 BET Award in a gorgeous spiky skirt and leather shirt, adding in tons of jewelry for a more elevated dimension, and then a cap to bring it all together.
Kristen Stewart
Kristen Stewart's general aesthetic has often been cool, androgynous, and daring—with a perfect blend of casual and couture. The baseball cap here, at the Bono: Stories of Surrender premiere at Cannes, only heightened the menswear vibe of the outfit.
Kate Upton
Even big, bold, beautiful hats could have a place in one's closet, if that happens to work with one's wardrobe. This "derby" hat—Kate Upton was actually attending the Kentucky Derby in 2016 in this photo—worked beautifully for a big event where hats were an important part of the dress code.
Lupita Nyong'o
A big straw hat doesn't have to be contained to a hat-centric event, either. Lupita Nyong'o attended a 2014 Veuve Clicquot event with a wide brimmed black straw hat. It worked with the outfit, complemented the champagne bottles (what a plus!), and looked casual-chic.
Diane Keaton
Diane Keaton has made hats a crucial part of her aesthetic, and she has rarely been seen without them. The bowler hat has been one of her favorite looks, like this oversized black version she wore in 2022 (just a touch more structure and shape than the softer fedora).
Priyanka Chopra
This floppy fedora-style hat on Priyanka Chopra was the right fit for the Sundance Film Festival (here attending the Burden The Park premiere). The vibe for that event has historically been more casual and appropriate for the location (Utah), and the hat complemented the setting.
Zendaya
At the 2025 Met Gala, the theme was "Superfine: Tailoring Black Style." Zendaya's Louis Vuitton zoot suit was perfectly elevated by the white oversized hat. Fans debated whether it was an homage to Diana Ross or Bianca Jagger, but it was also an iconic look in its own right.
Jennifer Lopez
Jennifer Lopez was perfectly cowboy themed for the 2021 Met Gala, where the theme was "In America: A Lexicon of Fashion." To ensure that the look skewed more couture instead of literally cowboy, the brim was flatter and wider all the way around. It was almost more sculpture than hat.
Lil Nas X
Lil Nas X has sometimes nodded to the country song influences of his early career (see also: "Old Town Road") with overt cowboy-themed references. This hat was one such reference, with the pink color and gold detailed allowing the headgear to match with his more modern aesthetic.
Beyoncé
Cowboy Carter, anyone? Beyoncé singlehandedly made the cowboy aesthetic a key part of her eighth studio album—and started a trend in the same breath. It was Western, it was pop, it was couture, it was America, and it was all Queen Bey. The cowboy hat never looked so cool.
