Are Conductor Hats a Thing Now?

By Andrea Cheng
Updated Jan 31, 2017 @ 7:30 pm
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No other accessory sparks as much debate as the hat. Think about it. It's the most polarizing category in fashion. The beret—you either hate it or you love it. Same goes for the fedora. Or the panama. Or the pork pie hat. Or the paperboy cap. Or the bucket hat (shudder). If there's one that's widely accepted, it'd be the beanie, but even then, I know a handful of people who would rather painfully endure sub-zero temps than slip on a beanie.

All of this brings us to what could potentially be the next controversial hat trend: the conductor hat, which goes by many monikers—the lieutenant, the Greek fisherman, the cadet, the chauffeur. And, as how all trends form, it's already gaining traction in the It-girl sphere, with Bella Hadid, Kendall Jenner, and Ciara as its celebrity advocates.

But for all the hat-haters out there (guilty), let's explore the positives before dismissing it outright. True, it's purely decorative, but Kim Duong, InStyle's digital fashion assistant and un-closeted conductor-hat-lover, says the bill has saved her from a rainstorm on more than one occasion. Plus, she adds, it delivers a cool-girl, glam-rock aesthetic.

Accessories editor Elana Zajdman, echoes that sentiment. "To me, it feels very '90s supermodel," she says, calling out Christy Turlington, Naomi Campbell, and Claudia Schiffer. "The hat is very cool-girl and model off-duty."

Do you want one now? Keep scrolling to get in on this trend before it blows up.

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Kendall Jenner

AKM-GSI

An of-the-moment hat crafted from an of-the-moment fabric. Jenner styled her Valas cap ($595; farfetch.com) with a shearling-lined denim jacket, a crop top, and leather pants.

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Bella Hadid

TheStewartofNY/Splash News

The supermodel-turned-designer gave us a sneak peek of her Chrome Hearts collection with her chauffeur hat, which she styled with a graphic tee, a denim vest, a hoodie, and pinstripe pants.

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Ciara

ciara/Instagram

A hat tip to Ciara for being with it on the hat trend. The expectant mom showed off her bump in a skin-skimming top and a sleek blazer, topped with a hat by Valas ($595; farfetch.com).

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Aegean

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$64
SHOP IT
vililagehatshop.com

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Natashas Cafe

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$40
SHOP IT
amazon.com

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Valas

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$595
SHOP IT
farfetch.com
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By Andrea Cheng