It’s no secret that women love hats. Throughout the early 20th century hats have been an accessory of need and an essential element of a woman’s wardrobe. From going to the theatre to taking a stroll into town, there could be no denying hats were once the ultimate fashion accessory. But fast forward a few decades and with the exception of cold weather and the annual visit to Ascot, the fashion hat has all but disappeared.
 
But hat lovers should fret not for hair is the new hat! Gorgeous hair can be the ultimate hat but if it is going to replace the most beautiful and extraordinary creations from England’s best milliners, it needs to be something striking and spectacular. Whether it’s a coronet of braids woven into a fishtail plait or a half-bun with a bunch of knotted knots, today’s fashion-forward women rely on their hair to be their statement piece. But what if a woman lacks the necessary volume or length needed to create these devastatingly stunning styles?  Step forward hair extensions.

Why Hair Extensions Are Better Than a Hat

Hair is infinitely versatile; it isn’t necessary to purchase it afresh every time a new look is required, as we can modify the hairstyle to suit many occasions.  A hat cannot change its colour, style, or length at will.   But using a hat to complement, not hide, one’s hair making the hat and hair an even more stunning combination. 

Hair Accessories

You may think of hair ornaments as the realm of the dreaded tiara, reserved for school proms, beauty pageants, toddlers, and wannabe 'princesses'. However, more grown-up hair ornaments, especially embellished barrettes, and headbands, are now making their way back into the mainstream of hairstyling fashion. But the key to making these decorations work for you, your hair and your look is all down to not only how you wear the ornaments themselves but also how you wear the hair around them. By approaching this style conundrum with a careful plan, you can avoid the fashion faux pas of babyish headband hairstyles and instead make sure that your look is sophisticated and grown-up.  

Headband

If you are going to experiment with headbands, opt for embellished ones that resonate a sophisticated sparkle, nothing too trashy and shiny though as you'll only end up attracting the magpies. But you mustn't go too plain either as this ends up giving you the juvenile, schoolgirl look that is a major turn off. To ensure that headband and hair work well together, tie your hair up into a messy bun to give an adult, sophisticated look to the overall style; incorporating a headband into a look that seems as if it has all just 'been thrown together' creates a sense of fashion far removed from the precisely preened headband looks that one would see at beauty pageants or coming out of schools. 

Barrettes

However, hair ornaments can be used for everyday styles to add an extra something to an otherwise ordinary hair-do. If you want to pull your hair back quickly, don't just secure your ponytail with a bland elastic hair tie, go for something ornate like a barrette which is just as easy to clip on but looks ten times classier. Wide 'tortoise' barrettes are currently in vogue with their tortoiseshell colour and pattern proving soft and subtle match for almost any hair colour. These barrettes are just as practical as the reliable elastic too, clip them in close to the nape for a firm, tight hold that will not slip throughout the day.

Ornamental Hair Pins     

Ornamental hairpins and ribbons are perhaps some of the most widely used hair ornaments and they allow you to create your own style whilst using them for the practical purposes of tying back hair or fashioning various lookout of braids. Jewelled, decorative hairpins can look simply beautiful when carefully placed to work with your hair; you can even use these pins purely as ornamentation even if their practical use is not really required for your hairstyle. 

Styling

All these hair ornaments can really come to life when you couple them with big, bold, and adventurous hairstyles which often require a little help from some high-quality extensions. Why not try pairing up a barrette with a simple ponytail extension for a classy finish, or even go all out and clip one into a side-pony for a real statement piece. Equally, using specialist hair extensions pieces like braided headbands would not only give your hair a sophisticated look by itself but would also let you experiment with the various ornamental hairpins on offer to get an individual look that would be sure to sparkle and get heads turning! 

Creating the type of body and volume that defines a woman as a modern millennial, hair extensions are possibly the most adaptable addition to any woman’s beauty regime. Providing instant wow factor, they can be styled up or down, twisted into a Bardot-Esque beehive or teased into a side bun. The possibilities are literally endless, providing every woman with the opportunity to create styles that look catwalk-ready with ease. And best of all, they don’t have to be a long-term commitment. So, with hair, this exquisitely versatile, the only question that remains is … why would a woman ever need a hat again?  The simple answer? She won’t.