No 2: Elegant Coverage

I had something of a revelation the other day.



I went to a big family dinner, to celebrate a cousin's birthday. And, of course, I paid close attention to my apperance. I did my hair, carefully applied my make-up and wore a (hopefully) co-ordinating, elegant outfit.



All was going well until my cousin and I decided to play badminton. It's the middle of summer here and the sun was still pretty intense when we started playing. Being the smart girl she is, my cousin was prepared with sunglasses and a hat to match her outfit.



Me?



I had the sunglasses but no hat. And, with the sun streaming down on my head, I quickly accepted the offer to have a hat loaned to me.



The only problem was that the hat looked like this:

Truly.

While it was kind and generous of my aunt to loan me the hat, it did slightly ruin the aura of elegance and sophistication I was aiming for.

Grace Kelly would never be caught in a situation like that.

Ms Kelly had hats (or turbans) for every occasion and had no trouble matching head-wear with clothes.

She received criticism for the hat she wore in the above picture: arriving in Monaco to marry a certain prince, the photographers were dismayed with her hat, complaining it blocked the view of her face.

Personally, I think the hat contributes to the elegance of her outfit.

While I have no plans to begin a hat collection to rival Grace Kelly's, I am realising the value of owning at least one hat. As Ms Kelly showed us, the right hat can add even more elegance to an outfit. As I showed us, the wrong hat can ruin an outfit. I have never been a big hat-wearer but there is a time and a place for those things. If we can be sun-smart and elegant at the same time, then more power to us!

As a beach holiday with friends is quickly approaching for me, I do not want to be caught out hat-less again. So, with this entirely legitimate shopping excuse before me, it is time to find me the perfect, elegant hat and I suggest you do the same.

Grace Kelly would approve.