The Bucket-Hat Trend Is (Still) Going Nowhere

October 12, 2021 | 02:50pm

If it’s good enough for Rihanna, it’s good enough for all of us!

The Bucket-Hat Trend Is (Still) Going Nowhere

I have always been slightly terrified to experiment with hats (they are such a statement!), but to me there is nothing more intimidating than wearing a bucket hat. That brimmed shape—always tight fitted to the head—reminds me of hats I’d wear as a kid. There’s something slightly infantile to them, and wearing one as an adult, I’m always afraid that I look silly—as though I’m trying to recapture my youth or something. But for fall a number of celebrities have been wearing classic bucket hats, and I’m totally changing my tune.

It all started when Rihanna stepped out in New York this summer wearing Prada’s nylon bucket hat in a chic seafoam green colorway. Paired with a printed top and jeans, she made it look downright cool and not at all childlike. Soon after, in September, I spotted Brad Pitt wearing a sleek all-white style to the U.S. Open, looking like the style icon that he is. Cut to Fashion Week this fall, and many VIPs were wearing them in the front rows too, including British Vogue’s Edward Enninful, who wore a black bucket hat to many shows. He even managed to pair it with a sleek suit and look like a total boss.

Prada’s bedazzled bucket hats

Photos: Daniel Arnold

Intrigued by the accessory, I scoured the market and found that there’s a number of bucket hats—both by designer and affordable labels—that can complete just about any outfit. The luxe styles by Gucci, Loewe, and Prada particularly caught my eye. (What can I say? I love a designer label.) Prada, in particular, has long been a champion of the bucket hat, and as of late the label is taking its beloved nylon toppers and festooning them with sequins and stones. But even in classic black, paired with a dressier ensemble, I’ve learned that the bucket adds just the right amount of extra, without going overboard. It adds instant personality to a look in a way that a dad cap simply cannot. And so what if people think you look like you’re trying to dress like a teen? If the topper is good enough for Rihanna, it’s good enough for all of us.

Need inspiration for fall? Below, shop 13 bucket hats.