What to Wear with a Fedora Hat?

Fedora hats have evolved into a versatile fashion statement that can be worn by both men and women and paired with various outfits. If you’re wondering what to wear with a fedora hat, this article covers everything from fedora formal and casual outfits to trendy and elegant outfits.

A woman wearing a light gray fedora with her pink blouse.

Fedora hats may have first gained popularity decades ago, but today this iconic hat is more fashionable than ever. In the past, fedora hat outfits were a bit restricted by the fashion rules of the bygone era. 

However, currently, the contemporary rules of fedora fashion state that anything goes. This offers plenty of flexibility when it comes to what to wear with a fedora for both men and women. With so many options to pick and choose from, it may be tricky knowing where to start. To help you out, this article has a few choice suggestions. 

Let’s get started, and ladies, first!

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Fedora Outfits for Women

The world of women’s fashion contains an almost limitless number of dress styles, from bohemian and grunge to exotic and chic. However, when figuring out what to wear with a fedora hat, you can generally narrow it down to the following styles:

Vintage Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman wearing a black fedora with her white coat.

The fedora is a classic hat, so why not pair it with a classic outfit? After all, vintage outfits (and hats) never really go out of style. Plus, there are so many options to choose from, whether you’re borrowing from the 1930s or 1980s style. 

For instance, you can go back to the era of the Fedora itself and include elements like oxfords, puffed sleeves, and bolero jackets. Or, you can pair it with bell-bottom or baggy jeans and a basic, form-fitting top. Keep in mind that a classic fedora is widely regarded as one made from felt and which has a pinched crown and basic ribbon trimming.

Casual Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman wearing a brown woven fedora with her casual clothes.

More and more manufacturers are making fedora hats for everyday occasions. For starters, you can wear your fedora with any type of jeans, whether you’re hanging out with friends or strolling around the city in sunny weather. It all depends on your confidence and how comfortable you feel. 

The good news is, as a woman, you can keep your fedora hat on, even when indoors, so your casual ensemble stays on point. Besides jeans, other casual cloth pieces that can be paired with a fedora include crop tops, jumpsuits, graphic T-shirts, shorts, sandals, sneakers, and boots.

Sexy Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman wearing a black fedora with her little black dress.

There are many sexy outfit ideas out there, but a well-placed fedora can really help bring out your feminine charm, so you turn heads everywhere you go. You can start by wearing your fedora hat a little off to the side to create a somewhat coquettish appeal. Ideally, you’ll want a hat in a neutral color and which is small brimmed as opposed to floppy. 

Next, you can pick and choose from a variety of sexy fashion styles to complete the look. For instance, sexy outfits usually incorporate heels, black strappy shoes, short skirts, tight shorts, striped blazers, tailored suits, leather pants, high-waisted pants, blouses with a plunging neckline, a black clutch or handbag, plus more.

Trendy Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman wearing a fur coat, glasses and a fedora hat.

As mentioned earlier, the fedora has made a comeback, and it’s back with a bang, featuring a variety of trends for all occasions. For instance, when it comes to what to wear with a fedora in winter, the trends typically incorporate elements like scarves, sweaters, and all sorts of boots. Another trend is fedora hats with embellishments. 

You can go with a simple ribbon or one that’s patterned and colorful. You can also opt for a trendy fedora hat with feathers and an elaborate bow. Overall, with trendy fedora outfits, the rule of thumb is to find out which current trend is rocking the most, then looking around for the best type of fedora to go along with the idea. 

Elegant Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman wearing a dress with her brown fedora.

An elegant fedora outfit is one you bring out when you want to look as classy, refined, glamorous, and upscale as possible. Of course, you can always achieve elegance without a fedora, but the right type of fedora can be the cherry on top that makes you stand out from the crowd. 

The distinctive profile and shape of a fedora hat are well known to add a level of sophistication to any outfit, especially if you add embellishments, such as a brooch or a flower. To go along with the look, you can wear it with elegant clothes such as a coat and fancy jewelry or anything you would wear to a wedding or high-level function.

Outdoor Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman riding in a convertible car holding onto her hat.

If you’re wondering what to wear with a floppy fedora hat, then your outdoor outfits are the top option. A traditional fedora hat has a wide brim, with a design that offers protection from the sun, rain, and wind. This means you can bring your wide-brimmed hat along with your outdoor outfit because it makes for the perfect sun hat. Thankfully, there seem to be enough types of fedora hats to match most outdoor outfits. 

For instance, are you dressed for adventure and ready to step into an Indiana Jones movie? Then a Safari fedora hat is the best hat for you. Or are you going to the summer fair? A straw hat with a matching floral or maxi dress and sandals might be the way to go. You can also opt for a Panama hat if you’re at the horse races. You can even wear a straw fedora hat or felt hat with a bathing suit at the beach or swimming pool.

Formal Fedora Outfits for Women

A woman wearing a floral blouse with her fedora.

Fedoras were originally designed for formal wear, so pulling off this look isn’t particularly hard. However, it’s probably best to go with demure colors that blend well in an office setup or work event. Generally, formal fedora outfits incorporate fashion elements like tuxedos and dark black suits.

A fedora is also recommended for wearing with pencil skirts and high heels. It will help you look professional and polished.

Fedora Outfits for Men

Men’s fashion would be a little dull without the fedora to liven things up. There was a time when wearing a fedora was synonymous with being a gentleman, and even the royals respected this idea. 

Today, men’s contemporary fashion style allows you to get by without a fedora or men’s hat, for that matter, but you might still want to bring it out anytime you need to add some oomph to your appearance. Here are several outfit ideas to keep you on the right track.

Elegant Fedora Outfits for Men

A man wearing a pin-striped suit with his fedora.

Fedora hats are made to bring out the best in elegant ensembles. A wool hat with a nice hatband and a conservative accent is a fine example of an elegant fedora hat. Also, if you’re wondering what to wear with a black fedora hat, you’ll find that any elegant outfit will do. 

Although fedoras can be worn tilted slightly to the side, it generally suits better when straight and centered. Make sure it fits correctly and doesn’t droop over your head. Instead, it should have a narrower brim that rests comfortably slightly above your ears and the center of your forehead. 

When choosing an outfit to complete the elegant look, the color of your fedora should complement your outfit, whether it’s an upscale, tailored suit, a pair of smart trousers with a fitted shirt and blazer or vest. Your fedora can also act as a fine and darker accent for your elegant outfit, such as when you pair a black fedora with a green, light-colored suit. 

Casual and Outdoors Fedora Outfits for Men

A man wearing casual clothes with his brown fedora.

Ideally, when you’re wearing a fedora casually or outdoors, you want it to be as light and comfortable as possible. For casual outfits, you can pair your fedora with all manner of casual fashion elements, such as jeans, t-shirts, and sneakers. 

However, you might need to ensure you wear something with a collar, such as a polo shirt or coat, to pull off this look more successfully. When outdoors, be sure to choose a fedora hat with a light, breathable material, such as a straw or safari fedora hat, which is perfect for hot weather. Also, pay attention to the colors as beige, brown, and greens tend to be more suitable summer hat outdoor colors. 

Formal Fedora Outfits for Men

A man wearing a black fedora with his black suit.

It goes without saying that a man’s formal attire needs a formal fedora hat to go along with it. Fortunately, there’s a wide range of formal fedora hats, including the trilby hat, felt fedora, and Panama hat. 

If you’re going for a more formal look, you’ll never go wrong with a traditional, soft felt hat or wool fedora hat with a classic grey color, white band, and a firm, medium-width brim. You can pair this grey fedora with Oxfords and a grey suit. This outfit is perfect at a wedding function, for instance, and will even keep you nicely warm in winter if the fedora is felt and if you add a coat on top. 

Stylish Fedora Outfits for Men

A man wearing a gray fedora with his white button-down shirt and tie.

The fedora is known to be a dressy hat that can be very stylish when paired with the right look. If you want to be a trendsetting fedora wearer, start by avoiding the mass-marketed fedora style hats that seem to pop out everywhere. Instead, choose a smart and fashionable fedora hat or trilby hat with a stylish snap brim style that reflects your good taste and is suitable for everyday events. 

For instance, you can wear one made from premium wool to help you stand out from the crowd. As long as your outfit is modern and contemporary and has a good and tailored fit, you can achieve a seamless look, especially if your upper layer of clothing has a collar – think blazer, leather jacket, or a nice collared shirt with well-fitting jeans. 

You can even go for a leather fedora to really bring your urban outfit to life. The stylish look is often associated with celebrities, artists, and rock stars, so you may want to analyze the current trends in these circles to get a better idea of what’s making waves. Keep in mind that some stylish fedora outfits can be a bit bold, so you need to feel confident and comfortable with the outfit if you want to pull it off successfully.

Custom Fedora Outfits for Men

A man wearing a black shirt and red fedora.

Need a fedora hat style that’s made just for you? Then you can pair a wide range of outfits with a custom fedora hat or trilby hat made to fit and accentuate your appearance. For instance, if you’re going for a more Western look, you can get a customized Western fedora that’s lightweight and which you can pair with jeans, a shirt, and cowboy boots. 

A bespoke fedora hat can also include embellishments such as patterned trimming, bow, or feather to give it a unique flair. There are many customizations to make based on color, brim width, and material, plus more. This gives you many options when it comes to what clothes to wear with a fedora hat.

Gangster Fedora Outfits for Men

A man in a gangster costume with a fedora.

Apparently, the fedora hat can be worn by gents and gangsters alike. Therefore, you can also use a fedora to give your outfit that gangster edge if you want to ooze some bad-boy appeal. This look dates back to the U.S. Prohibition era and was worn by popular gangsters such as Al Capone. 

A tough-guy fedora style typically involves wearing a wide brim fedora slightly cocked and pulled down just above the eye line to give the impression that you’re peaking beneath the brim. A great example of a gangster fedora hat is this white fedora with a black band, which goes perfectly with a cigar in hand. You can pair it with a black suit and shoes, plus a matching white tie.

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