ALONG WITH THE FASHION for shaven heads, the continuing rehabilitation of hats has been a benison for balding men, allowing the condition to progress with dignity (even, at times, some style), while not so much concealing the baldness as inviting a generous blind eye from the beholder.
But hats now belong in the wardrobe of every man, balding or not. In the hatless 1970s, heads were graced by nothing more than a tightly picked afro or glossy Jesus locks. The 1980s - post-Billie Jean - saw the venturing of an occasional black trilby, in usually unsuccessful imitations of Michael Jackson. It wasn't until the 1990s, when hip-hop and grunge bequeathed their tribal headwear to the world (the baseball cap and the beanie, respectively) that hats made the transition from optional accessory to must-have.
'Every man needs a classic baseball cap in his wardrobe,' says fashion stylist Sean K. 'Also, fedoras are very in this season - just look at Gucci, you don't need to look anywhere else. And beanies are OK for winter, but not when summer comes, of course.'
There's probably a wider choice of headwear on the market now than at any time since the 1930s. With warmer weather approaching, which titfer is best at the company picnic or pool party? To guide your selection, and determine the impression it will make, consult the chart.
For summer corporate socialising, the can't-go-wrongs are logo-free baseball caps, or ones sporting a discreet nautical brand. Other, trendier forms of headwear are perhaps best saved for afternoon beers on the beach with friends.
Remember, too, that while we become oddly attached to hats we encounter in foreign parts, the furry Cossack number you bought in Harbin will provoke snorts of derision at the bar back home. The llama-wool Peruvian peasant's hat that looked so righteous in the Andes looks abominable in the back room of One-fifth. And as for that rainbow-coloured fez you picked up in Cape Town - well, there's something missing under there all right. And I don't mean hair.
