Grand National Fashion: The perfect finishing touch

Mar 27 2008 by Laura Davis, Liverpool Daily Post

Helen Woods from Felicity Hat Hire _320

PIGEONS flying over Aintree Racecourse must assume they have entered a beautiful field of multi-coloured flowers – some perfectly circular, others chaotic shoots sprouting from the earth below.

This must be how the thousands of hats, the finishing touch to a Ladies Day outfit, appear from above.

At ground level, the view is no less spectacular – a combination of the daredevil and the conservative, hordes of Audrey Hepburns in wide-brimmed affairs and modern-day flappers in cloches.

This year’s key shape is the “percher”, a cross between a hat and a fascinator, that sits on the side of the head thanks to a headband hidden under the hair. Perchers have been big news on the London catwalks.

“We have them in lots of different colours,” says Helen Woods, owner of Felicity Hat Hire’s Southport branch. “We have a fantastic one in fuchsia that looks like a starburst of flowers, and some that are like hydrangea flowers. Then we have ones in black with lots of netting.”

Black is still a favourite with racegoers, Helen adds, although navy and shades of grey, ranging from silver to mercury, are popular for weddings and other special occasions.

It is best to decide on your outfit before matching a hat to it, rather than the other way around.

“Most of the girls who come in here for Ladies Day bring their dresses in with them,” says Helen, who anticipates being too exhausted from the rush in sales to make it to Aintree, although she is planning to wear a fuchsia percher to Chester Races’ Ladies Days later this year.

“Women like to choose something that stands out from their hair, so if they are blonde they wouldn’t go for a yellow hat but for one in black.

“If you’re not tall, you should avoid large hats be- cause people will talk to the hat and not to you. Perch- ers are good for shorter people because they are quite transparent and don’t make you look like you’re all hat.”To choose the perfect headwear:

* Have an idea of what sort of outfit you are planning to wear, whether it is a dress or a suit, and the colour. If you have already bought the outfit, then take the jacket or a swatch of material into the store.

* Notify the sales adviser if there are any facial features you want to detract attention from, or anything you want to emphasise.

* Trying on lots of different styles before making your final choice. There are 20 main hat shapes and only four main face shapes, so you need to find the one that suits you the best.

* Above all, choosing a hat should be fun as it’s a great opportunity to reflect your personality in your attire.

* FELICITY Hat Hire is celebrating its 40th anniversary this year. Visit the Southport store at 80, Botanic Road, or find other local branches at www.felicity.co.uk