Royal Ascot and Wedding Season are in full swing, and if you are anything like me, you will have seen countless fantastic outfits for the big occasions, but you may be wondering how to top off the whole ensemble and considering one of the stunning fascinators you have seen, but how can you make them work for you?

A fascinator is an eclectic headpiece that can be worn with a hair clip or comb and can work to replace a hat or headband to truly create an elegant and demure look. They can work for long and short-hair and come in array of wonderful statement or more minimal styles. I am delighted to showcase a few inspiring pieces that have been created by the amazing milliner, Vivien Sheriff.

Add some colour

One way a fascinator can be used is to add a pop of colour to your outfit. Often, we are requested to follow a certain styling when attending special events such as Royal Ascot, and to keep within this style you do not want to go too over the top with your styling. A fascinator, such as the one below, can be an excellent choice to keep a minimal look, whilst still standing out with a one-of-a-kind style. I love this colour, and it can work beautifully with cream, white, or black outfits, and for the brave dresser, it would work well with purple, too.

This style is perfect for long and short hair, and I love how it has been styled with a ponytail and off-shoulder top, as it enables the skin to be shown, whilst the face is slightly covered with the beading.

Incorporate some height!

For my petite clients, they love to be able to add height in any area, and that can be wonderfully done by a piece that adds height through structure and feathers.

The asymmetry of this stunning fascinator is perfect for a side-fringe or side-ponytail look, and its colours can work beautifully with most outfits. You must, of course, consider if the white and cream is appropriate for a wedding, as not all brides are welcome to the same colour, but I am finding that more and more couples are open to white being worn by other guests, and even seeing brides going for full colour gowns! I think this style is perfect for women who are looking to add some height to their body, and I love the rose-gold accents!

Go all-out

With a fascinator, you can go all out with a fantastic look, and this is a piece that will definitely turn heads. It makes me think of the wonderful scene in Pretty Woman, where Julia Roberts wears a stunning sun-hat and takes to the races in a bubbly and yet still elegant way. I think the styling shown here with this hat is perfect – keeping a monotone style, a deep v-neck long sleeved dress, and keeping the outfit truly minimal, so the hat can steal the show.

This piece may be slightly more difficult if you are attending a sit-down wedding, so do be conscious of those behind you! It is truly perfect for women who know that a black dress is an essential item for a formal event.

Garden Party Chic

If you are attending an outdoor wedding, then a floral touch will never go amiss! Elegant creams and light pink tones are perfect for the British spring and summertime, especially if you know you are attending a wedding or special occasion in the stunning countryside.

Again, the way in which this has been styled helps to create a beautiful demure look, with the monochromatic styling, pink colour on the lips and matching pink high neck dress, helps to keep the look fresh and young. If you are a younger woman, looking to take your first foray into wearing these exceptional hats, then I highly recommend something floral and fun, such as this one from Vivien Sheriff – it’s approachable, fresh, and not too over the top to make it difficult to dress.

I hope these pieces from Vivien Sheriff, help inspire you on how to style a head-piece such as a fascinator, and if you need any inspiration or support, please do get in touch. I offer a range of services to help men and women prepare their outfits for such events, to help you create a look that you will feel amazing in.