It's time Mumbai fell for the hat-trick

It's a global fashion trend, but not in Mumbai. This summer, be different, and wear one

Coco Chanel embarked on her fashion revolution with hats. "How can the brain function under those things?" she asked famously of the frivolous Belle Epoque millinery, and proceeded to create her own version of hats — one that took Paris by storm.

And Frank Sinatra was solely responsible for jumpstarting flagging hat sales in the US. "The hat was his crown, cocked askew, as defiant as he was," wrote author Bill Zehme in his book The Way You Wear Your Hat - Frank Sinatra and the Lost Art of Livin'.

But for all its elegance on a woman, and a suggestion of rakishness on a man — see Johnny Depp — the hat rarely make an appearance on Mumbai's dusty, crowded streets.

We're not talking about those feathered monstrosities — well some of them are — that raise their ugly heads come Derby day. "What you see there is an imitation of the Ascot races in the UK," says ad-man Prahlad Kakkar, whose hat collection is as notorious as the man himself. Even as we wilt under the pitiless gaze of the summer sun, the headgear is conspicuously missing, never mind that fedoras are all the rage in other countries, and the straw hat never went out of fashion.

Somehow, somewhere down the fashion line, we gave hats the slip. According to fashion designer Narendra Kumar — he's made the Beret his trademark — the act of putting on a hat is often viewed as an act of self-indulgence. "By putting on a hat, you're dressing up. For a long time, people weren't used to that idea. It’s changing, though," he says.

So as we — the nine-to-five masses — are taking an interest in the clothes we wear, headgear cannot be far behind. The revolution will come, one day, in the form of Panamas, Berets, et al. But for now most of the city's shops remain empty of any headgear. So those discerning few who do wear hats have to pick them up from retail outlets in other countries.

At last count, model Sarah Jane had about 16 hats. Fact is, that the one of the most expensive items in her wardrobe is not a pair of leather boots or a gown, but a classic Burberry hat.

"I love them all. I have a black Fedora, Berets in different colours, even a Stetson," she says. None of them have been bought from the city. "I don't know why it's not popular here, but I guess the reason is that people are self-conscious. They think they have to be someone to wear a hat," she says.

And it's true. In an attempt to resurrect a bad hair day this reporter spent the weekend traipsing around the city in a floppy red and yellow checked hat, and everyone from the taxi driver to the bartender kept staring rather rudely. "And what do you do with the hat once you reach the workplace?" asks Meera Shah, a graphics designer who's wardrobe always reflects the latest fashion trends. "Do you keep wearing it, or do you stuff it in your bag?"

But the issue of headgear etiquette can be addressed once we start wearing them. There's something charming, almost romantic about the hat. The way it's angled, eyes sometimes partially hidden under the brim, says a lot of the wearer. It's even worked for Babyshambles frontman Pete Doherty, who managed to attract one of the world's prettiest woman. If it worked for Doherty, it will work on anyone.

Also read: Hats off to Kakkar

t_anjali@dnaindia.net