Straw Boater by Innocent World (source: Innocent World)

Boaters have been all the rage lately this Spring/Summer from the streets of Tokyo to mountains of hats in Forever 21 and H&M. Hats haven’t been too popular in modern day fashion, so to see boaters taking off is a breath of fresh air. Boaters are typically made of straw and have a completely flat brim and crown. Unlike the floppy straw sun hat that is typically used at the beach, in the past boaters were thought to be very formal and simply the summer equivelent of a formal felt hat. But with the death of hats in popular fashion circa the 1950s, the boater was all but forgotten.

A few boater hats on display at an H&M retail store (photo by Umi)

Boaters were highly popular in the Victorian era, so it’s no surprise that this new boater trend carries over very well into Lolita fashion. In fact, one could argue that the Lolita brands were ahead of the trend as I recall seeing a smattering of boaters available each year in the Spring/Summer months from at least a few of the brands. My own boater (pictured below) was purchased from Metamorphose two years ago. Incidentally, the Metamorphose boater on its upcoming items page looks like it’s an identical design.

Carousel of Crowns' boaters (Top photo by Umi; Bottom photo by Lydia)

Typically made of straw, the boaters this season are mostly sticking with tradition but have also ventured into the territory of cloth which I’m really loving for a softer, casual look. Read on for a selection of Lolita brand boater hats. If you can’t commit to buying one of these pricier options, pick one up at a retail story near you or purchase a vintage boater (like Lydia’s 1920-30s Stetson boater, pictured above) and jazz it up with some lace, ribbon or flowers.

A classy looking boater by Victorian Maiden (source: Victorian Maiden)

Boaters by Innocent World in various colorways (source: Innocent World)

Straw boaters by Triple Fortune (source: Atelier Pierrot shop blogs)

And now for a few special guest boater appearances by Mori Girl brand, Wonder Rocket – including an example of a boater made of fabric.

Cloth boater by Wonder Rocket (source: Wonder Rocket)

Straw off-white boater by Wonder Rocket (source: Wonder Rocket)

posted by Umi
Tags: accessories, Atelier Pierrot, hats, headdress, Innocent World, japanese brands, Metamorphose, Mori-girl, trends, Triple Fortune, Victorian Maiden, vintage
Filed under: Fashion