Choosing the Perfect Hat for Your Perfect Suit

by Peter White

The drier summer months are coming to a close here in England. Overcast skies and prolonged rain showers are becoming common sights once again. But what does this mean for you, as a well-dressed gentleman? It means that it’s time to choose a hat that will complement your bespoke suit. A hat can help protect you from the elements and enhance the appearance of your suit. However, you need to choose your headgear with care. What exactly are your options?

You could choose to top off your bespoke suit with a trilby. Trilbies are justifiably popular among fashion-forward gentlemen. Their brims are relatively small and are shaped to give them a jaunty appearance, so these hats look thoroughly up-to-date. They work best with suits that have a slim fit or which use light, modern colours. However, they can be worn with any type of suit. You can use a trilby to enhance a sharp suit’s sense of modernity.

However, if you hanker for something a little more suave and imposing, you could opt for a fedora. Fedoras have wider, flatter brims than trilbies, which gives them a stronger, more serious aesthetic. They’re also more traditional than trilbies, which makes them ideal for gentlemen who wish to give their outfits a distinctive vintage flavour. If you own a suit with a more conservative cut or wish to lend your ensemble an arresting and formidable air, we recommend adding a fedora. They complement double-breasted suits particularly well, as these garments already project a sense of power, which the hat can underscore.

Of course, neither trilbies nor fedoras possess quite the same old-fashioned charm as bowler hats. If you want to pair your hat with a truly genteel hat, a bowler is your best option. The appeal of these hats lies in their idiosyncratic, anachronistic appearance. We advice that you pair a bowler hat with your suit if you wish to cultivate a disarming, gentlemanly look.

In the world of men’s fashion, a good bespoke suit can serve as a base for various accessories. Your hat is arguably the most important of these accessories, so make sure you choose your headgear carefully!

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Considering Bespoke?

Every commission begins with a conversation. Here are answers to some of the questions we're often asked.

Business suits start from £999 for single or double breasted, and from £1,299 for a three-piece with waistcoat. Wedding suits start from £999, averaging around £1,500 depending on cloth and detailing.

The standard turnaround is 10 weeks from first fitting to collection. An express service is available in 5 weeks for an additional fee.

Yes. Alongside the York and London showrooms, Mullen & Mullen serves Sheffield and Manchester by arrangement, with fittings available at a client's home or office.

An independent, family-run business with over 50 years of combined experience in the industry, we pride ourselves on exceptional value: quality that speaks for itself without the inflated price tag. Fittings are in person and unhurried, built around a conversation about how a garment should look, fit, and feel, from a standout velvet jacket to a quietly sharp business suit.

The York showroom is at Unit 3, Middlethorpe Business Park, Sim Balk Ln, YO23 2BD, open by appointment Monday to Saturday, 9:30–5:30.

The London showroom is at 35 Sackville Street, Mayfair, W1S 3EG, open by appointment only.

Yes. Fittings can take place at a client's home or office instead of a showroom, at no extra call-out fee.

Bespoke shirts start from £180, made from English and European mill cloths with a choice of over 60 collar and cuff styles.

A bespoke suit is cut to a client's own measurements rather than a standard size, through a multiple-fitting process designed to get the fit right before it's finished. Cloth, lining, buttons, and detailing are all chosen individually rather than fixed in advance.

This individual approach also means better quality and longevity. A bespoke suit is made to fit and move with you, making it a garment built to last for years, not seasons.

Yes, alongside our bespoke suits, we also make bespoke shirts, overcoats, velvet dinner jackets, and shooting attire. Whatever the garment, the same approach applies: an unhurried, in-person fitting process built around getting the look, fit, and feel exactly right.