12 Different Types of Hats for Women: For Winter, Spring, Summer & Fall

Plus expert insights on finding the best hat type for you!

Co-authored by Neepa Sikdar and Elaine Heredia, BA

Last Updated: December 3, 2025 Fact Checked

From the baseball cap to the fedora, a hat is often the last finishing touch your outfit needs to make you look truly iconic. In case you're unfamiliar with the range of women's hats out there, we've compiled a list of 12 types of hats for women, the seasons you should wear them in, and which face shapes suit them best, according to personal stylist Neepa Sikdar. We'll also share advice from beauty and skincare specialist Barbie Ritzman on minimizing hat hair. Let's go!

Popular Types of Women's Hats & Their Names

An illustration of different types of hats worn by women.

Baseball cap: A classic yet casual hat with a rounded crown and stiff front brim.
Beanie: A cozy cap that clings to your head.
Cloche: A 1920s throwback that looks like an elegant version of a bucket hat.
Cowboy hat: A timeless, rustic style in which the brim flares up on the sides.
Newsboy cap: A chic slouchy cap that will elevate your streetwear look.

1

Baseball Cap

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Wear it to look sporty and to keep the sun out of your eyes. Who says baseball caps are for men only? This casual hat style looks just as cute on women, and it's super functional, too. It keeps the flyaways off your face and the sun out of your eyes, and it looks even more stylish when paired with a cute pair of sunglasses. Plus, it can cover up your hair on those days when you have to rush out the door without taking a shower!
- Best seasons: All year round
- Best face shape: Sikdar says oval and round face shapes look best in baseball caps.^{[1]
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- How to style it: An oversized boxy t-shirt, skinny jeans or jeggings, and sneakers
Meet the wikiHow Experts

Neepa Sikdar is a personal stylist with 18 years of fashion experience. She specializes in working with female leaders to develop their style through personal styling, brand styling, and online styling.

Barbie Ritzman is a beauty and skincare specialist with over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry. She specializes in skincare and aesthetics, and she also owns a digital marketing brand called Barbie's Beauty Bits.

2

Beanie

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Keep your head toasty and your outfit hip. For those brisk days and chilly nights in fall and winter, nothing beats a beanie for keeping your noggin cozy. But this hat isn't only practical! It's also youthful and stylish, and looks great on women of all ages, from high school-age teens to college grads to moms and career women on the go.
- Best seasons: Fall and winter
- Best face shapes: All face shapes
- How to style it: A chunky knit sweater, skinny jeans or jeggings, and Chelsea boots

3

Beret

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Wear this jaunty, French-inspired cap at a stylish tilt. You don't have to be French or live in Paris to wear a beret! While not exactly versatile, the beret is always a chic accessory choice. You'll look incredibly stylish wearing it while walking the streets of a big city, sitting at a coffee shop, and enjoying outdoor activities like hayrides and ice skating.
- Best seasons: Fall, winter, and early spring
- Best face shapes: Square and oval
- How to style it: A turtleneck sweater, a peacoat, wide-leg trousers, and chunky loafers

4

Boater Hat

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Wear a straw boater in summer to stay cool during summer fun. The boater was once preferred mostly by men, but now it's a fashion piece for women, too! Its wide, wraparound brim is super elegant and super versatile at the same time.^{[2]
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- Best seasons: Spring and summer
- Best face shapes: Oval or oblong
- How to style it: A Bohemian-style sundress with sandals
EXPERT TIP

Barbie Ritzman
Beauty & Skincare Specialist
Barbie Ritzman is a Beauty Specialist, Influencer, and the Owner of Barbie’s Beauty Bits. With over 10 years of experience in the beauty industry, she specializes in skincare and aesthetics. Barbie studied marketing at Tidewater Community College and holds a Certificate from the Media Buying Academy. For her work, she’s won Beauty Influencer of the Year - The USA and was featured in “The Allure 50,” which includes the year’s 50 most influential people in the beauty industry.

Barbie Ritzman
Beauty & Skincare Specialist

Minimize hat hair with hair products and liners. Apply texturizing spray, dry shampoo, leave-in conditioner, or anti-frizz serum to your hair before donning a hat to reduce flyaways and matting. Wear a cap lined in satin or silk to reduce friction.

5

Bucket Hat

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Rock this classic streetwear hat any time of year. Want to look effortlessly cool and pay homage to the 1990s and early 2000s at the same time? A bucket hat is your ticket to nostalgia! Like the boater, this accessory looks dynamite in all seasons. Just make sure to choose a weather-appropriate material! Cotton or linen work best for hot sunny days, polyester will keep your hair dry in the rain, and felt or wool are better for fall and winter.
- Best seasons: All year round
- Best face shapes: Square or oval
- How to style it: A crop top, parachute pants, and platform sandals

6

Cloche

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Set out on the town with a cozy cloche. A cloche may look like a bucket hat, but it's anything but! A bucket hat has a square crown and is generally floppy. A cloche, on the other hand, has a round crown and is stiff. It was most popular in the 1920s, but can a chic style like this ever really go out of fashion?^{[3]
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- Best seasons: All year round
- Best face shapes: Square or oval
- How to style it: Sleeveless boatneck dress, strappy heels

7

Cowboy Hat

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Make a statement with this timeless, rustic style. These wide-brimmed hats with flare-up sides aren't just for rodeos (although you can certainly wear one if you're going!). They're also for wearing to barbecues, bonfires, and festivals. If you live in Texas, you might even consider donning a cowboy hat to attend a wedding! A cowboy hat is also a great choice for shading your face while working in your garden. Once again, material is key to comfort. Straw is the most classic option, but felt and leather add a touch of elegance.
- Best seasons: All year round
- Best face shapes: Sikdar recommends cowboy hats for people with square face shapes.^{[4]
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- How to style it: Chambray button-down shirt, barrel jeans, and cowboy boots

8

Fedora

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Throw back to the 1930s and 1940s with this signature hat design. Fedoras made their fashion debut in the late 1800s and were considered symbols of the progressive feminist movement at the time.^{[5]
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Research source} While you don't see them as much today, they're still beautiful and timeless hats, with a wide brim, a crown pinched at the front and back, and a band around the crown's base. The front of the brim is often angled downward, the better to shade your face from the sun, wind, and rain.
- Best seasons: All year round
- Best face shapes: According to Sikdar, people with round or square faces will look best wearing fedoras.^{[6]
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- How to style it: A button-down shirt, high-waisted trousers, and pumps

9

Newsboy Cap

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Channel Andy Sachs in The Devil Wears Prada with this slouchy chapeau. If it's in The Devil Wears Prada (starring Meryl Streep as the rancorous editor of Runway magazine), it must be stylish! The newsboy cap has been around much longer than that movie, of course, but it's still just as iconic. Slouchy, but structured, this hat elevates women's streetwear to new heights.
- Best seasons: Fall and winter
- Best face shapes: Have a round or oval face? Sikdar says a newsboy cap will look best on you!^{[7]
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- How to style it: A long-sleeved button-down shirt, a button-down vest, a knee-length pencil skirt, and knee-high boots

10

Sun Hat

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Relax by the pool or on a beach with this floppy-brimmed straw hat. With the powers of sunblock and the sun hat combined, your face will never know the meaning of the word "sunburn"! This hat's wide, floppy brim made of straw offers maximum shade and maximum ventilation. It's the perfect summer accessory!
- Best seasons: Summer
- Best face shapes: All face shapes
- How to style it: A swimsuit, a knit swimsuit cover-up, and sandals

11

Trucker Hat

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This hat is slightly different from a baseball cap, but just as iconic. The differences between this style and the classic baseball cap are subtle, but they're nevertheless distinct. The trucker hat has a breathable mesh back with an adjustable snap closure, foam front panels, and a curved brim. Meanwhile, the baseball cap's crown is softer and more rounded.^{[8]
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Research source} Wear the trucker hat while running errands, working in your garden, or spending time with your family in the park.
- Best seasons: All year round
- Best face shapes: Oval and round
- How to style it: A tank top, an oversized plaid flannel shirt, straight jeans, and sneakers

12

Visor

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Shade your eyes while playing tennis or doing other outdoor activities. The beauty of a visor is that it shades your eyes without giving you hat hair! It's most closely associated with tennis players, but you can wear it for any other outdoor activity in warm, sunny weather.
- Best seasons: Spring and summer
- Best face shapes: Oval and round
- How to style it: A tennis dress with athletic shoes