This hat is the hat world’s version of the “little black dress”. It can be dressed up or down depending on what embellishments are added. Buttons, ribbons, brooches and silk flowers can all change the look of the hat. The way the brim is folded up can make it look like an entirely different hat. You can knit this one hat and have an entire wardrobe of different looks!

There’s a scene in the movie Auntie Mame when the family is invited out to an impromtu Christmas Eve dinner. Mame’s black hat is plain so she snatches a bit of greenery off the Christmas tree to make her hat more festive. You can do the same thing by adding a 99 cent christmas pick, and after christmas you can discard it and replace it with a brooch or button. See the pattern on my blog for other embellishment ideas.