Welcome to the first article in a four-part trend series. This post will cover women’s hat trends for the Autumn/Winter 2018 seasons.

A few months ago, we covered the Spring/Summer 2018 seasons. We always strive to stay ahead of the trends so you’re well prepared for what’s coming next.

There are 4 high-level trends for every fashion season.

The first style for the A/W ’18 season is full of color blocking and classic, distressed collegiate-inspired looks.

The second trend consists of earthy tones and aged effects like quilting, beadwork, leather pieces, and metal embellishments.

The third style revolves around high-tech, artificial intelligence-inspired designs. Textures like metallic leather, velvet, and glow in the dark effects make a bold statement.

The final trend focuses on combing cultures and generations through street art and shared nostalgia. Neon colors accent ethnic patterns.

Over the next few weeks, we will discuss the season’s trends for men and youth, as well as athleisure apparel, so check back every Monday for updates.

But first – the ladies!

Style and Personality

Women are creatures of individuality, so we’ve split this section into four different styles. We’ve related the women’s hat trends back to personalities, activities, and lifestyles.

Cold Weather

This includes knits, fleeces, aviators, and ear warmers. Fur poms and slouch beanies are really popular. We’re expecting heavy weaves, unique textures, cable knits, cuffs, and jacquarding.

Country Boutique

These are the hats you would see a rodeo queen wearing on her day off. This season we’re seeing a lot of earthy tones with distressed looks and frayed fabrics. As always, large jewels, rhinestones, and taglines are popular as well as wildlife graphics.

Outdoorsy

Military shapes and metal patches are gaining popularity in this market, but traditional pre-curved ball caps remain the most popular. You’ll see an emphasis on textures with ripped and frayed visors, heavy decorative stitching, and fabric overlays.

Surf and Skate

There are a lot of 90s throwback styles in this category with light washed out denim, faded dye effects, and dad hats. Trucker hats and flat visor caps with taglines and beach themes are also prevalent.

Decoration Elements

There are a lot of fabrics and embellishments forecasted for women for the A/W ‘18 season.

These include embroidery, velvet, screen printing, satin, quilting, water printing, heavy washes, distressed textures, sublimation, rugged fabrics like leather, metal patches, layered patches, beading, and woven labels, among others.

Graphics

Common motifs we’re seeing in graphics everywhere include skulls, Native American art, landscapes, animals, beach graphics, and patriotic Americana images. There’s a lot of line art and faded distressed imagery.

Prints and Patterns

Cheetah and leopard prints are making a comeback. Buffalo plaid and generic camo are still popular. We’re seeing a lot of blue and white patterns inspired by traditional china. Florals, polka dots, and stripes remain constant. Elephants are also very trendy.

Trim and Details

There are a lot of added decorative features for women’s headwear including floral embroidery, tassels, quilting, perforation, debossing, and embossing. We’ve even seen several caps with ears added on top to resemble a cat.

Fashion Blanks

These will rarely include baseball cap shapes; typically they will be fashion forward like the Captain’s shape, fedoras, and brimmed hats. We’re seeing a lot of warm-toned felt, heathered blends, and color blocking.

Keep an eye out for the men’s, youth, and athleisure trend guides in the coming weeks, and let us know what you think about the women’s hat trends in the comments below. You can also follow us on Instagram using the hashtag #hatswork.