Spring showers have begun, signaling summer’s arrival soon will be upon us. After a few months spent mostly indoors due to less-than-ideal temperatures, warmer weather couldn’t have come soon enough.

Before stepping foot outside, though, every discerning gentleman must look over his wardrobe. Now is the time to update styles and ensure their clothes are still fitting as they should and the colors are as sharp as ever.

While taking stock of the everyday items — shirts, slacks and shorts — don’t forget to consider how to top off your look. That’s right, we’re talking about hats.

Headwear can put the finishing touches on any spring or summer look just as much as it can in autumn or winter. The hats worn in those months won’t quite do the trick in warmer weather, though. Here are a few select tips on how to pick hats that will make you look great this spring and summer.

Separate formal from informal hat styles

The first way any hat wearer should discern between headwear styles is by organizing hats based on whether they are formal or informal in style.

In general, hats with brims tend to look better in formal settings. Think trilby, fedora and homburg styles. These hats look best with suits or other formal clothing styles, including evening wear. Sometimes material or fabric can allow these headwear styles to veer more into informal territory, but we’ll get to that later in this post.

Flat hats are what you should be reaching for if you want to aim for more of an informal appearance but still want to have that classic, sophisticated look hats can offer. There are many offshoots of the flat cap style that have stuck around for many, many years as personal favorites of many men. They carry more of a vintage look, but that’s only garnered it even more favor as the years go on.

There are, of course, other hat styles that are completely informal, such as baseball caps, bucket caps and beanies. That is not to say you can’t still look sharp in these forms of headwear, but you probably shouldn’t don one of these styles when heading to a dinner party or similar evening event.

Enter the Panama hat

We can’t talk about spring and summer hats for men without mentioning the Panama hat. This style is a brimmed straw hat that looks extremely good with a lightweight cotton or linen suit. Though Panama hats traditionally were made of a specific type of straw, there are also very light cotton versions now available, too.

Thanks to the breathable and open weave, the Panama hat is ideal for those formal settings near beaches or during concerts or other artistic events where looking sharp only inspires admiring glances.

Need to pair a hat and suit?

Many men will encounter a few moments or events every summer during which it may be appropriate to pair a hat with a suit or a vest. At these formal events, you will want to have on hand a few summer dress hat options.

Unlike dress hats made of wool or felt, their summer versions are made of material that is much more lightweight and breathable. Summer pork pie hats are one example, while lighter-weight fedoras — perhaps made out of straw — are other options.

Aside from matching colors with the rest of your outfit, the number one rule to follow when wearing formal hats is to do so with plenty of confidence. That is the only tried and true method of being sure you look good with anything sitting atop your crown.

Find the perfect flat cap for most settings

Flat caps, such as the classic newsboy cap, are great for spring and summer. These types of hats are recognized for their history of being worn by English gentlemen. Though it spent a few years out of favor, the flat cap has come roaring back.

Part of the flat cap’s resurgence in popularity can be traced to its versatility. It’s able to make just about any outfit look a little smarter.

Flat caps should fit well, not too loose or too tight. If there’s too much extra cap for your head, then the sides are going to sag. That’s not a good look for anyone, so make sure the hat’s material is well-constructed and is durable to withstand plenty of outings.

Don’t forget the traditional baseball cap

Don’t make the mistake of reserving baseball caps to sporting events or rounds of golf with your pals. Sure, the caps adorned with team logos may be best left to those settings, but solid color or other simpler styles can be brought out in other situations, too.

Think afternoons out on a boat, camping trips and family get-togethers at the park. These are all ideal territory for a comfortable baseball cap that fits well but does not scream your allegiance to a certain sports team. Save those for the stadiums.

Not all variations of the baseball cap are appropriate for every wearer. This is not an every-style-for-every-man situation. For example, the newer flat-brimmed and snapback styles are better left reserved for younger wearers who maybe are not afraid to stray outside of classic, more mature clothing styles.

The key to baseball caps is to remember that they belong in the most casual of settings. If you are laid back, then you can adorn a baseball cap. It’s probably best left separate from any sort of business environment.

Discover your personal style at Hansen’s Clothing

Here at Hansen’s Clothing, we’ve been helping men with tastes for high-quality clothing discover some of the most notable brands available throughout the world for nearly 120 years.

Our store traces its roots through three generations of tailors, each of whom was committed to the highest level of detail and craftsmanship. We still operate to this day as a fine men’s clothing store dedicated to old-fashioned service and a well-earned knowledge of both fabric and style.

Hansen’s Clothing only carries the finest of brands. Browse our selection of handpicked items from clothiers across the world to discover your personal style.