Some people will always opt for a fascinator because it is easy to wear, doesn’t flatten your hair and is easy to pack for travelling. But get even this simple option wrong and you risk ending up looking like you have a scruffy bird on your head – a handful of dyed feathers attached to a small base! However, a fascinator if well designed with beautiful lines can look very elegant – and need not feature feathers.

For me, a hat that flatters your face and sets off your outfit will always be the more elegant option. If you are the mother of the bride and you and your daughter want the guests to wear a hat to the wedding, it is best to give them plenty of notice so they can find something that really works well for them. Etiquette demands the mother of the groom should always wear a slightly smaller hat than the mother of the bride and that guests should not upstage either – so if you are not central to the wedding party think conservative.

Hats should not drown head and shoulders if only because the bride and groom will want to see their guests’ faces when they look at the wedding photos. Traditionally the size of a hat should reflect the time of day: a large brim hat would be perfect for an afternoon wedding assuming you will need it for sun protection.

Morning or early evening events demand a smaller hat – there was a time when a large brim at these times of day would have been considered vulgar in society.

Remember you can’t take your hat off until the mother of the bride removes hers. If you are worried your hair will be an issue at this point, get around this by wearing a hat on a band. Also the style rule for a decorated hat is that any feathers, flowers or embellishments should be on the right side of the hat.