Connolly Knitted Hat

The humble hat. 

Tricky. 

The problem, hats are important and often ‘over designed’, so unless pastiche is your middle name or you fancy attempting to be some sartorial PI, most are best avoided. 

That said, a good hat is a great thing.

The secret? Who wears who.

Hat wears you, bad hat.

You wear hat, good hat. 

Of all the hats, the beanie is the most difficult to get right. You’ll want something which avoids you being mistaken for a failed boy band member, dog walker extraordinaire, or faux suburban skater.

I’ve tried, I really have. Amongst the many failures, there have been moments of success; a cashmere beanie from Lock’s, a hat so great that all the local moths came round for an early Christmas lunch…

This year though, I’ve cracked it. Subtly sporting a slinky, well chunky, chicly green, arran number from No. 4 Clifford Street. 

Describing the fit of a hat is tough. It is such a subjective thing, but this manages to be tight enough, but not too tight, and large enough, but not too large. 

Simply put, out of all the many, far too many hats I have tried, post the moth feast, this is the one. 

Hand knitted in Scotland, it’s presently perched atop my head as a method writing tool. I’m thinking Frank Serpico meets a tonally conscious boulevardier. It is a lovely green afterall. Hopefully because it’s been beautifully made and thankfully ‘un designed’ no one else is thinking, who is that prat in the hat?

I guess this is the essence of what Isabel Ettedgui and her team at Connolly are trying to achieve. Making beautiful, in many respects thoughtful items of clothing and accessories, which have a good point of difference – did I mention that green – but fit quietly and elegantly into your life. Essentials. ‘How did I manage without them’ items and ‘I can’t remember a time before them’ things.