The Five Best Local Hat Shops, Just in Time for Summer Sunshine
Whether you’re looking for a Party in the Park–worthy headpiece or a casual cap for home games, these spots have you covered (literally).
Marie Galvin’s SoWa studio. / Courtesy photo
For Vintage-Inspired Fascinators
The Designers, Leather Clothiers
Cocktail hats and fascinators—small but mighty brimless headpieces, often decorated with feathers, flowers, beads, and veils—are among the lavish accessories on display at the Emerald Necklace Conservancy’s marquee May event, Party in the Park. If you’re making an appearance at that garden party—or any others—this season, be sure to check out the wares at this charming Beacon Hill shop, which stocks everything from pillbox hats to disk-shaped fascinators and statement-making headbands. For spring, of course, they’re all decked out in pastel hues.
106 Charles St., Boston, 617-720-3967, designerleatherclothes.com.
Bodega x New Era’s tweed cap comes emblazoned with the Sox logo. / Courtesy photo
For Contemporary Caps
Bodega
This not-so-secret-anymore streetwear spot may be best known for its exclusive drops of designer sneakers, but don’t sleep on the accessories collection. The graphic flat caps by Pharrell Williams’s label Billionaire Boys Club, patterned bucket hats, classic beanies, and logo-embellished looks from Carhartt WIP are just as cool—and the best part is, you don’t need to wait for a special release to snag ’em.
6 Clearway St., Boston, bdgastore.com.
For Designer Derby Looks
Marie Galvin Millinery
While most of us won’t actually be attending the Kentucky Derby, we can at least tune in from our favorite bar—dressed in race-day regalia, of course. And the sculptural hats from couture milliner Marie Galvin, who’s been crafting artistic headpieces for 22 years, are a clear front-runner. Step into her SoWa studio to see the collection firsthand, keeping your eyes peeled for standouts like an ivory woven sinamay piece blooming with baby-blue orchids and a lilac number topped with a dramatic oversize bow.
450 Harrison Ave., Boston, 617-834-2910, mariegalvin.com.
A spring-ready fascinator from the Designers, Leather Clothiers. / Courtesy photo
For Something Traditional
Salmagundi
Fancy a classic ivy cap? A woven straw Panama? A ribbon-trimmed raffia cloche? This hatter with locations in the North End and Jamaica Plain has them in spades. In fact, with more than 12,000 hats available at the
J.P. location alone, you’ll likely find yourself scooping up more than a few styles with help from husband-and-wife duo Andria Rapagnola and Jessen Fitzpatrick and their team of headwear experts.
765 Centre St., Jamaica Plain, 617-522-5047; 61 Salem St., Boston, 617-936-4015; salmagundiboston.com.
For Boston-Centric Hats
The Label
Sometimes, the best way to show off your Hub pride is to wear it front and center. And the Label’s minimalist “IVBoston” box logo caps—donned by the likes of Julian Edelman, Patrice Bergeron, and likely a handful of strangers you’ve passed on the street—let you do just that. Take it to the next level with hats designed in collaboration with everyone from Cambridge rapper Millyz and the New England Cartel’s UFC fighters to the Patriots and Bruins.
