what a little red bonnet does for your outfit

the swiss army knife of styling tricks

One thing I know for certain: I am not a beanie person.

Since getting a bob in 2021, I got really into bonnets, balaclavas, kerchiefs…the general headscarf category. They feel cool because you’re sort of playing on the element of time and age in your presentation.

• bonnets remind me of babies

• balaclavas and other garments of that shape remind me of the elderly

• silk scarves remind of me the 1960s

In December, I cleaned out my desk drawer and found a pack of half-used ‘The Snowy Day’ stamps. I absolutely adore these pictures. The indigo purple, the tomato red, the icy white. The cuteness of the baby’s body shape and hands and feet. And most iconically, the pointy little red bonnet. What a bonbon. What a Hersey’s kiss. I wanted to feel like that.

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So, what does a little red bonnet do for your outfit?

I tried styling three looks with and without the bonnet. Analyzing the photos side by side really help me articulate what it is the bonnet adds…how it functions as a stylistic swiss army knife for any outfit. Whether you want to create interest through texture, color, shape or just a humorous visual reference—consider this the little bonnet that could.

Outfit 1

First things first, here’s where I found my bonnet on Etsy. The outfit with the bonnet creates a cohesive tone of humor in the outfit. The mary jane sweater (old Sandy Liang) is funny worn with the literal Marni mary janes, and the bonnet underscores that intentional choice. It also tilts the look towards the quirkier side of schoolgirl inspired style.

Outfit 2

This was direct color inspiration from the Snowy Day stamp. Purple, red and white. I layered two Erica Tanov slip dresses with the black peeking out and was quite happy with the styling. The bonnet makes a huge color impact here. It gives the purple tones more depth. Also—I love how the slightly pointed almond toes of the Miu Miu boots function as the other bookend to the pointy bonnet tip. There is a head-to-toe harmony in the shapes.

Outfit 3

The star of the look is the sheepy boucle Tibi bomber jacket. It’s cropped and turns your torso in a big puffy popcorn—so much fun! I wore the Nelle Atelier Claire jeans with Freda Salvador cowgirl heels, so between the denim and the spur design on the heels, there’s an underlying rugged western influence that comes through. A cowgirl hat would be too obvious. A bonnet though creates tension by pulling the look back into a feeling of softness and baby-ness, through the knit texture and associations with childlike garments.

What’s your favorite way to style a bonnet?

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