Tightwad Tuesday: Free People Lolita Stud Hat for Less

Please don’t, darlings. Do not attempt to leave the house without properly accessorizing your ensemble. You may think that your cocktail dress is fine as is, but it would look so much more tantalizing if embellished with a statement necklace. And I can’t tell you how much more enticing your simple t-shirt would be if only transformed into designer fashion with a Collective Eighteen Pleated Chiffon Scarf in Red Pepper. Ignoring the lure and the masterful power of accessories is completely out of the realms of my way of thinking. I only hope that such behavior never crosses your mind either, kittens.

Of course, the accessory in question is not of the baubled variety this time. Sure, it sparkles and twinkles in its own way, but the shimmering splendor has more to do with the studs spotting its surface than with any type of diamond decoration; a fabrication that turns ordinary into extraordinary – a minute garnishment that is bold and brazen yet soft and demure all at once. Oui, Free People’s Lolita Stud Hat is all this and more.

Aside from a knit beret sitting snugly atop my hair every now and then, the closest I ever get to a hat is a very ladylike headband perched atop the crown of my head like a princess’s tiara; but I have seen one too many cute band boys as of late rocking fedoras, and I am convinced that my wardrobe is in dire need of one – even if it only comes out in the dead of night for crazy parties. I refuse, however, to forgo feminine detailing, which is why I am so smitten with the Lolita Stud Hat.

The stud adorned double-wrap buckled strap that criss-crosses about the inner brim is a splash of girly glam with the ability to make one feel like a rebellious rocker chick – not a groupie, mind you – and would make for the most wonderful accessory for a wild Saturday night starring you and your out of control friends. Unfortunately, the telltale piece of the puzzle that I am completely not smitten with is the $98.00 pricetag. I refuse to pay such an exorbitant price for a fedora – albeit a fabulous one – that will be spending more time in my closet than on my head. Luckily, Forever 21, as is their custom, is here to save the day.

The Shiny Dot Trim Fedora, while not outfitted in studs, has a brim covered in dazzling sequins which are easily as effective at casting a pinch of radiance about your person, and making you a glitzy sight to behold no matter the atmosphere. And at $12.80 it is most certainly a more budget-friendly addition to your amassment of accessories.

Are you having a tightwad moment darlings, or are you plagued with a craving to splurge?


Fashionably yours!


Thanks to Free People and Forever 21 for the pictures.