With the Spring Racing Carnival fast approaching, women around the country are planning their wardrobes. And their hat or headpiece is always the most important element.

So how can you choose the right one for you? We spoke to Marea Bright, a Melbourne-based milliner with more than 52 years of experience for her best tips so you can look red-carpet ready on the big day.

1. Consider your face shape

Face shapes are important, and different styles flatter different face shapes. If you have an oval face shape you’re lucky that most styles will work for you. Meanwhile, those with a longer face should consider a hat that sits lower on the forehead to shorten their face, while the objective with round faces is to lengthen them with a taller hat or angled fascinator.

(Having said this, it is possible to break the rules – just see tip 7!)

2. Coordinate with your dress

It’s important to coordinate your hat or headpiece with your wardrobe on the day. Different headpieces suit different dress styles, and a piece that might look lovely in one type of dress (for instance, a cocktail-length day dress) may not suit another (such as a skirt suit).

With this in mind, bring your race-day outfit along when you go shopping for your headpiece. Or, if you choose the headpiece first, bring that with you when you start dress shopping.

3. Keep your event in mind

The type of headpiece you choose will depend on the event you’re going to. Whether it’s a cocktail party or wedding, what time of day it is, is the event indoors or an outdoor one, and more. A good milliner can help you with the appropriate choice for your event but, as a general rule, a hat is more appropriate during the day, whereas a smaller piece would be more appropriate for a cocktail event.

4. Focus on quality

Quality is essential. A piece from a cheap accessory store will look cheap, and won’t last beyond the day itself. A quality piece crafted by a milliner will not only be one of a kind, but it will last for years, and can be worn again to future events.

Note that it doesn’t have to be expensive, but with a quality piece you’ll always feel better and for longer.

5. Give yourself time

Give yourself plenty of time to find the right headpiece for your outfit. Leaving it to the last minute will only lead to stress for you, and it will narrow your options as many ready-to-wear pieces will have sold out, and you won’t have the time to have a piece custom made.

6. Work with a milliner

Choosing a headpiece is like building a house. To get the best result, you need to go the right people for help.

A good milliner won’t simply create your headpiece or hat, but they will educate you on your options. This includes covering what will suit your personal style, the event and your ensemble on the say.

On the other hand, if you just wander into a department store that happens to have a hat section, you might be confronted by a sales assistant who might tell you that you look terrific when you don’t. Or worse, you might shop online and be disappointed by the headpiece once it’s delivered.

7. Know when to break the rules

Although there are countless rules around what to wear based on your face shape, your hair cut, your dress and more, many of these rules can be broken. In my business, I’ve broken all of the rules.

For instance, if you have a square chin or round face, you might think a certain style of hat won’t work for you. However, by wearing it on an angle or changing the trim, it changes the look of the hat completely, and can make it quite flattering.

It’s all about you as an individual, and working with you to bring out the look that you want. And a milliner can help with this.