Spring has sprung (apparently - though my wind-chapped ankles say otherwise) and with it comes the start of the summer season.Weddings, christenings, days at the races and garden parties all come with their own dress codes, but whether you???re shooting for ???bohemian black tie??? or ???picnic chic???(me neither), the eternal question remains: to hat or not to hat?They???re out of the comfort zone for many of us, and for some occasions, they???re not optional.But unless you???re the mother of the bride (or the owner of the horse), a statement hat can feel like overkill, and make an enemy of whoever???s standingbehind you.

Which is where the fascinator comes in. Or at least, it did, until it became a hot-button topic in the world of fashion.For those of you unfamiliar with mumsnet, it???s an online community sharing advice on everything from breastfeeding and maternity leave to dealing with your mother-in-law, who should be directed to Gransnet - yes, really.But while you???d expect things to get a little heated when discussing, say, working mums versus stay at home ones, or the appropriate amount of TV time for a three-year-old, it was the fascinator that had them up in arms this week.???Back away??? they warned, branding fascinators passe - and a lot of other things that I???ve deemed unpublishable.The general consensus?Cheap-looking, overdone and just plain naff.Blimey.

???Fascinators have become a Marmite piece, rather like leggings???, says Ruth Ravenscroft, Creative Director at Lock & Co. Hatters;???some people will always love them for the ease - they???re affordable and very easy to pack and travel with - but others have seen them worn in less successful ways and are now allergic to the sight of them.But then, there is a huge difference between a fascinator that is just a handful of feathers sewn onto a small base and a headpiece that has been designed with a beautiful line.???

So are fascinators really naff?Certainly they???re rarely part of the high-fashion landscape: you won???t find Demna Gvasalia topping off a Balenciaga suit with a pastel-pink twist of raffia dipped low over one eye, but you will see ???proper??? hats on the catwalk - for Spring Summer ???17, Giorgio Armani showed super-wide-brimmed sunhats with relaxed tailoring, while long-at-the-front hats made for modern reinventions of the mushroom at Erdem.But there???s no denying that for Dior???s haute couture show, Stephen Jones??? bespoke feathered and flowering creations were unmistakably fascinators - albeit incredibly chic ones.Would I wear one, you ask?Certainly; if you???re buying, I???d take the lot.

???Fascinators are a great accessory for a summer garden party or wedding??? says Juliet Slot, Commercial Director at Ascot, whose dress code allows fascinators in some areas.???They add to the sense of occasion and instantly elevate a look into something more special.Although we welcome fascinators in the Queen Anne enclosure, we have purposefully not included them in the Royal Enclosure as we feel hats are more appropriate; in my opinion, the right hat will always be more elegant than a fascinator, and I feel racegoers agree.???

It seems that sometimes the only difference between a fascinator and a headpiece is a few centimetres (ten, in this case).If you???re heading to Royal Ascot, I???d advise getting the ruler out.Otherwise?I???d say wear whatever suits you - even if that happens to be a raffia twist.But on your head be it.

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