InstagramAsk Selena Gomez, Kylie Jenner, Katy Perry or Vanessa Hudgens: No festival ensemble is complete without a wide-brimmed hat. And while plenty of luxe ladies rock the look for more posh affairs (see: Kim Kardashian and Jennifer Lopez), you don't have to drop celebrity-sized coin to cop the look for yourself.
Modding a simple, inexpensive topper with a few classic embellishments—such as suede leather lacing and feathers—can be done with a few everyday tools and in less time than it takes to watch an episode of Empire. Here's how to get crafty—and come out looking like a style star.
Gather Supplies: To whip this simple hat into a stunner, you'll need the following tools: a brimmed hat, scissors, glue gun and glue sticks, 3mm suede leather lacing and/or leather cord, suede lace, feathers, sewing needle and thread colored to match the hat.
Measure cord for the band: Wrap the leather lacing and cord around the hat, where the crown meets the band, to pinpoint the amount of decorative lacing and cord needed.
Cut the cord: Take the measured length of your leather lacing and cord combo and tack on an extra six inches or so before cutting (the extra length is required for braiding). Cut with scissors.
Braid the cord: Braid the cut pieces of cord and leather lacing together. If using more than three pieces of decorative fabric, be sure to double up on some of the sides to give a textured look. Tie off the end to secure the braid; this will be used as your hat band.
Affix the band: Position one end of the braided leather lacing where the crown of the hat meets the brim and in the place in which feathers are planned to be added. In this example, the braided lacing was affixed on the right hand side of the hat, slightly toward the front. Use your needle and thread to sew the band to the hat with a few stitches.
Wrap the band: Wrap the entire braid around the hat, continuing to sew the band in place using few stitches approximately every three inches along the way, to secure the braided lacing. After covering the circumference, use scissors to cut away any excess.
Affix feathers: Add feathers along the band wherever desired, weaving the quill in the leather lacing braid for placement control. Glue them into place using a glue gun.
Conceal any glue: Use the glue gun to secure a final feather atop the others to hide any visible glue or wayward strands on the band.
Let dry: After allowing approximately 10 minutes for the glue to set, your tricked-out new hat will be ready to wear.
The best part? When fellow fashion plates inevitably ask you where you got your one-of-a-kind hat, you can casually shoot back, "I made it."