BoomerGirl.com

The clock has been moved ahead, and the weather's warmed up. Now it's time to freshen up your wardrobe for spring. Here are a few words of advice: Don't forget the hat.

Hats can be functional or fashionable, comfortable or chic. They can be as cozy as a knit beret or as classy as a wide-brimmed straw hat with silk and flower trim.

The classics will define headwear this spring, says Joey Pauline, who co-owns The Laundry Room, a fashion boutique in Fresno, Calif. Many hats, however, will sport a modern look. "It's pretty much classics redefined. It's a look that's already happened, but it's funked up a bit," Pauline says.

An array of colors, from bold to earth tones, will be trendy this spring, says Susan Lee, merchandise manager for The Village Hat Shop, with stores in San Diego, Long Beach and Sacramento, Calif.

Here's a look of some of the hot hats for spring.

Fedora

A soft hat with a brim and lengthwise crease in the crown. It's named for Princess Fedora, the heroine of an 1882 play by Victorien Sardou who wore a similar hat. Fedoras often are made of a cotton/polyester blend, but lightweight, breathable material such as straw is popular when it's warm, says Kristi Bigelow, co-owner of Invee Karma, a fashion boutique in Fresno. The trend: brightly colored and print fedoras with satin linings.

Newsboy

A soft fabric cap with a round, puffy, paneled crown often with a button on top. A small bill or visor is sewn or snapped onto the crown. The newsboy, or "newsy," has been trendy for about five years, says Susan Lee of The Village Hat Shop. The cap was worn by children (newsboys) around 1920. Now, it's favored by golfers. This spring's version will have a more contoured shape, making it less flimsy.

Trilby

A soft hat with a narrow, flexible brim and deeply indented crown. Trilbys are similar to fedoras but have a narrower brim. The name comes from a play based on George du Maurier's 1894 novel "Trilby," in which the title character wore this style of hat. Trilbys traditionally were made from rabbit hair felt, but tweed or wool is common. A new style is the Arnie Trilby, a bamboo cotton/polyester blend named after golfer Arnold Palmer. Inspector Clouseau, the character played by Peter Sellers in "Pink Panther" films, wore a Trilby.

Military

This hat has a roomy crown, squared top and sharp, curved bill. They're made of various fabrics, including cotton, wool and polyester. Traditional colors include khaki, olive and brown. For women, the trend is bright, bold colors with glitter and embellishments. The cadet-style by Faith is a popular choice among women.

Trucker

It's similar to a baseball cap but has a mesh back, adjustable strap and button on top. These sometimes are called "gimme" or "feed" caps because they originated as promotional giveaways to farmers and truck drivers from feed and farming supply companies. While the original caps had company logos, today's styles often feature slogans or graphics. Bold designs are hot, and rhinestone and glitter accents are popular among women.

Wide-brim

These have a low crown and wide, stiff brim that frames the face. Straw is the preferred material, but organza cotton, grosgrain ribbon, cotton twill, cotton pique knit and nylon also are used. "From the runway to the beach you'll see more and more wide-brim hats that offer both sun protection as well as classic elegance," says Susan Lee of The Village Hat Shop. Hot colors: blood orange or teal accents.

Sun-conscious

Hats in many styles (ball caps, Panamas) that are suited to outdoor activity. Most have brims at least 2 inches wide. Cotton, hemp, straw and nylon are popular materials. Many offer an Ultraviolet Protection Factor of 30-50. Sporting goods stories, including REI, sell sun-conscious hats, including a Tilley with a UPF 50. Tilleys have a molded crown, wide brim, tuckaway cord, secret pocket and foam liner (to keep them afloat). They are made of various fabrics, including cotton duck, nylon and hemp.

Walker

A soft cloth hat with a center dent and narrow brim that originated in the British Isles and also is known as a "walking hat." They traditionally were made in the British Isles from Harris Tweed. Although straw walkers are popular in spring, all types of fabric, including tweeds and cottons, are worn in temperate climates.

"These hats are pretty classic and most everyone - young to old - purchases them for their traditional style," says Susan Lee of The Village Hat Shop.