Vogue says the bucket hat was originally created for Irish fishermen, and that it became fashionable in the 1980s through hip-hop, with fans including LL Cool J and Run-D.M.C. I like that the shape started as plain work gear. It is a soft, round, brimmed hat that goes on in two seconds, which is exactly why it keeps coming back.

The Burberry bucket hats here run from the loud to the very quiet. The Check cotton bucket hat and the Classic Check Cotton Bucket Hat are the straight reading of the house check, and you will see both of those names twice in this group. The Check bucket hat, the Check Knight bucket hat and the Check EKD Bucket Hat are variations on the same idea, with the knight or the EKD mark added. If you want a hat that shows the check and gives you two looks, the Beige Wool Check Reversible Bucket Hat is the one to try.

Then there are the ones that step away from the check. The Off-white Logo Gabardine Bucket Hat uses the cloth the brand is known for. The Nylon bucket hat is the sleek one, good with a black coat. The Blue Denim Bucket Hat is the easiest one to wear with jeans, as long as you keep the rest of the outfit plain. The Beige Knight Stamp Raffia-Effect Bucket Hat brings the knight in as a stamp, and it is the summery one of the set.

How I wear a bucket hat: pull it down so the brim sits just above your eyebrows, tuck your hair behind your ears, and keep the outfit simple. A check hat with a trench works if the trench is plain. A check hat with a printed scarf is too much.

The last group is the one for cold weather and for the sun, and it is where the Burberry hat for women gets practical. Burberry says its Equestrian Knight Design was chosen through a public competition in the early 1900s, around 1901, and that the banner reads Prorsum, Latin for Forward. In February 2023 the brand unveiled a new logo, and Vogue says it marked a return to the original knight-on-horseback image. You can see that knight on the Equestrian Knight cashmere beanie and the Knight Stamp Woven Sun Hat.

For winter, the beanies are the easy buy. The Beige Check Mohair Wool Blend Beanie and the Burgundy Check Mohair Wool-Blend Beanie are the two colors of the same idea, one pale and one deep. The Check Cashmere Blend Beanie is the one to pick if you want the check in a softer hat, and the Logo wool beanie is the plainest of the group. Try them on with your actual coat collar up, because a beanie that sits too high looks fine alone and silly with a scarf.

The trappers are the funny, charming ones. The Red & Off-white Check Wool Trapper Hat, the Check wool trapper cap and the Check Wool Trapper Hat all are the big, warm shape you picture when you hear the word trapper. They read as outerwear more than an accessory, so wear them with a long coat and keep everything else calm.

Then the brims. The Beige Check Brim Gabardine Hat, the Check brim tropical gabardine hat and the Check brim gabardine hat give you a wider shape than a cap, and the Knight Stamp Woven Sun Hat is the one with the most shade.

What I would skip: a trapper hat on a mild day, or a beanie with a lot of volume under a hood. Both feel heavy fast. I would also skip stacking a check hat with a check scarf and a check bag, because the pattern is strong enough to carry one piece at a time.

If you are still choosing, begin with the life the hat has to live. For a commute or a weekend, a baseball cap. For a trip, a bucket hat. For a cold walk, a beanie or a trapper. The brims are for the days you want a little more shape and shade.

Then choose the pattern by what is already in your closet. If your coats are plain, the check works hard. If you have a lot of print, go for the logo gabardine or the plain Baseball Cap. When you are stuck between two, buy the quieter one.

I also like to look at the inside of a hat before I commit. Try it on, move your head, and see whether it stays put. A good Burberry hat is one you reach for without thinking, and that is the best test I know.