One must be wary of buying hats. They are sneaky creatures that trick you in the store and so often lose their charm when pulled out of your closet. But a good hat, a perfect headband, a perky flower lovely enough people suggest you spray it with perfume … any of these good accessories on your head can make all the difference in the world.

Hats and other hair accessories of all kinds were ubiquitous on the fall ’09 runway, with many designers sticking to classic silhouettes and others reviving lost ones from the past — such as with wrapped turbans from Aquascutum, highly embellished, jaunty little pill-box hats at an angle from Sonya Rykiel and leather aviator caps and goggles from Hermès, complementing their ’30s-inspired collection. Others used head wear as an opportunity for fantasy, with Louis Vuitton showing bows tied like bunny-ears around buns, and other designers exploring oriental themes through elaborate headdresses.

Dolce & Gabbana were all over the accessories this collection — on top of their already opulent, exciting, complex designs they featured hats, belts and scarves made of leather gloves — the fingers abstracted into dangling fringe and sculptural shapes, such that it takes the viewer a while to process that these elegant, expressive accessories are made of such an everyday item.

Armani also favored hats for this fall, sending every one of the models down the runway with either a black patent leather newsboy hat (exactly what it sounds like — a hat like they wear in Newsies, with a little bill and a poofy crown) or a matte black beret, both worn so sharp at an angle they sometimes only covered half the model’s head.

My all-time favorite accessory in the fall collections was Fendi’s thick headbands. Soft fabric gathered at what would be a side-part with gold stitching and worn forward so that no hair showed in the front. The hair was worn pulled back and teased a little to create volume behind the headband. The effect was regal but edgy, framing the face and clothes beautifully showcasing the structure of both.

This summer I got a great five-pack of plain-colored wide soft headbands from CVS for under five bucks and I love them; with all accessories, but especially with hair accessories, your M.O. should be to keep your eyes peeled for something awesome to pop up. For example, you’re waiting for a prescription at CVS, or wandering around Wegman’s looking for toothpaste — and voila — a sweet tortoise-shell hair clip for $2.99 or a great pack of little girls’ pastel bows or something.

What’s great about head wear is that it can change the way your outfit presents itself. Accessories that are expected or typical with a given outfit can increase the strength of whatever it is you are going for with your outfit. For example, Dsquared2, a line that featured punked-up leather, T-shirts, plaid and denim, with a good dose of smoky eye, completed many of their looks with floppy knit hats a la Sienna Miller, and various trucker and conductor hats.

On the other hand, head wear can contrast the flavor of the rest of the outfit; wearing an elastic fabric headband (sporty) to the gym is predictable and fits the occasion. Wearing the same headband with a pencil skirt, T-shirt, and jacket gives you complementary elements of high and low, sporty and refined, giving new life to all of the elements involved. This can go the other way too, of course. A flower in the hair can add a dash of color or joy to a good solid T-shirt, jeans and sneakers. On Forever21.com there are some ridiculously cheap and awesome headbands and clips with flowers, be-sequined bows and a red sequin beret for $4.80 I might just have to buy even if it is ridiculous.

Target has a wide range of hats all around $15: newsboy, conductor, berets and knits. Their hats are so jaunty they were even photographed at an angle on their website! My favorites from them include a teal wool newsboy hat with diminutive proportions: the bill is not too big, and the crown of the hat is sculpted, not bulging. I also liked their classic wool beret (a staple!) in a lovely mustard yellow, and an adorable small black hat with feathers and a small net veil.

As I said at the outset of this column, hats can be very tricky; it is all a matter of proportion and personal style. Inexplicably, in my experience, a hat can change from perfect to terrible from day to day. The same goes with other hair accessories, and that’s partly why I’m encouraging you all to go first for some inexpensive options — so you can experiment! Then, if you find something that really works for you, invest in a more durable version, or try another color. And most of all, as always, have fun.