Stott and Scott present the Floppy’ wester: The Game Changing Hat.

The British weather. Changeable – and let’s face it, mostly miserable. It’s a brave move to leave the house between September and May without an umbrella in your handbag.

But umbrellas are prone to jamming, dripping – and we’ve all been that person whose brolly blows inside out in a gale. And when we’re laden down with shopping, need one hand free to make a phone call, hold a child or dog-lead; balancing an umbrella becomes a juggling trick too!

Best friends Jacqueline and Caroline, directors of Manchester based company Stott & Scott, have taken matters into their own hands as they introduce their creation – the reversible Floppy’wester hat.

The hat was inspired partly by the seafaring sou’wester and partly by the wide brimmed, floppy chic of the Sixties. Cleverly, it is waterproof when worn one way ‘round – then flip it inside out for a completely different, Summery Boho look.

‘Our hats are practical but very versatile and they look as equally striking commuting to work as they do at a garden party or festival…’ explain Jacqueline and Caroline (who were both married to their respective husbands en route to Glastonbury). ‘The waterproof layer has been tried and tested; it’s a godsend for preventing frizzy hair and the wide brim keeps the rain off your face and neck, it’s quick to dry off and best of all, wearing the hat leaves both hands free so that you can go about your busy day…’

Edith Bowman added her support for the Floppy’wester too as she recently tweeted: ‘they’re lush’.

The ‘Manchester’ style Floppy’wester is made from waxed cotton and pretty lace and it comes in six different colourways; including a nautical red and blue, more playful pink and navy, two tone grey and two tone brown, and black with green and black with plum – each one is a statement piece but there is a colour combination to suit every taste and occasion.

Four of the six variations can be machine washed – and all of them can simply be rolled up to fit even the more modest of handbags.

‘Manchester has a heritage of hat-making, which we were keen to respect and revive,’ Jacqueline and Caroline state ‘, our hats are manufactured locally plus all our materials are British…’

Umbrellas: your days are numbered.

Retailing at between £34.99 and £49.99, the hats are available in a number of boutiques as well as via the Stott & Scott website.