Every single terrible hat Rory and Lorelai wore on 'Gilmore Girls'

The mid-2000s were a black hole of fashion.
 By  Laura Vitto and Nicole Gallucci  on 
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Gilmore Girls was one of the few shows on television that featured discernible changes in season. And with the change in seasons come hats. Many, many hats.

There were knitted winter hats, topped with pom-poms or arbitrarily placed flowers. There were bucket hats that looked at home both on Lorelai's head and on a baby at the beach. There were multiple newsboy caps, though not a newsboy in sight. 

But across the variety of shapes, patterns and textures, they all had one thing in common: they were terrible. Here is our tribute -- may these stay back in the mid-2000s where they belong.


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Season 1, episode 1

Already off to a great start with this knitted cap.

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Season 1, episode 3

Rory's golf hat, with multiple contrasting colors.

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Season 1, episode 7

We're thankful for this pilgrim-chic moment.

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Season 1, episode 8

We'll accept this cozy navy cap.

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Season 1, episode 10

We will not, however, accept this bulky striped cap.

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Season 1, episode 11

This hat is too small for Lorelai's head. 

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Season 1, episode 13

Which animals were harmed in the making of this hat?

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Another day, another winter cap.

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Season 2, episode 2

This fake veil goes well with Lorelai's fake pearls.


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Rory's brief stint in the world of construction.

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Season 2, episode 4

Back when we all had to pretend that they were going to let Rory leave the show and go to Harvard.

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Season 2, episode 9

Rory takes historical accuracy seriously.

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Season 2, episode 10

Two hats you definitely bought from the Gap in 2002.

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This is fine.

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This hat is not fine. 

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Season 2, episode 11

Still not fine.

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Season 2, episode 15

Ugh, the hat from episode 10 returns.


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Season 2, episode 21

Rory missed this important hat moment due to a sudden impulse to see Jess. This did not work out in the long term.

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Season 3, episode 1

Bucket. Hat.

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Season 3, episode 10

Surprised by Rory's lack of hat.

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Season 3, episode 11

Jess is pro-hat.

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Safety first.

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The Gilmore Girls costume department had a wide variety of matching hat-scarf sets.

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Knitted flowers. :(

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Season 3, episode 12

The beginning of Lorelai's love affair with newsboy caps.

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Rory envying Lane's double pom-pom cap.

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Lorelai's brief but memorable time as an amateur fisherman.

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Season 3, episode 13

Both sitting inside, and yet, both wearing scarves.

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Rory's first hat.

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Season 3, episode 14

Lorelai, it is nighttime. Why?

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Season 3, episode 19

Another episode, another newsboy cap.

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Season 3, episode 20

Lorelai loves a funeral hat.

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Season 3, episode 22

Congrats, girl.

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Season 4, episode 1

A Photoshopped hat is a hat all the same.

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Season 4, episode 7

Lorelai channeling the Renoir girl.

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Season 4, episode 10

All about that cerulean.

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Rory's homemade hat pales in comparison to Paris' newspaper flower.

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Season 4, episode 11

Double berets at Stan's funeral.

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Lorelai's most questionable hat of the series.

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Season 4, episode 13

Where did Lorelai acquire this skeevy trucker girl hat and why?

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Season 4, episode 14

Rory finally accepts her Yale fate.

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Lorelai's Bon Jovi hat.

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Season 4, episode 15

Rory enabling Emily destructive department store binge shopping session.

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Season 4, episode 17

Rory visibly questioning why she has so many lavender winter hats.

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Season 4, episode 21

Ok, Lorelai. You look good here. We'll accept this.

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Season 5, episode 4

Lorelai's celebration of the American voting process.

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Season 5, episode 6

Cowboy hats and Slurpee runs.

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Season 5, episode 8

French maid chic.

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The moment Dean realizes Rory and her diamond tiara are too fancy for him.

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Season 5, episode 11

Another fine hat.

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Season 5, episode 15

How many wool caps can one have?


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Rory channeling Duck Soup.

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Season 6, episode 1

Rory in her new role as yacht stealer/hardened criminal.

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Season 6, episode 5

A hat that can barely contain the hair.

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Season 6, episode 8

"L" is for Lorelai.

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Season 6, episode 11

Newly 21-year-old Rory in Atlantic City swag.

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Real veil this time, still no marriage.

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Season 6, episode 12

Another fine hat.

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Paris' power trip in the form of numbered hats.

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Season 6, episode 13

Why would someone do this?

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Season 6, episode 15

Sookie's hat is the winner here.

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Season 6, episode 19

Matching tiaras for Lane's bachelorette party.

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Season 6, episode 22

A great wig.

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Season 7, episode 11

We'll accept this classic grey cap.

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Season 7, episode 14

Pulling out the pink hat from Season 3, episode 13.

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Season 7, episode 16

The thin purple scarf is the real offender here.

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Season 7, episode 21

Congrats on your final hat, Rory. 

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Thank you for joining us on this journey.

This article was originally published in 2016.

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Laura Vitto

Laura Vitto was Mashable's Deputy Culture Editor.

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