diff --git a/README.md b/README.md
index d64b99a..07ab28c 100644
--- a/README.md
+++ b/README.md
@@ -666,18 +666,31 @@ Ver2  19.2
 
 ### Custom column alignment
 
-`tabulate` allows a custom column alignment to override the above. The
-`colalign` argument can be a list or a tuple of `stralign` named
-arguments. Possible column alignments are: `right`, `center`, `left`,
-`decimal` (only for numbers), and `None` (to disable alignment).
-Omitting an alignment uses the default. For example:
+`tabulate` allows a custom column alignment to override the smart alignment described above.
+Use `colglobalalign` to define a global setting. Possible alignments are: `right`, `center`, `left`, `decimal` (only for numbers).
+Furthermore, you can define `colalign` for column-specific alignment as a list or a tuple. Possible values are `global` (keeps global setting), `right`, `center`, `left`, `decimal` (only for numbers), `None` (to disable alignment). Missing alignments are treated as `global`.
 
 ```pycon
->>> print(tabulate([["one", "two"], ["three", "four"]], colalign=("right",))
------  ----
-  one  two
-three  four
------  ----
+>>> print(tabulate([[1,2,3,4],[111,222,333,444]], colglobalalign='center', colalign = ('global','left','right')))
+---  ---  ---  ---
+ 1   2      3   4
+111  222  333  444
+---  ---  ---  ---
+```
+
+### Custom header alignment
+
+Headers' alignment can be defined separately from columns'. Like for columns, you can use:
+- `headersglobalalign` to define a header-specific global alignment setting. Possible values are `right`, `center`, `left`, `None` (to follow column alignment),
+- `headersalign` list or tuple to further specify header-wise alignment. Possible values are `global` (keeps global setting), `same` (follow column alignment), `right`, `center`, `left`, `None` (to disable alignment). Missing alignments are treated as `global`.
+
+```pycon
+>>> print(tabulate([[1,2,3,4,5,6],[111,222,333,444,555,666]], colglobalalign = 'center', colalign = ('left',), headers = ['h','e','a','d','e','r'], headersglobalalign = 'right', headersalign = ('same','same','left','global','center')))
+
+h     e   a      d   e     r
+---  ---  ---  ---  ---  ---
+1     2    3    4    5    6
+111  222  333  444  555  666
 ```
 
 ### Number formatting
@@ -1123,5 +1136,5 @@ Bart Broere, Vilhelm Prytz, Alexander Gažo, Hugo van Kemenade,
 jamescooke, Matt Warner, Jérôme Provensal, Kevin Deldycke,
 Kian-Meng Ang, Kevin Patterson, Shodhan Save, cleoold, KOLANICH,
 Vijaya Krishna Kasula, Furcy Pin, Christian Fibich, Shaun Duncan,
-Dimitri Papadopoulos.
+Dimitri Papadopoulos, Élie Goudout.
 
diff --git a/tabulate/__init__.py b/tabulate/__init__.py
index 3b1a1e1..11bb865 100644
--- a/tabulate/__init__.py
+++ b/tabulate/__init__.py
@@ -1,5 +1,6 @@
 """Pretty-print tabular data."""
 
+import warnings
 from collections import namedtuple
 from collections.abc import Iterable, Sized
 from html import escape as htmlescape
@@ -1318,7 +1319,7 @@ def _bool(val):
 
 
 def _normalize_tabular_data(tabular_data, headers, showindex="default"):
-    """Transform a supported data type to a list of lists, and a list of headers.
+    """Transform a supported data type to a list of lists, and a list of headers, with headers padding.
 
     Supported tabular data types:
 
@@ -1498,13 +1499,12 @@ def _normalize_tabular_data(tabular_data, headers, showindex="default"):
         pass
 
     # pad with empty headers for initial columns if necessary
+    headers_pad = 0
     if headers and len(rows) > 0:
-        nhs = len(headers)
-        ncols = len(rows[0])
-        if nhs < ncols:
-            headers = [""] * (ncols - nhs) + headers
+        headers_pad = max(0, len(rows[0]) - len(headers))
+        headers = [""] * headers_pad + headers
 
-    return rows, headers
+    return rows, headers, headers_pad
 
 
 def _wrap_text_to_colwidths(list_of_lists, colwidths, numparses=True):
@@ -1580,8 +1580,11 @@ def tabulate(
     missingval=_DEFAULT_MISSINGVAL,
     showindex="default",
     disable_numparse=False,
+    colglobalalign=None,
     colalign=None,
     maxcolwidths=None,
+    headersglobalalign=None,
+    headersalign=None,
     rowalign=None,
     maxheadercolwidths=None,
 ):
@@ -1636,8 +1639,8 @@ def tabulate(
     -  -  --
 
 
-    Column alignment
-    ----------------
+    Column and Headers alignment
+    ----------------------------
 
     `tabulate` tries to detect column types automatically, and aligns
     the values properly. By default it aligns decimal points of the
@@ -1646,6 +1649,23 @@ def tabulate(
     (`numalign`, `stralign`) are: "right", "center", "left", "decimal"
     (only for `numalign`), and None (to disable alignment).
 
+    `colglobalalign` allows for global alignment of columns, before any
+        specific override from `colalign`. Possible values are: None
+        (defaults according to coltype), "right", "center", "decimal",
+        "left".
+    `colalign` allows for column-wise override starting from left-most
+        column. Possible values are: "global" (no override), "right",
+        "center", "decimal", "left".
+    `headersglobalalign` allows for global headers alignment, before any
+        specific override from `headersalign`. Possible values are: None
+        (follow columns alignment), "right", "center", "left".
+    `headersalign` allows for header-wise override starting from left-most
+        given header. Possible values are: "global" (no override), "same"
+        (follow column alignment), "right", "center", "left".
+
+    Note on intended behaviour: If there is no `tabular_data`, any column
+        alignment argument is ignored. Hence, in this case, header
+        alignment cannot be inferred from column alignment.
 
     Table formats
     -------------
@@ -2065,7 +2085,7 @@ def tabulate(
     if tabular_data is None:
         tabular_data = []
 
-    list_of_lists, headers = _normalize_tabular_data(
+    list_of_lists, headers, headers_pad = _normalize_tabular_data(
         tabular_data, headers, showindex=showindex
     )
     list_of_lists, separating_lines = _remove_separating_lines(list_of_lists)
@@ -2181,11 +2201,21 @@ def tabulate(
     ]
 
     # align columns
-    aligns = [numalign if ct in [int, float] else stralign for ct in coltypes]
+    # first set global alignment
+    if colglobalalign is not None: # if global alignment provided
+        aligns = [colglobalalign] * len(cols)
+    else: # default
+        aligns = [numalign if ct in [int, float] else stralign for ct in coltypes]
+    # then specific alignements
     if colalign is not None:
         assert isinstance(colalign, Iterable)
+        if isinstance(colalign, str):
+            warnings.warn(f"As a string, `colalign` is interpreted as {[c for c in colalign]}. Did you mean `colglobalalign = \"{colalign}\"` or `colalign = (\"{colalign}\",)`?", stacklevel=2)
         for idx, align in enumerate(colalign):
-            aligns[idx] = align
+            if not idx < len(aligns):
+                break
+            elif align != "global":
+                aligns[idx] = align
     minwidths = (
         [width_fn(h) + min_padding for h in headers] if headers else [0] * len(cols)
     )
@@ -2194,17 +2224,35 @@ def tabulate(
         for c, a, minw in zip(cols, aligns, minwidths)
     ]
 
+    aligns_headers = None
     if headers:
         # align headers and add headers
         t_cols = cols or [[""]] * len(headers)
-        t_aligns = aligns or [stralign] * len(headers)
+        # first set global alignment
+        if headersglobalalign is not None: # if global alignment provided
+            aligns_headers = [headersglobalalign] * len(t_cols)
+        else: # default
+            aligns_headers = aligns or [stralign] * len(headers)
+        # then specific header alignements
+        if headersalign is not None:
+            assert isinstance(headersalign, Iterable)
+            if isinstance(headersalign, str):
+                warnings.warn(f"As a string, `headersalign` is interpreted as {[c for c in headersalign]}. Did you mean `headersglobalalign = \"{headersalign}\"` or `headersalign = (\"{headersalign}\",)`?", stacklevel=2)
+            for idx, align in enumerate(headersalign):
+                hidx = headers_pad + idx
+                if not hidx < len(aligns_headers):
+                    break
+                elif align == "same" and hidx < len(aligns): # same as column align
+                    aligns_headers[hidx] = aligns[hidx]
+                elif align != "global":
+                    aligns_headers[hidx] = align
         minwidths = [
             max(minw, max(width_fn(cl) for cl in c))
             for minw, c in zip(minwidths, t_cols)
         ]
         headers = [
             _align_header(h, a, minw, width_fn(h), is_multiline, width_fn)
-            for h, a, minw in zip(headers, t_aligns, minwidths)
+            for h, a, minw in zip(headers, aligns_headers, minwidths)
         ]
         rows = list(zip(*cols))
     else:
@@ -2219,7 +2267,7 @@ def tabulate(
     _reinsert_separating_lines(rows, separating_lines)
 
     return _format_table(
-        tablefmt, headers, rows, minwidths, aligns, is_multiline, rowaligns=rowaligns
+        tablefmt, headers, aligns_headers, rows, minwidths, aligns, is_multiline, rowaligns=rowaligns
     )
 
 
@@ -2350,7 +2398,7 @@ class JupyterHTMLStr(str):
         return self
 
 
-def _format_table(fmt, headers, rows, colwidths, colaligns, is_multiline, rowaligns):
+def _format_table(fmt, headers, headersaligns, rows, colwidths, colaligns, is_multiline, rowaligns):
     """Produce a plain-text representation of the table."""
     lines = []
     hidden = fmt.with_header_hide if (headers and fmt.with_header_hide) else []
@@ -2372,7 +2420,7 @@ def _format_table(fmt, headers, rows, colwidths, colaligns, is_multiline, rowali
         _append_line(lines, padded_widths, colaligns, fmt.lineabove)
 
     if padded_headers:
-        append_row(lines, padded_headers, padded_widths, colaligns, headerrow)
+        append_row(lines, padded_headers, padded_widths, headersaligns, headerrow)
         if fmt.linebelowheader and "linebelowheader" not in hidden:
             _append_line(lines, padded_widths, colaligns, fmt.linebelowheader)
 

diff --git a/test/common.py b/test/common.py
index d95e84f..4cd3709 100644
--- a/test/common.py
+++ b/test/common.py
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 import pytest  # noqa
 from pytest import skip, raises  # noqa
-
+import warnings
 
 def assert_equal(expected, result):
     print("Expected:\n%s\n" % expected)
@@ -27,3 +27,18 @@ def rows_to_pipe_table_str(rows):
         lines.append(line)
 
     return "\n".join(lines)
+
+def check_warnings(func_args_kwargs, *, num=None, category=None, contain=None):
+    func, args, kwargs = func_args_kwargs
+    with warnings.catch_warnings(record=True) as W:
+        # Causes all warnings to always be triggered inside here.
+        warnings.simplefilter("always")
+        func(*args, **kwargs)
+        # Checks
+        if num is not None:
+            assert len(W) == num
+        if category is not None:
+            assert all([issubclass(w.category, category) for w in W])
+        if contain is not None:
+            assert all([contain in str(w.message) for w in W])
+
diff --git a/test/test_api.py b/test/test_api.py
index 046d752..e658e82 100644
--- a/test/test_api.py
+++ b/test/test_api.py
@@ -48,8 +48,11 @@ def test_tabulate_signature():
         ("missingval", ""),
         ("showindex", "default"),
         ("disable_numparse", False),
+        ("colglobalalign", None),
         ("colalign", None),
         ("maxcolwidths", None),
+        ("headersglobalalign", None),
+        ("headersalign", None),
         ("rowalign", None),
         ("maxheadercolwidths", None),
     ]
diff --git a/test/test_output.py b/test/test_output.py
index 9043aed..d572498 100644
--- a/test/test_output.py
+++ b/test/test_output.py
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 """Test output of the various forms of tabular data."""
 
 import tabulate as tabulate_module
-from common import assert_equal, raises, skip
+from common import assert_equal, raises, skip, check_warnings
 from tabulate import tabulate, simple_separated_format, SEPARATING_LINE
 
 # _test_table shows
@@ -2680,6 +2680,60 @@ def test_colalign_multi_with_sep_line():
     expected = "  one  two\n\nthree  four"
     assert_equal(expected, result)
 
+def test_column_global_and_specific_alignment():
+    """ Test `colglobalalign` and `"global"` parameter for `colalign`. """
+    table = [[1,2,3,4],[111,222,333,444]]
+    colglobalalign = 'center'
+    colalign = ('global','left', 'right')
+    result = tabulate(table, colglobalalign=colglobalalign, colalign=colalign)
+    expected = '\n'.join([
+        "---  ---  ---  ---",
+        " 1   2      3   4",
+        "111  222  333  444",
+        "---  ---  ---  ---"])
+    assert_equal(expected, result)
+
+def test_headers_global_and_specific_alignment():
+    """ Test `headersglobalalign` and `headersalign`. """
+    table = [[1,2,3,4,5,6],[111,222,333,444,555,666]]
+    colglobalalign = 'center'
+    colalign = ('left',)
+    headers = ['h', 'e', 'a', 'd', 'e', 'r']
+    headersglobalalign = 'right'
+    headersalign = ('same', 'same', 'left', 'global', 'center')
+    result = tabulate(table, headers=headers, colglobalalign=colglobalalign, colalign=colalign, headersglobalalign=headersglobalalign, headersalign=headersalign)
+    expected = '\n'.join([
+        "h     e   a      d   e     r",
+        "---  ---  ---  ---  ---  ---",
+        "1     2    3    4    5    6",
+        "111  222  333  444  555  666"])
+    assert_equal(expected, result)
+
+def test_colalign_or_headersalign_too_long():
+    """ Test `colalign` and `headersalign` too long. """
+    table = [[1,2],[111,222]]
+    colalign = ('global', 'left', 'center')
+    headers = ['h']
+    headersalign = ('center', 'right', 'same')
+    result = tabulate(table, headers=headers, colalign=colalign, headersalign=headersalign)
+    expected = '\n'.join([
+        "      h",
+        "---  ---",
+        "  1  2",
+        "111  222"])
+    assert_equal(expected, result)
+
+def test_warning_when_colalign_or_headersalign_is_string():
+    """ Test user warnings when `colalign` or `headersalign` is a string. """
+    table = [[1,"bar"]]
+    opt = {
+        'colalign': "center",
+        'headers': ['foo', '2'],
+        'headersalign': "center"}
+    check_warnings((tabulate, [table], opt),
+        num = 2,
+        category = UserWarning,
+        contain = "As a string")
 
 def test_float_conversions():
     "Output: float format parsed"

Feature Request: Enable alignment for header
Existing code supports numalign and stralign for aligning numbers and strings. It would be helpful if the header is allowed to have a alignment.

Example:
```
+---------------------+-------------+
| message id          |  occur      |
+---------------------+-------------+
| trailing-whitespace |.         1  |
+---------------------+-------------+
| too-many-statemen   |.         1  |
+---------------------+-------------+
|too-many-locals      |.          1 |
+---------------------+-------------+
```
If the headers are aligned (ex. center)
```
+---------------------+-------------+
|     message id      |    occur    |
+---------------------+-------------+
| trailing-whitespace |.         1  |
+---------------------+-------------+
| too-many-statemen   |.         1  |
+---------------------+-------------+
|too-many-locals      |.          1 |
+---------------------+-------------+
```
test/test_api.py::test_tabulate_signature test/test_output.py::test_column_global_and_specific_alignment test/test_output.py::test_headers_global_and_specific_alignment test/test_output.py::test_colalign_or_headersalign_too_long test/test_output.py::test_warning_when_colalign_or_headersalign_is_string
test/test_api.py::test_tabulate_formats test/test_api.py::test_simple_separated_format_signature test/test_output.py::test_plain test/test_output.py::test_plain_headerless test/test_output.py::test_plain_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_plain_multiline test/test_output.py::test_plain_multiline_with_links test/test_output.py::test_plain_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_plain_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_plain_maxcolwidth_autowraps test/test_output.py::test_plain_maxcolwidth_autowraps_with_sep test/test_output.py::test_maxcolwidth_single_value test/test_output.py::test_maxcolwidth_pad_tailing_widths test/test_output.py::test_maxcolwidth_honor_disable_parsenum test/test_output.py::test_plain_maxheadercolwidths_autowraps test/test_output.py::test_simple test/test_output.py::test_simple_with_sep_line test/test_output.py::test_readme_example_with_sep test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline_2 test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline_2_with_sep_line test/test_output.py::test_simple_headerless test/test_output.py::test_simple_headerless_with_sep_line test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline_with_links test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_simple_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_github test/test_output.py::test_grid test/test_output.py::test_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_simple_grid test/test_output.py::test_simple_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_simple_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_simple_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_simple_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_simple_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_rounded_grid test/test_output.py::test_rounded_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_rounded_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_rounded_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_rounded_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_rounded_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_heavy_grid test/test_output.py::test_heavy_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_heavy_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_heavy_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_heavy_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_heavy_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_mixed_grid test/test_output.py::test_mixed_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_mixed_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_mixed_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_mixed_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_mixed_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_double_grid test/test_output.py::test_double_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_double_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_double_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_double_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_double_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid_headerless test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid_multiline test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_fancy_grid_multiline_row_align test/test_output.py::test_outline test/test_output.py::test_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_simple_outline test/test_output.py::test_simple_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_rounded_outline test/test_output.py::test_rounded_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_heavy_outline test/test_output.py::test_heavy_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_mixed_outline test/test_output.py::test_mixed_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_double_outline test/test_output.py::test_double_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_fancy_outline test/test_output.py::test_fancy_outline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_pipe test/test_output.py::test_pipe_headerless test/test_output.py::test_presto test/test_output.py::test_presto_headerless test/test_output.py::test_presto_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_presto_multiline test/test_output.py::test_presto_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_presto_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_orgtbl test/test_output.py::test_orgtbl_headerless test/test_output.py::test_asciidoc test/test_output.py::test_asciidoc_headerless test/test_output.py::test_psql test/test_output.py::test_psql_headerless test/test_output.py::test_psql_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_psql_multiline test/test_output.py::test_psql_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_psql_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_pretty test/test_output.py::test_pretty_headerless test/test_output.py::test_pretty_multiline_headerless test/test_output.py::test_pretty_multiline test/test_output.py::test_pretty_multiline_with_links test/test_output.py::test_pretty_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_pretty_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_jira test/test_output.py::test_jira_headerless test/test_output.py::test_rst test/test_output.py::test_rst_with_empty_values_in_first_column test/test_output.py::test_rst_headerless test/test_output.py::test_rst_multiline test/test_output.py::test_rst_multiline_with_links test/test_output.py::test_rst_multiline_with_empty_cells test/test_output.py::test_rst_multiline_with_empty_cells_headerless test/test_output.py::test_mediawiki test/test_output.py::test_mediawiki_headerless test/test_output.py::test_moinmoin test/test_output.py::test_youtrack test/test_output.py::test_moinmoin_headerless test/test_output.py::test_html test/test_output.py::test_unsafehtml test/test_output.py::test_html_headerless test/test_output.py::test_unsafehtml_headerless test/test_output.py::test_latex test/test_output.py::test_latex_raw test/test_output.py::test_latex_headerless test/test_output.py::test_latex_booktabs test/test_output.py::test_latex_booktabs_headerless test/test_output.py::test_textile test/test_output.py::test_textile_with_header test/test_output.py::test_textile_with_center_align test/test_output.py::test_no_data test/test_output.py::test_empty_data test/test_output.py::test_no_data_without_headers test/test_output.py::test_empty_data_without_headers test/test_output.py::test_intfmt test/test_output.py::test_empty_data_with_headers test/test_output.py::test_floatfmt test/test_output.py::test_floatfmt_multi test/test_output.py::test_colalign_multi test/test_output.py::test_colalign_multi_with_sep_line test/test_output.py::test_float_conversions test/test_output.py::test_missingval test/test_output.py::test_missingval_multi test/test_output.py::test_column_alignment test/test_output.py::test_unaligned_separated test/test_output.py::test_dict_like_with_index test/test_output.py::test_list_of_lists_with_index test/test_output.py::test_list_of_lists_with_index_with_sep_line test/test_output.py::test_list_of_lists_with_supplied_index test/test_output.py::test_list_of_lists_with_index_firstrow test/test_output.py::test_disable_numparse_default test/test_output.py::test_disable_numparse_true test/test_output.py::test_disable_numparse_list test/test_output.py::test_preserve_whitespace