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Let’s talk about summer hats
I have been wearing a visor at the beach and pool for several years, mainly because I need the coverage on my face but tend to feel like I am overheating in a full baseball hat but in a visor I was getting sunburn on my scalp. I love the idea of a wide brimmed hat and did purchase one years ago but it didn’t feel like me (as much as I wanted it to feel that way) and I had trouble keeping it on my head when there was a breeze (perhaps the floppy and large brim acted like a flap on a plane wing taking off with the wind). The look is beautiful in pictures but I just couldn’t pull it off unfortunately. I needed my hands free for my kids, not to hold onto my hat all day, and I also didn’t want my scalp to burn or to feel like I was overheating.
Then I saw fedoras and tried one but the rim wasn’t large enough to provide shade to my face, neck, and shoulders. Plus, again I was overheating with the lack of breathable fabric in the one I purchased. I wasn’t giving up, I knew I wanted a hat that would stay on my head, was breathable, and provided coverage. I just needed a little patience!
This is starting to sound like a Goldilocks story….
This Hat is Just Right
Well, this one from Amazon is exactly as I hoped it would be!! The material says the hat is made of 100% paper straw. I was a little nervous to order it not knowing how a paper hat would hold up, but it is very well made and holds up perfectly at the beach and pool (and any outdoor activities for that matter). I ordered the Khaki color but there are several other options and color combinations with the ribbon to choose from on the Amazon site.
The hat is one size fits all but it also has an adjustable ribbon inside to change the hat size by tying it and making the hat fit more tightly. I have a smaller than average head but find it works well with a ponytail at the beach or pool because I can keep my hair up and it holds the hat on more tightly without adjusting the ribbon. It feels like the hat is staying on my head firmly in the event of a breezy beach day.
The brim is 2.9 inches so I would say that the width is in between the fedora I previously owned and the floppy wide brimmed hat. It is also very breathable and has UPF 50 coverage, I don’t feel like my head is overheating and super sweaty with this hat on while outside and also my scalp has some protection too! It also packs well in a suitcase if you are heading out of town for a vacation. A quick tip is to add some items underneath the hat such as socks or t-shirts to help keep the shape of the hat in place and then pack other items around it to keep it from sliding in the suitcase. An important note is that it is not machine washable, just spot cleaning as needed.
Did I mention one of the best parts? Not only is it available on Amazon and ships quickly with Prime but it is very reasonably priced! Done, done, and done. This hat met all of my needs that I was looking for and I can’t recommend it enough!
What is your favorite summer hat style?