Is there a stylish " tourist hat"

Spinning off gradfash's millinery post, but with more of a question about what are good hat styles.

I wear sunscreen, but on some trips I find I'm out in sun sightseeing more than expected and I feel a hat would be good.
Probably I have a couple of basic hat situations, since so far they are more practical than for " the races" --one would be grunge- gardening- fishing- hiking. Another might be the big straw hat for just sitting at beach or pool ( haha, to dream!).

The other,which is current subject, would be " sporty but nice" , so should be streamlined, not too wacky, and maybe does not have to be totally sun proofing, but a help.

I love the idea of a hat but find them hard to find, as seems common from the earlier post. I hate to just wear a bucket hat. I also have the tiny head issue.

I'm wondering if it's best to just stay ckassic-minimal, with a visor or ball cap that's a good color ( including neutrals). Generally it would need to look un- fussy for typical vacation garb, What styles work without looking like the Hat Lady-- or is it just very person/ head specific?

7 years ago

Elizabeth P

Veteran

Oh, great question. I struggle with hats as well... I've heard that it's good to keep sun off grey/silver hair as it can turn yellow, so I'm more interested than in the past.

I'm also interested in finding a good gear hat. I want one that travels, washes, protects, and has an optional tie, for when I'm out in a boat and it's windy. And in a colour I can wear, ie not beige! You'd think that'd be easy to find, but nooooooo.

approprio

(website)

I really like a Panama hat. I seem to recall Angie posting a very cute straw hat last summer. I also have a nice packable sunhat made of some kind of paper-like woven fabric. Haven't seen anything like it in a while though.

I'm craving a sun visor, but this might be ill-advised.

El Cee

I think that finding the right hat is a very "head specific" thing. What looks good on one person might not be as flattering on someone with a different head shape. I have a large oval head and personally love the look of a wide brim hat on me. I have a large collection of wide brim straw hats (Panama style, Floppy hats, etc.). I also have a couple of gear type wide brim hats that I wear for hiking, sailing and other activities where there is a likelihood of heavy sun exposure. They are also packable. One is an old LLBean hat. The other is a newer Coolibar -- the company is known for its sun protective clothing. (P.S. -- Coolibar does have visor styles if that is your preference.)

http://www.coolibar.com/catego.....2/2271.uts

The gear hats are not super fashionable, but they do their job of keeping the scorching sun off my head.

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Oh, thank you El Cee! There are a couple of hats on the Coolibar site that might do the trick for me.

Cee

Panama hat or a " boonie. "

JAileen

I wear a hat everyday for dog walking, and on the weekend for hiking and birding. I know too many people who have had things removed by their dermatologists. I don't think any of my hats are fashionable. They're definitely gear.

I have several ball caps and a Tilley hat. The Tilley is more functional, having a large brim all the way around. I will admit that when I see them out and about, nearly every one is being worn by a retired man. I like the ball caps too. My Patagonia ones I can cinch down in the wind, and put a hood up if necessary. Here in the desert we don't get much rain, but we definitely get wind, and of course the sun is strong due to our elevation. I like the Patagonia caps better than other ball caps because they're washable. The Tilley is also washable. We have a lot of miscellaneous Patagonia stuff because there's an outlet near us.

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Suz

It really depends on your head shape and your purpose. You'll need to try on for flattery. I favour a crushable straw fedora or trilby style (not that I have one at the moment) for sightseeing type activities, but it wouldn't stay on if I were whale watching!

I look hideous in ball caps, so I avoid those, but would wear a visor if I couldn't find anything else. Hats are trickier for me with my shorter hair.

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Eric Javits 'Classic' Squishee Packable Fedora Sun Hat

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Caslon Open Weave Straw Fedora

$28.00 $16.80

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Glory

I have several ball caps for outdoor sports. I also have a Calvin Klein packable. I confess to being a hat hater so I have to force myself to wear them. I like this one from Mountain Equipment Coop as well:
https://www.mec.ca/en/product/5046-429/Tia-Trilby

Bonnie

When I went to Italy, I bought a hat in one of the tourist stands in Venice. I wore it every day for the month we were there.

Greyscale

I have a wide-brim wool fedora from Rag & Bone that I want to wear more often, but it only works in sunny but cool climates like mine. I know the fedora was more trendy a few years ago but I still think it's a classic shape. If I were going to a hot, sunny city, I might try to buy one in a lighter material (straw?).

Cerinda

Another vote for the Tilley range. Are you close to an REI? They usually have a variety of "gear hat" styles and sizes to try. On the water, I generally opt for a baseball hat (clipped to my sun shirt or PFD) and a bandana to cover the back of my neck. Fieldwork requires stability, a big brim, and a cinch strap (fastened at the nape, not under the chin): the archetypal fabric tourist hat, Tilley or otherwise. And sometimes the bucket is the solution.

"Sporty but nice?" A straw (or straw wanna be) fedora (see Suz' find) flatters a lot of different hair styles and head shapes. It and the boho floppy brim are the only styles I'm seeing much on the street or on Pinterest. Love Eric Javitz and Stetson hats, but I usually buy "one season wonders" off-the-rack from a local hipster millinery boutique. A straw cloche would be cute and unfussy, but possibly hard to find.

And by the way, the best source for classic (non-custom) hats here is the old school, downtown haberdashery.

unfrumped

Wks, so many great hat stories. Very good food for thought and thank you for links. A Tikkey for pinheads might work. I probably do need a trim brim, not too wide or floppy, and also like the idea of a washable cap.

L'Abeille

I love my Tilley hat (it's a breathable summer-weight one). When my dad was here on vacation and forgot his, I had to make do with various of my straw hats and try to tie them on.

The best hat collection I have seen is in the local dermatologist's office though.

Goorin Bros. has a neat straw cloche but it is quite dressy:

http://store.goorin.com/womens.....cloche-hat

DonnaF

Hats tend to look terrible on me; I think it's the low forehead. For practicality and some hat hair avoidance, I wear visors. I found the best ones at a Korean market: Huge tinted plastic attached to a sweatband with an adjustable cord so it doesn't fly off in the wind. The visor moves up and down and is so big that my glasses and even face don't get wet if its raining. Dorky? Yes. But it's so practical that I bought four or six of them because plastic doesn't last forever and sometimes these $6 babies get misshapen. I will panic if/when I finally run out and can't replace them.

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