School's Out! - YouLookFab Forum

A day early. One of the beauties of homeschooling is making the last day of school the day before my birthday. Just because I can. Well, and so they don't rush through their curriculum and claim they're "done" by May 1. That's OK kids, we'll spend the month of may on a .......research and writing project! (Diabolical teacher laugh here).

We said goodbye to the year a day early, since we're traveling to visit my folks tomorrow. We went out with a bit of a party: a picnic at Illinois Beach State Park. I took the opportunity to take pics of my sunhat collection. My outfit is super casual, as it needed to be sand-worthy! I wore sunscreen too!

These are all Scala hats. The first is available on Amazon, but this brand is stocked in a lot of places. I'm searching for a hiking hat in a wicking fabric for my Western vacation. Any recommendations?

1. My first sunhat. I'll post a "find" below. This is available in about 20 colors! I like it, but it's a tad dramatic, even in khaki.

2. Floppy hats make me look like a worn out child's toy. This jute Scala hat is comfy and cute --- just not flattering enough on me. I think I look best in a deep crown, with a medium brim.

3. Not quite as wide a brim for sun protection as #1, but I settled on this one for the day. It's playground casual and a bit jaunty.

4. I call this my "cruise hat." It really needs a linen EF dress and fabulous gladiator sandals --- and a cruise ship deck. I've placed it on my hat stand, because I love it's subtle coloration. It's placed next to some encouraging notes my kids wrote me and placed in the can, and the "Summer Fun Fund," saved from change all year long.

5. Bonus pic of kids jumping off from a 6 foot sand ledge. School is out!

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10 years ago

Beth Ann

Veteran

Added my first hat in the find below!

Amazon

Scala Women's Cotton Big Brim Ultraviolet Protection Hat with Inner Drawstring

View Info

Top Pick

Joy

I can't get past the great photo of your children caught in mid jump. Fun!

I envy your ability to wear hats. I need to shop the children's department to find any that fit.

Aida

Fun photos! I love the hat in #3 on you, that's fabulous. I also like #1, dramatic or otherwise, though I think it'd be more fun in a fun-er color 0:} Great jump shot! Though I can't help but think that there is going to be soooo much sand in those sneakers.

Suz

(website)

Look at those hats! Amazing! You are showing "hat style" (as per Angie's blog post) in abundance. I agree that #3 is especially great on you. And the last one is so pretty. You definitely need the EF dress and the cruise.

Love the photo of your kids, too.

And happy birthday, most musical and melodious of Fabbers! Your thoughtful, creative spirit enriches this forum beyond measure. So often I've been touched by your comments and perceptive suggestions to me or another person here. And your style is a true inspiration! I hope you have a wonderful day.

Jaime

All the hats look good to me except #2, which doesn't offer much sun protection anyway. Congratulations on another successful school year and Happy Birthday!

I forgot to add Happy Birthday! Celebrate and be celebrated.

Gracie

I really like the hats on 3 and 4 on you - and I think the striped top is fab. Does it have a hood and pockets? Happy birthday and happy end-of-school!

I took a break in packing for my little weekend jaunt to Indiana (no, no cruise) to catch up on the forum.

Thanks for taking a moment to give me some feedback. I sometimes hesitate to wear hats in my suburban environment, where the only hat is a soccer mom Nike baseball cap, but if you can't wear one to the beach, where can you wear it?

Aida: So right! I'd love to have a blue or red hat! I like the white, but not on a sweaty day! And I'm definitely not sand-savvy! I simply carried my shoes in my hand as we walked up and down the beach.

Gracie: Yes to both hood and pockets. I'm not big on hoodies, but I wear this one both as loungewear and casual MOTG.

Shevia: You are queen hat! I shall run any new hat purchases past your watchful eyes. Thanks for the birthday wishes!

Joy: I have a true Diva's head -- large for better resonance! My kids jumped for 30 minutes like that.

Suz: Thanks for sharing your writer's touch in penning a birthday wish! I used to love it when school let out just before or on my birthday --- like it was a special present. It's fun to get to continue the tradition with the kids.

There's a campground at the beach that we perused, marking down the best sites for a return trip later in the summer. My kids were excellent "site shoppers." We plan on "practice camping" here before our big trip at the end of August.

gardenchick

I had been looking for a wicking, flattering, not too big hat for a while and just found a great hat at REI last weekend--looks like it's also available online:

http://www.sundayafternoons.com/adventure-hat.html

Hope this one works for you, I was quite pleased. I have a bunch of cotton hate and they always make my head too hot-- this one is a lot cooler.

...cotton HATS...

Transcona Shannon

What a perfectly fun sounding day Beth Ann - and congrats on another school year done! Your kids look adorable leaping in the sand

This is a great casual outfit - perfect for the occasion and yet still stylish. You and Shevia rock sun hats big time.

Angie

Fashion Stylist

Can I come to the beach party?

Great hat recommendations. Thanks.

You look casually fabulous. I *wish* I could still wear those Chucks, I love them so much. At least I can enjoy them on you. xo

Isabel

Oh I have ALWAYS love Scala hats...for about 20 years now. YAY !

You look great and so ready for fun.

My favorite hat this summer is the following, in olive green :

http://www.coolibar.com/produc.....155445.uts

Now...for an irrelevant question. Do you do any type of academics with your children over the summer ? Does anyone reading this do it ?

I'm in Indiana now, having iced tea in my mom's garden. Which I will lovingly weed in the morning! Then we'll have homemade ice cream and strawberries. Did I tell you that I know how to start summer off right?

Angie/Shannon: You should both come to the beach when we camp there in July. You can take a day and hop the train down to Chicago, just an hour away, and have lunch at Nordies!

GC and Isabel: Thanks for the links! I will definitely check those out. I have an REI not too far from me and......Trader Joes!

Isabel: My kids have "off," except for reading and piano, until after July 4th. Then we do what we call "Bit 'o School." They start up math again, on an easy schedule, do piano and a little conversational spanish, and alternate between history/geography and science, and we either read a book together with discussion and activities, or do a fun Unit Study. Last year, they each did a "Instructional Video." They were required to research their topic (DS's was skipping stones), write a script, make a storyboard for shooting, "hire" their crew and actors, scout the location and film. It was so much fun, I'd like to do it again! Maybe we should do, "How to Organize the Crawl Space!" Would that violate child labor laws, lol? Of course, if a friend calls and invites them to the pool, we make a big point of "cancelling" school!

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