Saying I love hats is an understatement. Not only do they add extra stye to any outfit, they are functional as well. Depending on the hat, it can cool you down, keep you warm, and most have a brim to protect your face from the sun. Another added bonus – if you color your hair, it will keep your color from fading in the sunlight. If you aren’t a “hat person”, I hope I can convince to try at least one style. Here are a few summer hats from my collection:
Baseball caps are perfect from a day on a boat to running errands. They’ve come a long way from being exclusively for sporty styles and look cute on everyone.
(Clockwise from top left) 1. A Seersucker hat is a subtle, more feminine style, that pairs well with summer outfits especially whites and pinks. 2. This crest hat is my new purchase from J Crew that I got from their summer sale for $12. I love the crest and the contrast between the navy top and white brim. 3. Ralph Lauren Polo hat is fresh being all white with the navy logo. If you love Ralph Lauren as much as I do, you need one of these hats. I found this in the men’s section at the polo outlet, but I’ve seen it at Macy’s as well. 4. This color block baseball cap uses an unusual color combo with the pop of neon pink, so I’ll keep the rest of my outfit neutral when I wear this.
Straw hats are light weight and will keep you cool in the sun because they’re made out of breathable material and normally have a wide brim that blocks the sun. There are many types of straw hats, but here are my four favorite kinds.
(Clockwise from top left) 1. Kettle brim straw hat – I found this one at an antique store and I love the bow on the back. It’s not quite casual or formal, so it’s perfect for dressing up cotton dresses. 2. Panama hat – One of mine (and Teddy Roosevelt’s) favorite style of hats. It has a wider, flat brim than you would find with a fedora. This hat is seriously underrated, even though it looks great on almost anyone. It’s subtlety stylish, and when added to an outfit makes you look like you know what you’re doing. Mine is from H&M, but I’ve also seen them at J Crew and even Forever 21. 3. Boater hat – These are more old-fashioned with early 20th century roots, as seen in The Great Gatsby. I have one from Nordstrom that I’ve worn on Easter Sunday, but I was delighted to find the one I’m wearing in this picture at Forever 21. It had a plain black ribbon with feathers, so I cut off the feathers and added this navy and white striped ribbon to make it more fun for summer. This hat looks best with your hair down with some wave or curl. 4. Wide brim beach hat – Please wear one of these to the beach or pool! Sunburns on your face now will lead to sun spots (or worse) when you’re older. You can use bronzer to add some color to your face instead. Besides, these hats look glamorous and can be purchased inexpensively anywhere. I got mine at Target a few years ago and it’s kept its shape despite going on many trips with me.
