He does love a hat
June 20, 2017 6:32 AM   Subscribe

So in my family, as we get older we get less and less sun-tolerant. My father, at my age, bought a kind of pith helmet apparently for the sole purpose of embarrassing his children. Since I have no children to embarrass, I have more options. Hat me! (Restrictions inside)

It will come as no surprise to readers of metafilter to find that I have a perfectly enormous head. Any hat I buy must be available in a men's XL or 7 3/4.

It must keep the sun off in a meaningful way and should be suitable for hot weather. (That is, probably not wool felt and not a flat cap.)

It should be city rather than sporty, and should not suggest that I will be fishing or visiting the outback.

Even at the weekend, I wear button-front shirts, non-jeans and oxfords.

Issues: what happens if I bike somewhere and require my hat on the other end? Is there a kind of hat which won't fly off during short bike rides at moderate speeds? What happens if it rains? Is there a summer hat which can be rained on without being destroyed? Since I spend a lot of my time inside, the hat will spend a lot of its time off, but on a chair, hat stand, etc - wherever one puts a hat when at a coffee shop or someone's house. So the hat needs to not be too fragile - I hope no one will, like, crush it or anything, but it will be out and about.

I have browsed around on Village Hat Shop and similar - I'm more looking for specific suggestions of hats than places to look for hats. Goorin Brothers' hats are kind of meh and they often don't carry large enough ones, IME.

Price is sorta no object, in that if a hat met all my criteria and were likely to survive multiple years of wear, I would be okay with buying an expensive one. But if it's better to buy a cheap one and replace, I'm open to that.

The issue isn't so much sunburn as heat fatigue - if you have found that, eg, a linen flat cap does the job, please say so in the comments.
posted by Frowner to Clothing, Beauty, & Fashion (17 answers total) 13 users marked this as a favorite
 
Well, a couple things.

Wool felt isn't necessarily a nonstarter for a hot climate. Were I you, I'd at least try a few options in that area, but look harder for softer hats intended for real use, not fancier ones you have to baby.

The go-to for a working, durable felt hat is probably the Akubra hats, which are nice if a little spendy, and typically come with chinstrap attachment points.

Probably the most common variant there is the Bushman, but most come with what's called an "open crown" meaning you shape it to suit your own tastes (Adam Savage has worn one of these on Mythbusters frequently).

Akubras are explicitly "wear in the sun, wind, and rain, and don't worry about it" hats. That hat is $140US at David Morgan, and comes in sizes up to 63. I'm not sure what that means in Freedom Units, but I wear a 7-5/8, and that's "only" a 61.

I live in Houston, where it's very very hot much of the year, and where a good hat is an asset. Most of the summer, I wear a nice soft panama-style I found in a shop in Orlando, of all places. It's somewhat floppy, but wouldn't survive crushing very well, so I don't usually travel with it.

It might be worth considering having a couple. I certainly do. A Tilly hat is a great thing, but they're not exactly dashing -- just very very utilitarian. I have an LTM2 Airflo, and wear it if I'm going to be outside for a long time in the high summer. It has a broad brim and is ventilated around the top of the crown. That hat's about $70US retail, and per the web site is available in sizes up to 7-7/8. And, obviously, since it's fabric it packs flat and is more or less un-ruinable.

Candidly, though, it's a little dorky. Nobody cares if you're at an outdoor concert in July, or taking your goddaughter to the zoo in August, but if you need to look a bit smarter a nicer hat in felt or straw would be a better plan.

Finally, I'll put this out there: Do you possess the requisite personal style to pull off a straw cowboy hat? There's a reason they're shaped the way they are, after all. I'm not sure I can do it (despite my address!) so I've never really tried, but plenty of folks around here do. They're very, very effective, and come in a variety of shapes and grades.
posted by uberchet at 6:51 AM on June 20, 2017 [4 favorites]


Bikes: I'm assuming you're wearing a helmet? I hope you're wearing a helmet.

In which case, you: take off your hat, and attach it to your basket or rack-- either bungee it down or carabiner it to the bike using the interior hanging loop or the strap, or a contraption that you rig up yourself based on the hat structure. Put on your helmet and bike. Arrive at your destination, change hats. Lock helmet with bike using a cable lock through the helmet's holes.

I wear a straw cowboy hat in the summer because I think baseball caps are ugly, and because the hat I have has sentimental value. It is deeply unfashionable and I don't care. Also, it's light, has a brim, and is ventilated. You could try on some of those or a panama hat, which is more stylish. Oddly enough, I have bought all my summer hats at Army-Navy-Surplus stores. You sound like a stylish person so I think you could carry off a straw hat. Some straw hats can be rained on, but they get worn out. My stepdad bought a new straw hat every summer largely because of that, and because he would wet them to keep his head cool. If you get one that is relatively large, you can wet a handkerchief and put it in the crown of the hat to provide more cooling.
posted by blnkfrnk at 7:29 AM on June 20, 2017 [2 favorites]


For the last three summers I've been thinking of posting almost the exact same question here, as I've been looking for a hat that would keep the sun off my face, ears, and neck, but would not look like I was trying to be a hat person, if you know what I mean. Last summer I settled on a boonie hat in a solid color. They're indestructible, can be rolled up and shoved in your back pocket, and have chin straps to keep them firmly on your head (or around your neck) while biking.
posted by ejs at 7:34 AM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


Response by poster: (In re bikes: Because I've read all the research I can find on bike safety, I don't wear a helmet on "European-style" bike rides - a mile along the bike path to the grocery store, that kind of thing. The bike path basically runs by my house and I live near the grocery store and a bunch of other stuff, so for these I do almost no street riding, I putter along, etc. Research suggests that slow, short rides on sequestered paths are pretty safe, which is one of the reasons that European bike safety is so different from American. For longer rides, faster rides or rides that are substantially on-street, I wear a helmet. But because "I'm going to the coffee shop down the bike path" is a frequent thing, a bikeable hat would be convenient.)
posted by Frowner at 7:52 AM on June 20, 2017 [6 favorites]


You're going to need more than one kind of hat.

I had a similar situation in that my increasing baldness started making hats necessary. So I bought an army surplus boonie hat for about $15. It's great and I love it but it does look a little goofy. I found myself deciding not to wear ANY hat because my only option was the boonie and it's not appropriate to wear in every situation where one might need a hat.

So I needed something that was a bit more appropriate in slightly less casual settings where I might be a little too self conscience to wear the boonie hat. I noticed that generic baseball caps seem to show up in TV shows and movies a lot so I got myself a plain fitted-ish basebal cap. They're sized but the area around the band will stretch slightly. The hat is very well made for what it costs and I plan on getting a couple more in different colors. I started with navy blue and I happen to have a jacket that looks similar so I now have what we're calling my "Captain America Incognito" outfit.

It looks nice enough that it would be totally fine to wear with a button down shirt and/or a blazer. A quick google search shows tons of people wearing a baseball cap of some kind with a blazer so it shouldn't look weird to people generally.

The boonie hat is a little more functional as it covers the neck and ears better but both are good, cheap options that you'll want to be able to choose from along with whatever else the hive mind comes up with.
posted by VTX at 8:00 AM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


Starting with a trip to Morocco, I've been wearing this Tilley hemp/cotton hat for any outdoor sojourn more than a half hour or so. It was brilliant for the trip, and it's been great for baseball games and street festivals and the like. Crushable, rollable, packable, great in the rain. It's not as dorky as some of the other Tilleys, owing to the brass ring vents and heathered fabric, but the downside of that is that it's not as vented as the Airflo mentioned above.
posted by supercres at 8:18 AM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


Well, I do love the Village Hat Shop. They have good videos about understanding how a hat should fit, which helped me a lot in becoming comfortable with the idea of hats.

I have found that for myself, straw hats in summer are the best thing, even though I live in a city. I definitely have more than one and what I wear depends on the situation. I don't like a big brim. Boaters are great and fit a lot of styles and would probably suit you for leisurely bike rides to the coffee shop.

I recently lost my favorite hat, an Agnes B straw crusher hat from a a few years ago that fit tightly on my head so it didn't get blown off and could stuff easily in my bag. Unfortunately I was a little too confident about it not getting blown off and I went sailing in it and of course it is now lost forever in the bottom of the Hudson. So now I'm not only looking for a new favorite hat, I'm looking for a hat with a tie.
posted by maggiemaggie at 8:19 AM on June 20, 2017


> You're going to need more than one kind of hat.

Yup. I love Panamas in summer, but the good ones get wrecked in the rain (ask me how I know) and are quite expensive. In cooler weather, a felt fedora/trilby is classy and keeps the sun off. But go to a hat store and try 'em on; that's the only way to know what feels good and looks good on you.
posted by languagehat at 8:36 AM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


I've been happy with one I got from Sunday Afternoons some years back, but most of theirs that have a chin strap available (probably the easiest way to keep them from flying off in wind or while biking) look more outdoorsy than you're probably interested in. Still, some of them aren't too safari-ish. Maybe the Excursion Hat?

I've found the chin strap on my hats that have them to be pretty easy to just tuck into the hat when I don't want to use it, keeps it out of sight and isn't uncomfortable to me.
posted by asperity at 8:49 AM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


I just bought a hat at REI. They have a good collection of the more casual, crushable varieties. I like many of the Panama hats people have suggested.

Whatever you choose, wear it with confidence.
posted by SemiSalt at 9:27 AM on June 20, 2017


If you live in a humid climate, straw (panama, wheat, hemp, raffia) is better for the summer. If you live in a dry climate, opt for paper (toyo) straw. I have both a hemp straw hat from Goorin Bros and a paper straw hat (similar to this one--same brand, different model). The hemp straw is softer, the hat can be rolled and shoved in a bag or pocket and pops fairly easily back into shape. The paper straw & polyester one is rigid and will retain creases, folds & rolls. Both have held up to moderate rainfall, though I haven't been in a deluge with either. I prefer the feel and utility of the hemp straw to the paper straw (and am looking for one with larger brim--definitely an issue with Goorin, their straw hats tend to be 2.75" at most. I recommend at minimum a 3" brim for best sun & heat protection. Something in a color (grays and blues are popular) are going to look less 'country' than natural straw color.

For biking, yup, you take it off and strap it down or pack it somewhere. You can get a sun visor for your bike helmet, with variable levels of dork-itude. Some people swear by a traditional cycling cap, with the brim pulled right down to eye level--seems to be more useful for visibility than really keeping the sun off.
posted by carrioncomfort at 9:56 AM on June 20, 2017


Yup. I love Panamas in summer, but the good ones get wrecked in the rain (ask me how I know) and are quite expensive. In cooler weather, a felt fedora/trilby is classy and keeps the sun off. But go to a hat store and try 'em on; that's the only way to know what feels good and looks good on you.

Seconding panamas, but that doesn't narrow it down much. I know you said you wanted info on styles or types rather than places to shop, but I can do the former best by also doing the latter. Have a look at how many different looking hats are called panama hats at this site.

You probably don't want to buy from this site, as the prices range from $500 to $20,000 (!) But look at all those pics. There's natural or cocoa /beige, and you can find 'em in black. Hat bands, black, red, striped, patterned. Crown height and brim width are optional. Brims can be straight or curled in a variety of ways. Styles (basically corresponds to crown creases): 'trilby', 'fedora', gambler, plantation, bowler, optimo. All 'panama' hats.

Fineness of weave => more labor => higher cost. A really course weave is like a farmers straw hat -- which is a perfect hat for doing farm work in, nothing wrong with it. Very stiff, but also sturdy and inexpensive so when it gets damaged you just replace it. My Nana used to ask, "How's the old straw hat, good for another season?"

Or you can pay insane prices for a really really finely woven panama. It's hard to describe how nice these are. Hard to believe that they're made out of grass. But there are lots of options in between.

On brim width the rule of thumb seems to be wider (like >4in) for outdoor work or pretending to be a cowboy, narrower brims for in town. If you go very narrow (like <2in) you're into so-called 'stingy brim' territory and that way apparently lies hipsterism.

On the bike thing, I'm just going to say that one of my best friends once left a restaurant without his helmet, rode a short distance on a car-free ped/bike path, hit a pedestrian at like 2 mph and cracked his skull on the ground. Ten days in ICU, and he never did get all of his marbles back.

That said, consider the optimo style, which is probably the first style people associate with "panama hats". Possible down-side for you -- it looks a bit like a pith helmet. Before you get too pithed off, though, consider that it was originally designed to be foldable -- therefore packable.

Like Languagehat, I once wore my panama in the rain. Got caught in a surprise tropical downpour. They use steam and force to crease your hat - when it gets wet, it turns into the lovechild of a wet newspaper and a jellyfish. Fortunately, it's not ruined, just unwearable until you can get it dried out and re-blocked. If I'd packed an optimo instead of an havana, I could have rolled it up into my pocket and it'd have sustained less damage. Certainly, you can roll up an optimo in a bike bag.

Here's a site I have dealt with. They also explain the options and you can also order a specific hat currently in stock. NB: Amazon they are not.

When it is raining (and warm), I go with a bush hat. Many options in this range, too. Some waterproof, most water resistant at least, fairly inexpensive. Not too hot for summer wear.

By the way, nothing will turn you into a 'hat person' like actually wearing one. You'll get over your self-consciousness and wonder how it was ever a concern. And your brains won't be fried.
 
posted by Herodios at 10:20 AM on June 20, 2017 [3 favorites]


> I just bought a hat at REI. They have a good collection of the more casual, crushable varieties.

Not for us big-headed people. I have found one large hat there, but it's not worth going out of your way. (I swear REI caters to elves when it comes to sizes.)
posted by The corpse in the library at 2:51 PM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


Tilley Airflo (bought mine at REI) is what you want. Mine is a 7 3/4. Will also protect you from rain pretty well.
posted by Emperor SnooKloze at 3:32 PM on June 20, 2017 [1 favorite]


I have this, which appears to be no longer in production, but perhaps Columbia has replaced with a similar model. At any rate, it seems like such a style could work for you.

It is not an attractive hat.
posted by slenderloris at 4:04 PM on June 20, 2017


You should definitely take a look at the many types of Tilley hat. They can be tied on, they float, they are fine with water, they are all great protection against the sun, and some models can survive being repeatedly eaten by elephants.
posted by BinaryApe at 11:46 PM on June 20, 2017


and some models can survive being repeatedly eaten by elephants
BTW, this is literally true, and the story has been part of Tilly's marketing for years.
posted by uberchet at 7:14 AM on June 21, 2017


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