How to find the perfect sun hat – even if you’re ‘not a hat person’
They are often a bit of an afterthought, hastily purchased in an airport departure lounge or Greek village minimart. Done right, though, a sun hat can be magnificent, the centrepiece of your holiday wardrobe, delivering ‘Anya Taylor-Joy at Cannes’ levels of glamour.
As with everything good in life – the best beach, the most idyllic shack for sundowners – there is a bit of legwork (or headwork) involved in finding a great one. The first challenge is determining which shape suits you best. Even if you’re ‘not a hat person’, as so many people claim, there will be something that works with your face shape. This is crucial, because the more you love it, the more you’ll wear it.
‘Obviously, there is a range of sun hats out there,’ from bucket hats to baseball caps, says Awon Golding, head millinery designer at Lock & Co Hatters. ‘Me, personally? I love travelling with a fedora or a wide-brim fabric hat.’
While hat boxes are elegant, recalling the golden age of travel, they’re not well suited to a 5.45am easyJet flight from Luton. ‘A fabric hat is a little bit easier to travel with, because you don’t need to worry about crushing it,’ says Golding, adding that crocheted raffia will also survive an overstuffed carry-on ably. ‘A panama is gorgeous, but you do have to consider whether you’re going to wear it on the plane or pack it in your bag, because every time you crush it, the straw gets a little bit more damaged.’
A little weathering isn’t the end of the world, though. ‘Don’t get too fussy about it. There is an acceptable level of wear and tear that does look good… You want it to look like it’s got a bit of personality.’
So how does a top milliner pack her summer headgear without the need for a hat box? ‘I’m a quite meticulous packer, so I like to roll my clothes, and I leave a little divot in the middle of the suitcase, which will hold the crown of the hat,’ Golding explains. ‘I pack it upside down, so the crown sits in that well, then I fill the crown with socks and whatever else, and that supports the hat.’
Meanwhile, in terms of style, the real key is to choose something you feel great in: ‘If you wear it with confidence, then you can pull anything off.’
Shade for the ladies...
Clockwise from top left: Papaya hat, £149.20, Pardo Hats; Organic cotton bucket, £42, Damson Madder; Paper straw and beads, £60, Aspiga
Pinstripe wide brim, £39, John Lewis; Raffia straw and grosgrain, £85, Lack of Colour at The Odder Side
And for the gentlemen...
Textured straw, £28, Marks & Spencer; Classic panama, £445, Lock & Co; Washed cotton, £29, Arket
Seersucker cap, £125, Sunspel; Rollable crochet, £255, Borsalino
Shopping by Sophie Tobin
