Ah, the summer. Everything becomes sweaty. The heat makes you lose all the layers of your clothes and make you go in a minimal way. Some Bermudas, shoes and a white T-shirt. But, you’re missing one thing. You know what, right? A proper hat. Yea, summer is probably the reason why hats made their debut in the first place.
So, is a necessary accessory, we thought that we should give more spotlight to summer hats. In this article, we’ll cover all the hats which are perfect for the summer. We’ll also cover the pros and cons of each and every hat on the list and tell you why you should wear the exact same one. We follow the trends, so we know what’s in and what isn’t. And, if you aren’t into hats, after this article, we can guarantee that you’ll love them a bit more. Maybe even wear one once in a while.
Straw Hats
Let’s start with a classic. What indicates summer more than a neat looking straw hat? Just imagine yourself – lying on the beach, seagull sounds, straw hat on your head and a nice gear near you. Does it get any better? Probably not. But why are straw hats so popular? The reason is obvious. They are extremely lightweight and easy to carry. They are also very stylish and they serve their only purpose – they protect you from sunlight effectively. The main point about this type of hat is that it’s lightweight. The last thing you would want during the summer is that you wear a heavy hat which will make you sweat even more. Straw hats are a total contrast to this.
There are two most common types of straw hats. Fedora straw hat and the famous Panama straw hat. Both of them have their own audience and if you ask us, you can’t go wrong if you pick any of those two. Put a hawaii shirt on, some glasses and top it off with a Panama hat and you’ll feel like in a movie.
One disclaimer though. Straw hats are made from…straw. Which means that in most cases they aren’t extremely durable and if they aren’t made the right way, they can lose their shape very fast. And, since the straw hat is associated with the beach and saltwater, guess what doesn’t mix up very well? Straw and saltwater. Therefore, you need to be careful. Don’t dip your hat in the water and if you don’t have to, don’t swim with it. We say this because we want to make sure that your hat lasts for many summers and that you can enjoy it to the fullest.
Bucket Hats
A popular bucket hat has been around for a while now. It’s been used by fishermen ever since but in the 90s, popular street culture brought it to the spotlight. Especially in England. Football supporters started wearing it as a main part of their wardrobe. Or think about all the famous rappers, most of them wear bucket hats when they go out or in videos for their songs. Slowly but steadily, bucket hats found their place among regular people as well. And, to be honest, we are thankful it did. Why?
Well, if it’s summer in your place right now, look around you. You’ll see people wearing mostly some kind of baseball caps or other lightweight hats. Despite different color schemes, we can say that most of them look the same. And why would you want to look the same as everyone else? Bucket hats offer diversity. And that’s what’s so great about it. Even though it’s standalone, in popular clothing stores like H&M or Zara you can find some pretty weird color styles. Just to make you stand out a bit more from the crowd. It’s good to say that the bucket hat isn’t for everyone. Like, if you are a businessman, this type of hat probably isn’t for you. Bucket hats are made for casual people, in their early 20s who wear casual clothes and pretty much don’t care about anything. With that being said, you need to know that you can’t pair this hat with everything. Bucket hat and a suit? A big no. But a bucket hat and a cool shirt or a polo? Hell yes!
Summer Caps
These types of caps are perfect for every single individual in the summer. With it, you pretty much can’t go wrong. Summer caps are so simple, yet so effective and good looking if worn the right way. It pretty much doesn’t matter if you have a big, small, round or pointy head. The summer cap will work for you. This type of hat is also good for guys that don’t have a lot of confidence – they can rest assured that they will look “cool” and good with it.
The simplicity of such hats is what makes them so good. The only thing they have is a visor that serves it’s the only purpose – to protect you from the sun. But, don’t be fooled by this simplicity. There are countless variations of these hats. Lightweight, heavyweight, unicolor, multicolor, leather, straw, trucker ones, the list goes on and on. Summer caps are so versatile and can be used in so many different ways that it can go to most outfits. But, it’s made for a laid back, cool-looking outfit. They are also good in the summertime if you want to play virtually any sport. Football, tennis, basketball, you name it. Just look at all the famous sportspeople. Can you name anyone who hasn’t worn it ever? Hard task. It’s so good for those occasions since summer caps have a tight fit and they won’t fall off your head if you move or jump around. And at the same time, it protects you from the sun – a win-win situation.
Wide Brim Sun Hats
If you ever watched a safari related movie or documentary, then you know how these hats look. They are made for hard sun and desert. Meaning that this hat isn’t so stylish, but it will protect you from the sun more than any other hat on this list. This hat has a tight fit on your head as well and this fit can be adjusted thanks to the strengthening system it has. It’s great for hiking, running, or basically any other outdoor activity. It’s usually made from durable materials which means your sweat won’t damage it and unlike the straw hats, you are safe if you go swimming with it. The hat can take it all.
It not only protects your head from the sun, it also protects your neck as well. This hat is like an older brother of a bucket hat. It looks very similar to it but the protective ring it has is much bigger than a bucket hat. So, if you want full protection, this hat might be perfect for you.
Baseball Caps
Even though this type of hat is very similar to summer caps, we thought we need to mention it knowing its popularity. The only difference between baseball caps and summer caps is that the visor of the hat is much wider. What this means is that you get a bit of extra protection but at the same time, the hat is a bit bulkier and has more weight to it. In America, this type of hat is extremely popular. Mainly, well, because of baseball which isn’t popular in Europe. In Europe, you’ll see people wear mostly different types of summer caps. Either way, both are very good and suit almost every individual. Apart from that, we can say that these two types of hats are the most modern on the list. Meaning you can’t go wrong if you wear them.
Pork Pie Hats
Pork Pie hats are similar to straw hats like Panama but yet, they are very different. In contrast to the Panama hat, Pork Pie hat can’t be worn by everybody. I mean, you can wear them, but we can’t guarantee you’ll look good. Pork Pie hats have a specific look which people don’t always like. And, unlike straw summer hats, Pork Pie hats are a bit more stylish which means that more serious individuals can wear it as well. But, just look at Walter White from the show Breaking Bad. The guy is famous for his Pork Pie hat and to be honest, on him, it looks brutal. So, if you can pull out a look with this hat, we can only imagine how good you can look. It’s kind of a big risk high reward thing. You need to try it out before you make the final decision if it suits you or not.
Since summertime is approaching, it’s best if you prepare yourself. If you aren’t a hat buff, then now you know what are some of the best summer hats out there. Keep in mind that this isn’t the full list. We know that some people wear beanies during the summer as well or other types of hats. And that’s okay. But, generally speaking, beanies aren’t made from summer and that’s the only reason why some of those hats aren’t on the list. Of course, it’s okay to wear them if that’s part of your style and all we can say is go to it. But, if we are talking specifically about summer hats, pick one from this list. It will protect you from the sun and most importantly, you’ll look modern. Two flies with one hit.