Big floppy hats?

[ddgleason]

Couple of questions:

 

First, do any of you wear big, floppy hats on your cruise or to the beach? I feel like I am the only one sometimes and it makes me feel a little conspicuous. Anyone else suffer from this feeling?

 

And second, if you do have your big hat, how do you travel with it? Do you wear it on the plane? Pack it? I am always afraid of crushing it but then to wear it on the plane makes me feel even more out of place.

[snowbirds2]

I have a sunhat that's squishable and packable that I got from a specialty beach wear store and it travels amazing well in my suitcase but I have seen people at the airport either wearing or carrying big hats. I think these days now people are more aware of sun protection you'll see more big hats. I'm looking for a new one myself. Can't go out in the sun without one - even though I hate how it flattens my hair!

 

No need to feel conspicuous - just sun smart!:cool:

[canuckcruzingirl]

I don't go anywhere without my "Tilley Endurables" hat - it is wide-brimmed, canvas, and flattens to go into a suitcase. It's also washable and guaranteed!

 

www.tilley.com

 

I used to travel with a non-packable golf hat and constantly worried about it getting squished in an overhead compartment on the plane (a few hats met their demise in this fashion).

[hildefer]

I LOVE big hats, I too feel self conscious wearing them though. I wish it was like in the 20's when everyone wore hats of all kinds and it was more of a fashion statement. I plan on buying a new one for our cruise and wearing it proudly!!:D

[cb at sea]

Hubby always brings his "Tilley"...quite packable! I just use a sun visor.

[azstamper]

I just found a great hat with sun protection built in, good price, packable/scrunchable at one of my fave stores, t.j. XXxx. Glad to hear others are into hats!

[packedandready]

I took a "not really" large floppy hat on our first cruise and ended up not being able to wear it much. It was too breezy on deck and at the ports unless I was just walking around in town. At the beach....forget it :p

[navybaby1113]

I love big floppy hats, but I'm always scared they're going to blow off from the breeze on deck.

[Homosassa]

I always have a sun hat on when I am on a cruise. I usually have several with me to match my various outfits.

 

I avoid them blowing off by attaching a loop of matching cord with a slide to tighten the hat under my chin.

 

I pack them in a carry-on bag and place them under my airline seat.

 

Let people laugh. I have been protecting my skin since I was a child and at 61, people take me for much younger because of the lack of wrinkles (OK - not smoking or heavily drinking alcohol also helped).

[Loves_Dogs]

Not only do I wear big floppy hats on my cruises but I wear them in my every day life. I have a skin condition called melasma and if I don't stay out of the sun I will pay dearly. I wear my big floppy hats for everything from working in my yard to walking my dog and everything in between. I own several in different colors and most of them are packable. I do not buy a hat if it doesn't have a string to hold it in place as I don't want to worry about it blowing off.

[RQINFL]

Yes, I wear them on cruises! I absolutely LOVE the look ~ and don't feel conspicuous or out of place. They are totally fashionable and timeless.

[nw2this]

I like straw cowboy hats, probably will look conspicuous but I don't really care.

[ddgleason]

Ok ladies, you have convinced me. I need to get over the conspicuous feelings and just rock my hat. I am going to put on my huge sunglasses and pretend I am a Real Housewife from Beverly Hills. I guess it is all in the attitude. My mother always said "When in doubt, act as if..." :D

[Happy ks]

This is my hat: http://www.travelsmith.com/packable-panama-hat/11502

 

Love it, have had it for over 5 years now.

 

I also use a sun visor with a large brim:

 

http://www.bing.com/shopping/helen-kaminski-marnie-helen-kaminski-nat-wht-blkstp/p/6024B78643D3ABEE5020?q=helen+kaminski+visor&lpq=helen%20kaminski%20visor&FORM=HURE

 

I've had the visor for a number of years as well. Before I've had cheap ones, they just don't last long. I wash the bands by hand and they still look brand new.

[Anita Latte]

Love my big floppy hat! I got mine from a gardening supply store. It's crushable, packable, and has a chin strap! LOVE IT!! Goes with everything. Definitely bringing it on my cruise.

[Lady Chew]

I love big floppy hats, but I'm always scared they're going to blow off from the breeze on deck.

 

My favorite straw hat is floating somewhere in the middle of the Atlantic right now ... on our transatlantic in November one day I was just getting settled in my lounge chair and getting ready to clip it on in back - and whoosh! it was gone - through the railings and into the wake!

[RazorbackBelle08]

I will be wearing my big fabulous floppy straw hat on deck with pride :D

 

 

Sent from my Commodore 64 using MS/DOS

[iCruise717]

I have THREE big floppy hats. The first was a black one I bought nearly two years ago now. I like it for the Hollywood glam kind of look. Big sunglasses with my floppy hat! Next I bought a white one that I actually wore last Easter. Since then I haven't gotten much use out of that one, but I love it nonetheless. And finally, I just ordered a huge sand colored one that I think will be perfect for beach/cruise wear.

 

I have never been self conscious about my floppy hats, I just thought they looked fabulous! But I can definitely see how one would be nervous about wearing them aboard a windy cruise ship.

 

I hope all you ladies wear your floppy hats with PRIDE! :D

[Happy ks]

As well as being able to enjoy nicer looking skin saved from sun damage in future years:)

[Quixotic]

Oh yes! My color base for the cruise is black and white, and I have a darling black floppy sunhat that I adore (from Target!). I will be wearing it often, unless it's very windy.

[jenn_x]

I have two big floppy hats, one straw colored one and a very large, very floppy white one. I usually gently roll them and bring them in my carry on bag (purse/tote thing). That way I dont worry about them being squished in my luggage and it just makes me feel extra-vacationy to have them right there...ready to be worn.

[Kancruze]

I have two big floppy hats, one straw colored one and a very large, very floppy white one. I usually gently roll them and bring them in my carry on bag (purse/tote thing). That way I dont worry about them being squished in my luggage and it just makes me feel extra-vacationy to have them right there...ready to be worn.

 

And you look very chic in your hat jenn x. I see you'll be wearing it in the next few days for sure! Happy cruising.

Anyway, count me in OP as another hat wearer in your corner. Go for it. Vacations are so laid back and relaxed that to me nothing says vacation like a large, floppy hat and sunshades! :D

[ddgleason]

Hmmmm... I only have one straw-colored one. I see that I am going to have to branch out and purchase a couple more in different colors. What have you all done to me?:D

[sarafinadh]

I love hats and wear them all the time, summer and winter. I haven't yet cruised but I have a lot of experience traveling with hats.

 

I love my ribbon hats. I can fold them in half like a taco and then roll them up in a cone and slip them into my suitcase with no problem. At the other end they pop right open just fine. Sometimes I just put them in flat and let the crown crush down. They come in many colours and styles and travel really well! Even better? their washable... so that white or cream hat gets grungy it will come thru the delicate cycle beautifully.

 

My go to straw hat is really a raffia crocheted hat from Dorfman Pacific, under the Scala label. They have these really nice thick soft elastic headbands that are just enough to keep the hat on your head in a breeze. I even wear these sailing so they stay on pretty good.

These are not totally crushable, but are very sturdy. Much tougher than straw! They will stand up pretty well to an overhead bin. This one (or one like it) I usually wear in transit.

 

And if you feel conspicuous wearin yer hats you just don't wear 'em ENOUGH! Wear them all the time and pretty soon you will feel naked without one!

[Kancruze]

OHHH! I love the black and white one!!! And I love the idea of the elastic headband too; it's so hard to keep hats on in the wind. I'm wondering if maybe I could just sew on into my favorite hat? Thanks for the idea and the pics.