Best Sun Hats to Protect Your Skin
Many of you know how vigilant I am about protecting my skin from the sun…a case of melanoma will tend to do that, and hats are a stylish way to do it. Tiny hats are cute, and I have a few, but I usually opt for ones with more coverage. Not only do they shield my skin from the harmful rays of the sun, but they’re great at covering bad hair days and grown-out roots if you color your hair. The other thing I love about hats is the attitude they give to an outfit.
ILSE JACOBSON FLATS/ SIMILAR BAG
With warmer weather approaching, I know many of us will be spending more time outdoors. Today, we’re diving into the world of sun hats, and I’m sharing some of my favorites, from wide-brim straw hats to ball caps and everything in between to keep you protected.
PS- If you feel like you look silly in hats, you may just be choosing the wrong style for your face. I talk a lot about choosing the proper hat for you in this post.
If you love sun protection or are traveling soon with a hat and trying to figure out how to pack it, I’ve linked some other posts that you’ll find helpful below.
- How to Pack a Hat In a Carry-on
- What Order To Apply Sunscreen
- Cruelty-Free Sunscreens for Mature Skin
My Personal Favorite Sun Hats
I brought this packable Panama hat with me on my recent trip to Mexico and am wearing the heck out of it at home, too. It comes in several different options, but my favorite combination is this light gray and tan. I used my TopTote hat clip to attach it to my tote, which proved to be genius and was strong enough to hold both my and my husband’s hat hanging from my suitcase when we traveled.
The Best Sun Hats to Protect Your Skin
Brixton Joanna Straw Hat
I’ve had this hat in the classic beige straw and black ribbon for years. I reach for it more than any other hat I own. It doesn’t come in the vanilla shade I’m wearing in this photo this year, but it is available in a gorgeous honey color.
You can, and I have, spent a small fortune on a great hat, but this Brixton Joanna with UPF50+ protection is a stylish, sturdy hat at a fabulous price.
Super Wide Brim Bucket Hat UPF50+
Protect your face, neck, and shoulders from the harsh rays with this super wide-brim bucket hat. The strap can be snugged down securely for the windiest day so it’s great for camping, hiking, fishing, boating, and all of those outdoor activities. It’s a water-resistant fabric and has mesh panels to help keep it breathable. I have this one in beige, and I love it for my daily walks plus scrunches into any bag without getting wrecked.
Multifunctional Bucket Sun Hat
This hat can be worn in four different ways. It has a detachable top and flaps, which gives you as little or as much coverage as you want. You can wear it as a visor, a regular sun hat, a sun hat with a neck shield, or a sun hat with a neck and face shield (like pictured). This may look like overkill, but it would be great for so many situations where you are in direct sunlight like doing yard work in the middle of the day, walking in the direction of the sun on the beach, sitting on the bleachers watching a grandchild play a sport, etc. You can always remove the face and neck shield once the harshest sunlight hours of the day have passed and place them into your handbag.
San Diego Hat Company X-Large Brim Hat
This is the style of hat I take with me when we head somewhere tropical. It gives adequate coverage from the sun since it has UPF50+ protection, and an extra wide brim to shield my face, neck, and shoulders. Plus, this style of hat is surprisingly easy to pack. The one con about big floppy hats like this on the beach is that they could use a chin strap to keep them on in case of a big gust of wind! I have one like this that I keep by the back door and pop on to pick ripe tomatoes, etc, from our veggie garden in the summer.
Verabella Lightweight Sunhat with Bow UPF50+
Speaking of chin straps, this pretty little sunhat with a bow has a detachable chin strap to keep it in place. It’s foldable, packable, and comes in several colors. If you have longer hair, this style of hat will also accommodate a ponytail or low bun. I also like this option for sitting against a beach chair.
Sunday Afternoons Sol Seeker
I love the decorative headband on this hat and the fact that it has adjustable internal sizing so you can get the perfect fit for all-day wear. This classic shape flatters most face shapes and is available in three other colors.
Lack of Color Seashell Boater Hat
I love a great boater shape. They look modern and classic at the same time with a flat top and straight brim. The neutral beaded strap gives it a fun coastal grandmother vibe making it ideal for a trip to the coast, a tropical vacation, or just the farmers market in your hometown.
UPF50+ Baseball Cap
This baseball cap is moisture-wicking, making it a wonderful option for those of you who love to do active outdoor sports like running, playing golf or pickleball, or simply to cover a bad hair day.
I bought this ball cap with PARIS across the front last year and love the tiny attitude it gives to an outfit.
How to Make a Hat Fit Your Head
I’ve learned that very few hats fit perfectly right out of the gate, so I highly recommend these stick-on foam strips. All you have to do is add them to the inside of your hat band.
More of the Best Sun Hats:
Do you wear hats? What are your favorite shapes?
I love hats but as a petite woman with a very small head I feel like I get lost in them and end up just looking silly – any suggestions on styles or brands ?
Shorter brims help. Try J Crew
I have a pool. I love a hat with a flat back or no brim on the back.
It makes it easy to sit in a lounge chair.
In the pool give me a full brim, but no straw.
I have several hats from Wallaroo Hat Company. They are stylish, lightweight and reasonably priced and provide great sun protection-lots of different styles and colors. They have UPF of 30+ and are recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation.
Great to know!
So, I am a fan of hats and after a very long search, I purchased one that I love and get many compliments on when I wear it. But once I put it on, I can’t take it off — “Hat Hair” is a real problem for me. I have a similar hairstyle to yours, Jennifer, any suggestions?
I leave it on, then just fluff my roots best I can when I take it off. If your hat is too tight it will really flatten things down.
I do love hats and, although I am very petite at 5’0” with a small frame, I have found a few that work. However, I usually only wear them at the beach or pool because I have below-the-shoulder length hair with bangs, and there is NO WAY bangs survive wearing a hat. At the beach or pool I am there to swim and have fun, usually with some grandchildren 🥰, so my hair is already pulled back into a ponytail or twist, and no one cares about the sorry-looking bangs when the hat comes off.
It sounds so lovely to add some interest to a summer outfit with a stylish hat, as you do so well, until I want to remove it, but can’t without completely redoing my now very flat hair.
In the winter I wear a fleece headband to keep my ears warm, and that works pretty well with bangs.
If you have any secrets for wearing hats with causing a serious case of “hat hair”, I’d love to hear them!
Applying some dry shampoo at the roots before you wear the hat, allows you to fluff it up a bit after the hat comes off.
I view hats as a necessity. My father died of melanoma when he was only 39 years old so I’ve been aware of sun protection for a very long time. I also live in SW Florida, plus spend a fair amount of time in Australia where one of our daughters live. The Aussies are fanatics for their hats. Schools have signs “No hat, no play.” Children are not allowed out in the playground without hats and sunscreen. So I have quite a collection of hats at all price points, but my favorite hat is the iconic Australian Akubra. And the other Aussie brand I love is Helen Kaminski. Both are investments, but will last forever.
I agree. I still wear a Helen Kaminski hat I bought over 15 years ago!
Love this article, Jennifer! Sunday Afternoons makes wonderful hats, I have two. (My husband admired this hat when he was out walking our dog and asked the woman who made it—then he bought it for me as a surprise!) I have the Ultra Adventure hat—it’s light and has a flap that covers your neck, which can be rolled up. I also have the Bug Free Cruiser hat that I wear during bug season here in northern Virginia.
Have a great day!
A bug hat would be amazing! The mosquitos are epic here
I love the look of hats, but have found with a pixie style haircut , it’s just not a good look on me. They seem to look better on women that have chin or mid length hair. I wear one when gardening or out in the yard for the SPF. Utilitarian but not particularly flattering. Drat
I would love your input on hat options that won’t leave me hot and sweaty.
In a word, a parasol. I carry them in blistering heat and they are fabulous!
Thanks for reminding me to get my hat out. I use Maybelline Instant age rewind eraser with 18 spf daily. If I am going to be in the sun I put face and hands, spf on 50+. I always enjoy your blogs. Thank you.
What a great selection of hats! I always wear baseball caps for golf and bad hair days and also to walk. I’m on the hunt for a larger sun hat. I used to have a great straw hat but have no idea what happened to it! I really have to try them on. You look great in hats, not everyone does.
There is a flattering hat for every woman, I am convinced of it. You just have to experiemnt
I have been following you wonderful advice for years and thought you might appreciate this recent encounter with the clerk at my local Talbots in Charlottesville, VA. I was purchasing some articles and mentioned your name and column to the sales clerk. Turns out, she is also a big fan and stated that a lot of her customers follow your blog. Well done and thank you!
Thanks for letting me know! That’s wonderful to hear.
May I just say that you look lovely-you look great in hats . Thank you for sharing today. I am a redhead with skin as pale as milk…with regularly scheduled dermatology appointments.
I am heading to Dominican Republic next moth, this is perfect!
As yes, you would burn very easily! Have a great trip
I have several hats and always wear them during summer when walking, if lazing in the pool, a cloth hat. My favourite is a soft leopard print hat from Zara. I love it as I can stuff it in my pocket or bag, so it is practical having lost several hats in the past from leaving them in shops. Did get a laugh out of the multi foldable hat as it brought back memories when I lived in Saudi Arabia