Why I Wear Sun Hats, and Why You Should, Too!
Generally, we at Lands' End are not big on ''should.'' Everyone, and especially women, live with a constant barrage of "you should," day in and day out, almost all our lives. At the same time, there are certain things that are so very important that, well, you really should. One of these things is wearing a sun hat. The good news is that wearing a sun hat feels good and can look great with any aesthetic! So, while you might choose to wear a sun hat out of caution for your health or vanity we believe you'll come to enjoy donning a sun hat and want several for different looks and activities. I'm going to share with you why I wear sun hats regularly, as well as give you tips on choosing sun hats for specific ventures and occasions!
Skin
I admit it: I'm vain of my skin. I'm in my late forties with scarcely a wrinkle or line, very few hyperpigmented spots, and my face is as soft as a rose petal. I definitely lucked out with good genes, but I've also been staying out of the sun as much as possible for about 30 years! As an extremely fair-skinned person, I learned early that to avoid a painful burn, my best bet was to simply keep out of the sun, and wear sunscreen and a hat when I couldn't. This was at a time when girls my age would still "lay out" to achieve bronze skin, go to tanning salons to "get a good base tan," and wore suntan lotion to enhance their tan rather than to prevent sun exposure! I was the proverbial "odd man out," going so far as to carry a parasol and always asking for a spot in the shade, but it has certainly paid off in the end!
A big part of my life now is time spent at the beach and pool; my daughter took to the water like a duckling, and my husband loves tropical vacations with lots of sun and sand. So I learned to protect my skin from the sun's harmful rays carefully while I take my daughter to swim lessons and pool play dates all summer, and vacation at hot beaches a couple of times a year. This includes wearing long-sleeved rash guards and swim capris in the middle of the day, always having a good cover-up if I choose a briefer swimsuit, and always, without fail, having a BIG broad-brimmed sun hat at the beach that will offer some protection to my shoulders and decolletage as well as my head and face.
And yes, I'm that lady who wears her hat into the water! It's worth it when I think of how much I'll save on cosmetic procedures!
Hair
I color my hair, and not in an "only Miss Clairol knows for sure," way. I wear my hair bright hot pink and have for many years! It's an investment of time and resources to choose fashion-colored hair, and if I didn't have an extremely talented colorist, bleaching back and re-tinting my hair every six weeks could cause terrible damage. I do my part to protect my hair as well as my investment by keeping my hair out of the sun and wind, which can cause fading of the color as well as drying and breakage.
You probably don't have pink or purple or turquoise hair, but statistically, you probably do color your hair. The latest study estimates that 75% of women in the U.S. over age 25 have colored or currently color their hair. Protect your hair health as well as your investment by keeping the sun off your hair; it's a simple way to keep your hair looking and feeling its best!
I drive a convertible, I know, it's an odd choice for a mother and a person who doesn't like to be in the sun, but it gives me a lot of joy! And I mitigate all that sun and wind by keeping two or three sun hats stashed in the trunk. For driving, I really like a sun hat with a wider brim over my face that narrows toward my neck; it's much easier to relax into the driver's seat as well as turn my head to look at traffic properly. Lands' End's Facesaver Sun Hat is an ideal design for this! The Facesaver Sun Hat is recommended for beach wear, as the narrow back brim allows you to recline in your beach chair, but obviously this practical design feature can work in lots of places!
Health
There is a line of melanoma in my family, and I am determined not to become a part of it. Besides going to the dermatologist for a yearly "mole patrol," I also wear sunscreen every day, wear stronger sunscreen if I'm going to be outdoors, choose shady spots as much as possible when I'm hanging out outside, whether that's for picnicking, gossiping or waiting on my child at her riding lessons, and I consistently and unabashedly wear hats. Keeping my delicate skin out of the harsh sun is one of the simplest things I can do to protect myself and temper the risk of developing skin cancer, so I do it.
Each very early spring when it's time to put in the pansies, I grab a straw hat along with my gardening gloves and trowel. A sun hat is just as important to working in the garden as good sharp secateurs! When we go out on the lake with family, whether it's for a brisk sail or a leisurely pedal boat ride, I grab a bucket hat, great for keeping the sun and my hair out of my face! When we go to the zoo or a festival, I naturally want to be as comfortable as possible, so I always wear capri pants and I always have a hat!
You Really Should
It's not exactly our modus operandi to use a lot of "should" as we advise our shoppers on style choices; we're here to educate and suggest! At the same time, some things are truly important enough that the word "should" comes into play and wearing a sun hat is one of those things. I wear a sun hat any time it's remotely necessary and you should, too. Honestly, I love it! The most important takeaway here, after the simple direction of "wear a sun hat," is that you can wear any kind of sun hat that is right for you, and your taste and style. From wide-brimmed straw hats with a boho vibe to playful bucket hats to athletic ball caps to polished grosgrain-trimmed toppers, there is a sun hat that will work for your look and your lifestyle, so don't stint on sun protecting because you're "not a hat person." I wear sun hats often enough that I have lots in my closet to complement any outfit I might want to wear, from my oldest bermuda shorts to my prettiest sundress, and you should, too.