94 of 96 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Stylish and versatile, March 16, 2010
This review is from: Scala Women's Cotton Big Brim Ultraviolet Protection Hat with Inner Drawstring (Apparel)
I bought this hat in the natural color to wear to a multi-day outdoor music festival (Bonnaroo). I wanted something cuter and more stylish than a fishing/boonie hat but didn't want to risk blocking other people's view of the stage by wearing a huge "J.Lo" glamour hat. So, I decided on this breezy cotton number, and I wasn't disappointed in the least. In addition to the music festival, I've also worn it while hiking, rowing, and traipsing through farmer's markets. It has consistently kept my head cool, my eyes shaded, and my face, neck, and shoulders free of sunburn.
The weave of the fabric makes it look like linen, and according to the tag, it provides SPF 50+. The brim is nice and wide, made out of a somewhat stiff canvas that holds its shape if you bend it. The hat is also fantastic for traveling: you can pack and fold it into a small space, and it will still look great when you pull it out -- just smooth out the wrinkles and off you go!
The best feature of this hat is its versatility:
* Flaunt your classy country club style while gardening, golfing, or attending a tennis match by turning up the outer edge of the brim, like the photo shows.
* Look effortlessly chic at an outdoor brunch or on a Caribbean cruise by turning down the outer edge of this hat, which makes it look like Audrey Hepburn's famous wide-brimmed chapeau.
* Create an artsy bohemian look by crinkling up a few inches of the brim's edge on one side, a little off-center. (My personal fave.)
* Get that elusive 1990s "Blossom" look -- or, similarly, a Cape Cod rain hat -- by folding the brim so it points up in front and down in the back.
* Need an Aussie Outback hat? Simply position one side straight up over your ear and angle the other side out horizontally.
* Channel the Chiquita Banana Lady by angling the entire brim upwards from the base. (Note that the hat is not actually strong enough to hold fruit, other than perhaps a few lone grapes.)
* From the Chiquita Banana hat, pull the sides of the brim down over your ears and let it spring back up. I call this look the Fortune Cookie because, well... it looks like you have a giant fortune cookie on your head, especially if you get it in tan/brown.
Just about the only way you can't wear this Houdini of a hat is in a cowboy style (I actually just tried this and it doesn't quite work; the closest you can get is by taking the Fortune Cookie and rotating it 90°). If you were really determined to make it look like a cowboy hat, you could probably do it with safety pins.
The inside of the cap is lined in white cotton and has a hidden drawstring around the inner band so that you can adjust the size. I wear a Large in women's hats and find this hat to be comfortable without making any adjustments -- it has a bit of "breathing room" but is not too loose. If you wear a S/M in women's hats, you might decide to decrease the band size using the drawstring. Note that it does not have a chin strap.
You could wear this hat to the beach, at a theme park, at a botanical garden, on a safari -- really anywhere you'll be outside and want a versatile, casual hat to protect you from the sun. The one and only situation in which I wouldn't recommend this hat is if your destination will be really windy the whole time (in that case, you would probably need a hat with a chin strap). Otherwise, for all other applications, I would recommend this hat without hesitation!
** Update, July 2010: I still love this fantastic hat and have worn it to several more outdoor events. I did put it in the washing machine to keep the inner band from staining where it touches my forehead, even though the tag says the hat should be wiped off with a cloth to clean. I washed it in cold water and let it air-dry, and it did not shrink. However, I think the brim had some kind of starch coating that must have washed off, because it's noticeably softer and much less stiff now, which I actually prefer. I can still bend the brim according to the shape I want, though, so I maintain my five-star rating!
Help other customers find the most helpful reviews
Was this review helpful to you? Yes
No
