How do you travel with a big straw hat?

With summer approaching, I’ve been getting the question of “how do you pack a hat?” often.  By often, I mean all the time.

Well, friends, I’m no longer keeping you in suspense.  Here are my go-to tips for packing your chapeaus.

1)  Select the correct hat

Investing in a hat that is relatively packable is the way to go.  I just splurged on this perfect summer hat (support it!  It’s a Kickstarter!  It helps make dreams come true!), but this Eric Javits hat is a similar option.  I can also vouch for the packability of Sole Society’s hats.  Both the straw fedora and ombré floppy sun hat fold up well and retain their shape.

2)  Wear it, don’t pack it

I love a hat on any outfit.  I especially love it paired with an airport outfit.  What’s more chic than a Panama hat paired with boyfriend jeans, a silk blouse, a brightly patterned scarf, and a slip-on sneaker?  Answer – nothing.  In a pinch, the hat can act as a eye mask and gives the “leave me alone, I don’t want to talk” vibe perfectly to potentially chatty neighbors.

3)  Pack it right

Okay, fine.  So you don’t want to wear your hat.  That’s fine.  Let’s talk packing.

One of the attractive things about the aforementioned Satya Twena sun hat is that it comes with its own pouch for packing.  GENIUS.

For all the other summer hats you have, here’s how to pack them perfectly:

• Stuff the crown of the hat with clean small items – bathing suits, coverups, underwear.  Fill until it’s completely full so the crown maintains its shape.
• Once your larger items are packed (clothing, shoes), lay your hat brim down on top of those large items.  Pack your smaller items (toiletries, hair tools, makeup bag, etc) around the crown of the hat, placing the items on top of the brim to maintain its shape.
• Zip up the bag and get going!

I’d advise against packing your hat in your personal item, since items are constantly being removed and added to that bag.  The suitcase or duffel is a better option, as you won’t be digging through it often during your journey.

I’d love to know – are you a hat person or not?  What’s your go-to hat for beach/poolside trips?  COMMENT below and let me know!

Margaret Atwood, author of the 1985 dystopian novel The Handmaid’s Tale, once said, “I myself have 12 hats, and each one represents a different personality.” I’m not sure if she was referring to a sartorial affinity, but I am often reminded of this line when vacation season is in full swing.

Some summer models I own: a woven rattan from Tulum with a six-inch fringe trim; a cream Nick Fouquet hand-tie-dyed Western with a wide brim; a cherry-red Stetson cowboy wrapped with a leather lasso purchased at Kemo Sabe, the western accessories mecca in Aspen; an Hermès Ecuadoran fedora with an arrestingly tall, deep-dented crown; a baby blue gaucho with a navy band from the outstanding gift shop at the Hotel Baumanière near Saint-Remy-de-Provence; a raw sea grass boater pilfered from my suite at Amankila, in Bali; and a paper-thin snow-white Borsalino Panama engineered to be folded and stowed in your luggage.

The author in Kyoto, Japan, wearing his prized Hermès fedora.

In the case of the Borsalino, packing is a cinch. But what about the others? “Fill the crown with underwear or socks, place the hat in the suitcase, and then pack other soft clothing around the brim so the hat does not get squashed,” New York milliner Albertus Swanepoel suggests.

On the opposite coast, Hollywood hatmaker-to-the-stars Nick Fouquet takes a different tack. “I’ve tried everything, but the best is still just to wear it,” he says. Not coincidentally, Fouquet is designing a new travel bag—one, he says, “that will be the ultimate place to pack a hat.” Hopefully the TSA will approve.

This story appears in the August 2017 issue of Town & Country.

Whitney Robinson Contributing Editor Whitney Robinson is the former editor-in-chief—and current contributing editor, special projects—at Elle Decor. Previously, he was Town & Country’s style director.

Whether you're getting going on carribbean cruise, a road trip to Yellowstone, or an African Safari, you're getting ready for your next vaction! In other words, it's prime time to dust off your sun hat to give you some much-needed sun protection on your adventure. There's just one problem: how are you supposed to pack your hat? Finding a proficient way to arrange your suitcase to accomodate a hat can seem like a daunting task. Some travelers have even foregone their sun hat altogether to avoid packing it up, making for a hat-less and possibly sunburn filled vaction.

However, packing doesn't have to be a hassle. In most cases, there's no need to purchase a hat box or special luggage to ensure your hat stays intact. This goes for any style of hat, including various styles of sun hats, as well as fedoras, cloches, and safari hats. Read on to learn how to pack a hat, how to work the kinks out, and the best sun hats for travel.

How to Pack a Hat for Travel

While packing hats is not considered an art form, once you master how to efficiently pack your hats, you’ll feel as though you’ve completed a masterpiece.

Follow the below instructions to determine how you should pack hats for travel:

1. Start by verifying what the hat is made of: Different types of hats can packed in different ways, so figure out what your hat is made of.
2. Pack from heaviest to lightest: Doing this will ensure your hat does not get crushed or misshapen by the heavy items in your suitcase.
3. Protect any easily damageable areas of the hat, such as brims: Put down some padding in the form of clothes to keep your cap in tip-top shape.

How to Pack a Sun Hat in a Suitcase in 3 Steps

Sun hats and other stiff hats are the most difficult caps to pack for travel. This section will tell you how to pack sun hats, as well as other stiff or formed hats, including:

Because these hats are formed, they must be packed with care to avoid damaging the crown or brim. Depending on the material, they may be cracked, creased, or squished beyond repair if you don't follow the tips below. 

1. Put down a layer of clothes to give the hat extra protection. Then place the hat crown-side down in your suitcase. 

2. Fill the inside of the hat soft material, such as lightweight t-shirts, socks, and underwear. Be sure not to "stuff" hat- the goal is to ensure the crown maintains its shape while also maximizing the space in your luggage. At this point, you can either place your hat in the suitcase brim-down or crown-down, depending on personal prefence and how the hat fits in the suitcase. For our demonstration, we have packed the hat crown-down.

3. Begin packing the rest of clothes under the brim and around the crown. This will ensure the brim and crown keep their shape. Do not pack items tightly against the crown as this could contort the hat.

How Not to Pack a Hat in a Suitcase

To keep your cap safe and sound in transit, avoid these common mistakes:

• Do not pack a hat that is extremely rigid. We're talking about hats that have no flexibility, such as very stiff straw hats. These hats are prone to cracking and will easily break in a suitcase. If you want to take a hat like this along for the ride, we recommend wearing it on your head or carrying it. Pack it in your luggage at your own risk!
• Do not pack a hat with a brim that is much wider than your suitcase. Once again, bending the brim or folding the brim of hat may cause a lot of damage depending on what the hat is made of. We recommend wearing a hat like this or carrying it with you en-route.
• Do not put anything too heavy on top of or inside of your hat. A general rule is to pack your clothes from heaviest to lightest. The heaviest things should go on the bottom, and the lighter things on top.
• Do not put your hat in your suitcase without any protection underneath. This can lead to damage!

How to Pack Baseball Hats in a Suitcase

Baseball caps are a little easier to pack, but they still need to be packed properly to avoid ruining the brim. Follow the steps below to pack your baseball cap in a suitcase safely:  

1. The back portion of the hat (where the adjustable strap is) can be folded inward toward the brim of the hat, creating a concave, half-moon shape. Because most baseball caps are made from soft fabric, you don't need to worry about reshaping. 

2. If the bill is curved, place a pair of socks underneath it to add cushioning in case any of your belongings shift in transit. Try to avoid placing anything heavy on the hard bill as this could break the plastic or permanently bend the brim.

Best Sun Hats for Travel: Packable Hats for Women

Why not make your life a little easier by bringing a hat that's easy to pack on your vaction? A packable, easy-travel hat can make your vacation time much less stressful. As certain fabrics are more malleable and durable. You'll want to look for hats that are very flexible. Look for specific wording on the label such as “crushable” or “packable”. While this does not mean you can toss the hat into your suitcase and expect zero wrinkles, crushable hats packed properly should have few to no wrinkles. If any crinkles do appear, using a handheld steamer can work these imperfections out. 

 If easy is the name of the game, then fabric hats win the gold medal. It really doesn't get simpler than this. Soft fabric hats, such as bucket hats and fabric sun hats can be laid flat, folded, or rolled up without being damaged. That means more space in your suitcase for extra clothes and souvenirs! Many fabric hats have a brim and UPF sun protection so you're protected from the sun's rays. The fine print: If your fabric hat does have a formed or cardboard brim, do not roll or fold it, as this can create creases that cannot be removed. Instead, just lay it flat in your suitcase brim-side up. 

Shop Fabric Sun Hats here.

• 100% organic cotton exterior with UPF 50+ protection.
• Classic bucket hat shape.
• Lined in an exclusive soothing aloe/bamboo blend fabric.
• Features an inner drawstring for size adjustments.

Shop here

• 100% organic cotton exterior with UPF 50+ protection.
• Features flattering pleating around the crown to add volume to the head.
• Lined in an exclusive soothing aloe/bamboo blend fabric.
• Inner drawstring for size adjustments.

Shop here

• 100% cotton denim exterior.
• The brim is slightly shorter in the back for comfortable all-day wear. 
• Brim can be worn rolled up or down.
• Essential basic hat.

Shop here

Ribbon Braid & Polyester Sun Hats

If sun hats with extra wide brims are calling your name, say hello to ribbon braid hats (aka your new travel companion)! These hats are light weight and flexible with wide brims thst provide lots of sun protection. What's more, these hats are collapsible,  packable, and crushable, meaning they can be laid flat or rolled up in a suitcase with little to no wrinkling amd simple reshaping.  Bonus: they often come in fun colors you won't find in a traditional straw hat! Perfect for your next beach excursion!

Shop Polyester & Ribbon Braid Sun Hats here.

• Polyester.
• Shady brim.
• Can be folded in a suitcase.

Shop here

• Polyester ribbon braid.
• Extra wide brim.
• Can be rolled up in a suitcase.
• Inner drawstring for size adjustments.

Shop here

• Polyester ribbon braid.
• Wide brim
• Can be rolled up and packed in a suitcase

Shop here

While we do recommend packing paper hats carefully, they can be a good option for travel. Paper hats are either made by braiding the paper, or by crocheting. Many paper braid hats are soft and malleable, and minor dents can be (carefully) steamed out. Crocheted sun hats often have less form than a typical sun hat, making them easily crushable, and a great travel option. Just make sure that you don't bend any wire that might be in the brim!

Shop Paper Braid & Toyo Hats here.

• 100% crocheted toyo.
• Handcrafted.
• Wide brim.
• Lightweight.
• Adjustable inner drawstring for size adjustments.

Shop here

• Polyester/paperbraid blend.
• Lightweight.
• Crushable.
• UPF 50+ sun protection.
• Inner drawstring for size adjustments.

Shop here

• Polyester/paperbraid blend.
• Large, shady brim
• Lightweight.
• Crushable.
• UPF 50+ sun protection.
• Inner drawstring for size adjustments.

Shop here

If you're keen on bringing a woven hat on your next trip but nervous about damaging it along the way, raffia hats might just be the answer you've been looking for. While we still recommend packing Raffia hats carefully using the instructions above, Raffia straw is strong, durable, and flexible. If your hat gets a little squished, squashed, or bent during travel, its possible to reshape it using a steamer. These hats sometimes have wire in the brim, so make sure not to bend it in your suitcase.

100% natural raffia crown.

• Hand-crocheted.
• 100% cotton canvas brim.
• Inner drawstring for size adjustments.
• Wire in brim for lots of styling options.

Shop here

If your hat comes out slightly creased, don’t think of this as a failed experiment. Even the best packed suitcase contents can shift in transit, leaving a dented crown or bent brim. A secret weapon of sun hat owners worldwide is packing a travel handheld steamer.

Steaming a fabric or raffia hat will make the hat more malleable, allowing you to reshape the hat using your fingers. If you do not have access to a handheld steamer, we recommend placing the hat in the bathroom while you take a hot shower to achieve a similar effect. 

Hats that contain cardboard or are more fragile should be steamed with care. If your hat does lose its shape, doing an indirect steam in the shower may be the way to go.

Get a hand-held steamer here.

©2014-2020, Headcovers Unlimited, Inc. All Rights Reserved.We encourage and welcome direct links to this page, but please do not redistribute, copy, alter or create derivative works from our content without express written permission. 

How do you fly with a big hat?

How do you travel with a large brim hat?

Can I bring a large hat on a plane?