Posts Tagged hats
Kids’ Winter Hats from Chaos & Moon Shadow
The Montreal-based company Do-Gree Fashions produces absolutely darling winter hats for kids with its Chaos and Moonshadow brands. Granted, children wear helmets while they are skiing or snowboarding, so you won’t typically find these head-toppers actually on the ski mountains, but I’d highly recommend them for use on any winter resort vacation where your kids might be sledding, tubing, snowshoeing or otherwise playing in the snow. These hats are fashionable and durable.
The junior-sized winter hats come in all sorts of styles: beanies, brimmed, ear-flapped trapper or Peruvian with braided tassels below the ears. Some are hand-knit or hand-crocheted, others are reversible or lined in faux fur. Some have pompoms or flowers, others have a retro look or camouflage design.
The particular kids’ knit caps that I felt in my hands (and popped on my kids’ heads) are made of soft 100% acrylic. I’m partial to any of the children’s styles that have fleece lining at the ears — this feature keeps kids cozy and warm.
This season, look for the purple, pink and orange “Lupin” Moonshadow hat ($22) my daughter is sporting in the photo below. It comes with matching knit “Garden” gloves ($16) that she gives props to for not being “itchy.” She also appreciates that there aren’t any stray strings inside to catch on her little fingers.
My son is wearing the striped pom-pom “Control” hat ($24) from Chaos that reminds me of the winter hats my brother and I wore in the late 1970s — apparently the retro style has made a comeback, because my 8-year-old thinks it’s quite hip.
Super cute for kids are the Chaos “Monsters” hats — whimsical and silly for young children. Purchase hats on the Chaos Hats website, or find a dealer near you.
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Posted by Kara in Kids and Family on October 29th, 2010
Tilley Organic Airflo T5MO Hat
Tilley sun hats. Those words seem to go together like Osprey and backpacks, like Teva and water shoes, like Swiftwick and biking socks, like Coghlan’s and camping gadgets.
For those who want a well-constructed hat that is going to hold up well over the years, buying something from Tilley Endurables has long been the obvious choice. My colleague Kara loved the Tilley hemp hat she tried out last year. I’ve been trying out one of their models for a month now—the organic cotton Airflo hat—and I get what all the fuss is about.
The company makes it clear that this is not your average afterthought sun hat made on the other side of the world. “Handcrafted with Canadian persnicketiness,” these even come with their own instruction manual. Your hat will fit if you measure your head before ordering: they make them in 13 standard hat sizes. Their guarantee says they’ll replace it if something falls apart, but they bet you won’t be able to wear it out. Here’s what happens if you do:
“If you ever succeed in wearing out your Tilley Hat (and some have), send us the remains and we will replace it free. If you want to keep your faithful, old, worn-out friend, tell us and we’ll return it to you. We understand.”
If you lose it, they’ll even replace it for 50% of the cost. They trust you.
But anyway, what about this particular model? Well the air flow part of the Airflo really works. Mesh along the top allows a breeze to cool your sweaty brow while the solid part on the top keeps those of us with sparse follicles from getting a sunburn. There are shoelace-type straps to keep it on your head when it’s windy, but it’s easy to tuck them away or even remove them completely when not needed. As you can tell from the model photo here, the brim on this one is not as huge as with many sun hats. That may mean a little less protection, but your brim doesn’t bang people in the face in a crowd.
This model is made from organic cotton, but it’s been aggressively pre-shrunk so you can wash it without worry. As someone who has had several travel hats become too small to wear anymore, I can promise this is a big deal when it comes to longevity. It does a reasonably good job of keeping your head dry in a drizzle and there’s a secret pocket inside for that extra stash of cash. And it floats!
Tilley Endurables makes a wide variety of travel hats for men and women, so if you don’t like this model there are plenty more to choose from. Different brim sizes, different properties, and different fabrics. You can get a hat with a neck flap, one with InsectShield protection baked in, or one made of waterproof nylon. All carefully designed and constructed and built to fit perfectly.
Naturally all this care means a higher price point than some knock-0ff hat made in China, but this Airflo T5MO one lists for $77—about what I paid for my last pair of sneakers. (Which were made in China.) Visit your local retailer to see different styles in person, or order from one of these online shops.
Posted by Tim L. in Adventure Gear, General Gear on April 29th, 2010
Heidi Hat / Heidi Bottom: Chic, Handmade Clothing & Accessories
When Heidi Wade was an Aspen ski instructor in the late 1990s, she didn’t love the sporty winter hats available at local stores. So she started stitching together clever patterns and unexpected fabrics to produce her own feminine yet functional headwear. About five years later, she turned her hat-making hobby into a business, and Heidi Hat was born.
Recently, Heidi evolved beyond winter in the mountains and expanded her line to include activewear to include stretchy, super-comfy yoga pants, capris, skirts and board shorts — awesome, versatile pieces that pack easily into a suitcase.
Heidi Hats & Other Accessories
Heidi’s signature hat is a pillbox shape, lined in fleece and typically enhanced with silk brocade, lace or whimsical tassels. I sampled one similar to the faux leopard fur pillbox pictured at right ($56), though mine is topped with French lace instead of the the black silk brocade and my bead is black. I love this hat and feel 0h-so-chic wearing it; but honestly, it doesn’t look near as cute on me as it does on the model pictured here. With my bigger-than-a-typical-woman’s head, the fold doesn’t come down on my forehead or over as much of my ears as I think it should.
Here’s the nifty thing: although these hats are “one size fits most,” each is hand-sewn and made to order, so if I were placing an order, I could ask for some extra fabric to give it some extra length. (The hat does look great on my 10-year-old daughter; but there’s no way I’m going to let her go to school with it.)
Other hat styles include form-fitted beanies and “novelty hats” that might feature sparkly fabric, pom-poms, fabric flowers or lace. Peruse the plentiful images on the hat section of the Heidi Hat website to see if something catches your eye, or you can create your hat from the dozens of material swatches. Neck gators, baby beanies and blankets, fleece nose covers (to attach to your goggles and prevent sunburn on the slopes), and gorgeous lace scarves lined in fleece and fringed with beads ($98) round out Heidi’s winter line.
Heidi Bottoms & Bandeau Tops
For the beach and the yoga studio, Heidi makes strapless bandeau tops, teeny tiny hot shorts (not for this particular 40-year-old body) as well as board shorts crafted out of great stretchy swimsuit material. I dig the slinky bandeau-waist capris and pants (offering plenty more leg coverage) that are ideal for wearing on a plane or long car trip.
But my favorite item from the “bottoms” collection is the 20-inch, A-line skirt finished with a sweet lace waistband; it flatters just about any figure (mine for sure). The upbeat flowery prints scream “Hawaiian vacation,” and I can’t wait to pack mine in “blue wildflower” ($74) for my next beach trip. The same skirt style in black French lace over stretchy beige fabric ($98) can be dressed up with a pair of black boots and smart black top — instant comfortable outfit to wear out to the theater or fancy dinner while traveling.
The best part about Heidi Bottoms? No snaps, zippers or buttons — eat and drink as much as you want on your vacation, and you’ll still have something comfortable to wear on the flight home!
Peruse all the options for custom orders of bottoms or hats on the Heidi Hat website. Beware, no automated online store here; you actually do it old-school by placing an order over the phone, via email or by fax. Or see if Heidi Hat items are sold at a store near you.
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Posted by Kara in Travel Light on April 2nd, 2010
Cool Hats – Great Names from Nobis
My travel wardrobe changes a lot depending on the kind of trip it is, but I always carry a couple hats along, including some kind of baseball hat or cap. The people at Nobis let me try out something from their spring line though and I’m waltzing around a city in Mexico with Oliver Closeoff.
Yes, all their hats have names, and great ones too. If you are ever looking for a funny fake name to give the hostess at the restaurant or when leaving a message for a friend, just pop over to the Nobis site for ideas.
Oliver is pictured above. The other two here are Colette Iday and Iriel Hassle. A few gems from the men’s line are Mack Aroni and Watson Yurface. I love a company that doesn’t take its “designer wear” too seriously.
Fortunately, the gimmick is backed up by quality workmanship. Many of these hats look like nothing 
you’ve seen in the stores (in a good way) and they’re built to last. Here is a description of the Hugh Demann one just to give you an idea of what goes into these:
Paper Straw. Textured Cotton/Linen. Print detailing on front panel and peak. Front piping details. Nobis button snap on front right crown. Velcro back closure. Nobis quick-dry wicking sweatband. Peak made from recycled PE materials.
Some are one-size-fits-all with elastic, while others have some type of adjustable band. The model I’ve been wearing has a built-in stash pocket, so another place to keep some money hidden while you travel.
I can’t promise that if you spend the $35 to $60 these retail for that you’re going to look like these lovely models (it didn’t work for me), but I do feel a good bit less frumpy wearing Oliver Closeoff around town instead of some tired baseball hat with a logo.
Check the Nobis dealer locater page to find where to pick up one near you.
Posted by Tim L. in General Gear on June 16th, 2009
