The Real Hat Trick: Finding a Dressier One
Dear Fashion Police: My husband’s hair has thinned significantly on the top of his head. His dermatologist has insisted he wear a hat any time he is exposed to sun. A baseball cap is fine for casual attire, but what’s a guy to use with business suits? He recently sunburned his head while attending our son’s outdoor graduation and would like suggestions for hats and where they can be purchased.
--CONCERNED WIFE
Dear Wife: Wearing a hat while in the sun is important for everyone, not just those with thinning hair. Here we go one more time--skin cancer is no joke, people. Just the other day we were strolling near the beach (wearing a hat and SPF 30, thank you very much) and were shocked at the number of people with leathery skin, alarming sunburns or deep, dark tans. Young people who think they are immortal and immune to sun damage, think again. Worrying about sun exposure should start in childhood.
That concludes today’s lecture.
As for hats, they are pretty easy to find. Some pointers first: Brimmed straw hats are fine for summer, but the weave should be very tight to block the sun’s rays. Check it by holding the hat up to a light. If a lot of light shines through, so will harmful UVA and UVB rays. Other hats, made of cotton or other fabrics, should have a brim at least a few inches wide to shield your face and neck from the sun. Be aware that baseball caps will protect only the top of the head and the forehead. And even if you wear a hat, you must also wear sunscreen. A hat does not provide 100% protection 100% of the time.
As for styles, dressier clothes demand dressier hats. For summer we love the look of a Panama hat, which comes in several variations, from diamond-shaped crowns to porkpies to curled and straight brims. The cream of the crop is the Montecristi, a hand-woven hat so fine it feels like fabric. Montecristis are available at Baron California Hats in Burbank ([818] 563-3025 or https://www.baronhats.com; online ordering will be available soon). Baron carries hat blanks, which are unblocked and can be formed into any custom shape, as well as ready-made hats. Montecristis aren’t cheap--at Baron, they start at $275--but if you take care of them, they’ll last a lifetime.
Panamas and Montecristis are also available at Worth & Worth in New York; it’s online at https://www.hatshop.com, or call (800) HAT-SHOP. You’ll find other straw styles at Hats-Online (https://www.hats-online.com, [877] 494-HATS).
For more casual styles in straw and fabric, try the above resources, as well as Sun Precautions, a catalog and online company that specializes in sun protective clothing. It’s at https://www.sunprecautions.com, or call (800) 882-7860.
For fall, felt fedoras are perfect with business suits. We love men in hats, regardless of their protective qualities, and encourage every man to give them a try.
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Dear Fashion Police: I recently saw an impeccably dressed young lady replete with a Kate Spade bag, perfect shoes, a great outfit, etc. Then she turned around, and there it was--the label on her tank top was sticking up! Please cut those offending labels and tags off! They look so tacky. Thanks for the opportunity to air my grievance over what I consider one of summer’s worst fashion offenses. P.S.: I really do have a life.
--TAG, YOU’RE IT
Dear Tag: Are you sure you have a life? So much tsuris (Yiddish for troubles) over one little itty-bitty label. Just curious--do you get nutty when the toilet paper hangs the wrong way?
You can take this as a consolation--we’ve actually been getting quite a few letters lately about the offending tag problem. Maybe it’s mass hysteria.
Let’s not get inappropriately upset about this--some people are a little careless when getting dressed. And most of us view only the “coming” view and never really check out the “going” view. Granted, some people might find the “going” view a tad scary, but it should be checked anyway.
If you happen to spot someone whose tag is flying free, rather than stew about it, politely tell them. Try something along the lines of: “Excuse me, I just happened to notice that your tag is sticking out of your shirt.” Add a smile, not a grimace or frown. You may also do the universally understood “hanging tag gesture,” bending your arm into a contortionist’s twist and pointing to the back of your shirt. Don’t attempt to stuff someone’s tag back in, you’re likely to be rewarded with a nice blast of pepper spray.
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Write to Fashion Police, 202 W. 1st St., Los Angeles, CA 90012, fax to (213) 237-4888, or send e-mail to socalliving@latimes.com.
