Everything You Need to Know About
Hats & Then Some

I'm so excited to be writing this post for you guys finally - I know it's been a long time coming!

As I'm sure you know from my feed, I loveeee me some hats (especially the flat-brimmed styles), and having collected quite a few over the years, I've learned some great tips and tricks for keeping them in tip top shape.

I'm breaking all-things hat care for you in today's post, including spot cleaning, preserving that stiff brim, storage, traveling with hats, and more. Also answering a few of my most frequently asked questions, and sharing my favorite brands and where to buy (including some budget-friendly options!)

PS - Don't forget to also pop over to my "Hat FAQ" highlight on the gram, where you can see many of the tips outlined today in video format!

Keeping Your Hats Clean

Hats are great...until they get dirty. Storing or transporting hats can cause dust or small stains over time and honestly, it's inevitable!

First things first, use a lint roller to make sure that what might look like a stain isn't just dust. You don't want to start brush cleaning if you don't need to. If it is in fact a stain, use a soft bristle brush and a wool shampoo to spot clean. I've really come to love The Laundress for all-things hat care, and their Wool & Cashmere Shampoo is a great product to have on hand for cleaning!

If you're working with a straw hat, some good old water and the teeniest tiniest drop of Dawn dish soap will do. You can use your soft bristle brush or a towel to gently scrub out the stain. hat care

Preserving A Stiff-Brimmed Hat

The one downside of my favorite stiff-brimmed hats is the loss of stiffness over time. The hats don't necessarily flop, but that perfectly straight look seems to warp after multiple wears. 

After lots of research and thinking I couldn't really fix the issue on my own, I've found a new holy grail method to stiffening my brims back up, and it honestly couldn't be easier. Enter, Stiffen Up by The Laundress.

It's important to note that a starch spray will not magically stiffen a floppy hat. Rather this is for hats that have already been stiffened and just need a little extra oomph to bring them back to life.

To stiffen up your brim, first steam both the top and bottom of your brim, so that your hat is slightly damp. Then, generously spritz your starch spray around the underside of the brim, pressing down on the brim as to flatten it on top of a hard surface. Lay your hat on a flat surface to dry (you can even lay some heavy books around the brim to help keep it extra straight.

Check out a video tutorial for this process on my story highlight here!

Hat Storage & Travel

While a hat display on your wall is a cute decor addition, know that they will also collect dust if out in the open much quicker! As an alternative, you can store them flat on a small shelf or in a hat box.

I don't generally recommend stacking your hats, as this can leave the brim of your hat stacked on top to flop. That being said, if you have two hats where one is much bigger than the other and can fit the bigger one on top where the brim can still rest flat on a surface, go for it!

When it comes to travel, packing hats doesn't have to be a headache. I promise, there's a super simple hack!

1 / Bundle up items like socks and underwear inside of your hat's brim, as to keep it stuffed so it maintains its shape.
2 / Carefully lie your hat brim-down inside your suitcase, making sure the surface its sitting on is level & flat.
3 / Simply stack your clothing around the brim.

Packing hats this way prevents your hat from getting crushed and maintains the shape of the brim. Essentially, the only space you're really taking up is the size of the top of your hat (see a visual here). hat care

FAQ
Where do you shop for hats?

The 3 brands I buy most of my hats from are Lack of Color,  Brixton & Free People! Also have a few styles that I love from Ace of Something, and Gigi Pip is a new brand that's been on my radar recently!

A little tip when shopping for LOC: LOC is an Australian-based brand and while the process from ordering off their website is simple with fairly low-cost shipping, delivery is a pain. LOC requires an in-person signature release and if you're not home during the week, this can be tricky. For that reason, I recommend shopping for LOC at retailers like Amazon, Princess Polly, Bohemian Mama & Ebay. 

 As for Brixton, I usually always purchase this brand at Nordstrom! 

I love the LOC hats, but I don't want to spend over $100. Is there a more budget-friendly version?

Nothing is going to mirror the style and quality of LOC exactly, but there are a few styles that are similar. The hardest part is finding that signature wide brim! Here are a few straw & felt similar styles:

Are there any brands on your radar that weren't mentioned? LMK below!