With travelling becoming part of our everyday lives once again, it means it’s time to dust off your luggage and get ready to pack all your favourite vacation pieces. If you’re going somewhere warm and sunny, you’ll want to bring a hat perfect for every setting. However, packing a hat while travelling may not be as simple as it seems, as an incorrect fold or forced pressure can warp your hat beyond repair.
Below are our top tips on how to properly pack a hat for travelling and the best silhouettes and styles of hats that will make packing for your next holiday a dream.
What to Look for in a Travel Hat?
When deciding which hat will be the best option for your next trip, it’s important to pick the right type of hat that will survive the journey.
Specific Materials
There is a range of specific materials that are easier to pack than others:
Fabric Hats:Fabric hats made with soft cotton are a great option for travel, as they can be flattened or rolled to fit into your lugagge and still retain their shape. Our Tove bucket hat is a fun accessory for the summer months and is just as easy to pack away in your luggage.
Raffia Hats: Raffia is another style with a range of travel-friendly benefits, one being that it can be rolled without damaging the fibre. Raffia has a natural resin making it innately soft, supple and resilient, meaning once you reach your destination, you can unroll your hat or visor without needing to steam or extensively reshape. We have a fabulous range of rollable raffia hats, including the Marisol visors, Prima 10 wide brim hats and the iconic Besa 9 hat.
Rollable Hats: Rollable hats are another option for travel. These hats are specifically designed to be rolled and stored in your luggage for travelling. Our rollable hat collection features a range of fabrics and styles, including our Kirsten visors, Fresia 6 felt hats and raffia Besa 9 hats that are crafted to be your versatile, vacation must-have.
Your Destination
Your destination will also play a part in the type of hat you intend to pack with you. Are you travelling by plane, train or car? Is it a long or short trip? What will the weather be like when you get there?
All of these questions are important to consider as they will determine whether you need to pack your hat in a luggage, carry-on, or if you can wear it en route. A shorter trip will mean you can keep your wide brim hat out without it becoming tiresome. For longer trips, having it packed in a hat box or correctly in your luggage will be easier than carrying it on board with you, especially if you’re going on a long-haul flight.
How to Pack your Hat for Travelling?
When choosing which hat to bring, styles that are specifically designed for travelling can make it much easier in the long run. Our collection of stylish, rollable hats makes it easy to pack and wear straight out of your luggage. With a selection of materials to choose from including raffia, luxurious felt and chic fabrics, and in a range of contemporary and fashion-forward styles, our rollable hats are the perfect choice for simple and hassle-free packing, without compromising on style.
How to Pack a Rollable Hat
1. Pack with soft clothing: Ensure you have placed your rolled hat into its branded dust bag so that it doesn’t rub or catch on any of your other packed items and surround it with soft clothing so that it won’t get crushed in transit.
2. Pack heaviest to lightest: Always pack your heaviest items first, such as shoes, coats and toiletry bag at the bottom of your travel bag. Softer and more delicate items, like hats, can be placed on top. Packing this way will ensure that your hat won’t get squashed underneath the weight of your other garments.
3. Unpack your rollable hat as soon as you arrive: Although rollable hats are designed to be folded and rolled for travel, it is not a permanent or long-term storage solution. To prevent any major fold lines or kinks from occurring, make sure to remove your hat from your luggage as soon as you arrive at your destination. Doing so will allow your hat to regain its shape after being stored.
How to Pack Non-Rollable Hats
While having a rollable hat is an easy solution, you may still want to pack your fashionable wide brim or Panama hat. In this case, being extra diligent and taking the time to pack correctly will ensure that your hat stays in the best condition possible.
1. Stuff your hat: The best way to maintain the shape and crown of your favourite hat when travelling is to (gently) stuff the inside of your hat. Sit the hat upside down in your luggage. Inside, place soft t-shirts, socks, underwear etc, to fill out the inside of the hat. Make sure not to forcefully stuff your hat but just enough to keep the crown from bending inwards.
2. Pack your clothing around the brim: Once your hat is in place, pack your clothes around the brim, being careful not to pack too tightly against the crown. Keep the same philosophy of heaviest to lightest, ensuring that any shoes or heavy toiletries are placed at the bottom end of your luggage. Once secure, you can place soft clothing on top, making sure not to further squash your hat.
3. Use a hat box: A hat box is a great alternative to packing your hat alone in your luggage. This is the best way to prevent any dents or crushing of your favourite hats. However, a hat box will take up significant room in your luggage, especially if you’re travelling on a plane and only taking a carry-on or a medium-sized luggage.
4. Wear on the plane: If packing your favourite hat is not an option in your luggage or a hat box, the best option is to bring your hat on the plane with you. Depending upon the size and shape of your hat, you can keep your hat on your head or stowed beneath the seat in front of you for the duration of the flight. However, it’s best to place your hat in a tote bag or carry-on so that it can be stored safely in the overhead of the plane.
How to Care for your Hat while Travelling?
Once you arrive at your destination, you may find that your hat has a few minor wrinkles or feels a little stiff after being in your luggage. Caring for your hat post-flight is essential to maintain its shape.
Caring for Rollable Hats
If you’ve opted to take a rollable hat, unfold the hat and place it on a flat surface so that it can regain its shape again. Using the steam function from the hotel iron (don’t directly iron) or kettle or teapot, safely reshape your hat. Place your hat in front of the iron or near the spout of the kettle, letting the steam soften the hat so you can gently reshape it using your hands. Once reshaped, lay the hat on a flat surface to cool before you wear it.
Caring for Non-Rollable Hats
If you have chosen to pack a non-rollable hat, it’s very important that you remove your hat as soon as you reach your destination. During your travels, it’s very likely that your hat may have been slightly crushed. Take it out and lay it on a flat surface. If it needs to be steamed, you can use the same method as for rollable hats to reshape if needed.
When travelling for your next holiday trip, keep your favourite hat safe and travel-ready with our tips above. Discover the collection of rollable hats from Helen Kaminski and find your next favourite vacation hat now.