A History of Sun Visor Hats
In recent decades, hats have come to be regarded almost solely as a practical item. We wear them generally only in extremes of temperatures: on the coldest winter days to keep us warm and on the hottest summer days to shade our head and eyes from the sun.
But it hasn’t always been this way!
Up until the 1960s any self-respecting gentleman would have considered a hat a vital part of his daily attire. Whatever the weather was doing, every man would complete his outfit with a hat.
Today, the type of hat a man wears is mainly determined by both the temperature and his personal style. Prior to this, it was more usual for the type of hat to be determined by the job and social class of the wearer.
One of the main exceptions to this was the straw hat. Straw hats have been worn in Europe and Asia since the middle ages, with the key purpose of protecting one’s head from the sun and avoiding heatstroke.
Traditionally, the boater was one of the most popular types of straw hat in the UK. It was first introduced in the late Victorian era, and enjoyed a decades-long heyday as informal summer headwear. It was particularly popular amongst sportsman and boaters who would spend large parts of the day out in the sunshine.
Over the years, the boater began to be seen as a more formal hat and became a common part of school uniforms, thus bringing it’s more general popularity to a close.
The boater was replaced by other types of sunhat such as the Panama hat and summer weight fedoras and trilby hats.
Keen to benefit from a sunhat this season but don’t know how to pair it with your bespoke tailoring? Here are our thoughts on getting it right.
Benefits Of Wearing Visor Hats
If you have not ever worn a sun visor hat then you are most likely to be gambling with your health, your look, and even your life. The reason supporting this statement is that health experts advise you to wear summer hats such as the visors hats to prevent your skin from prolonged exposure to the sunlight. If you believe that you are completely safe by just wearing normal hats or simple caps, then think once again because these simple hats do not cut off sunlight in any way.
To prove this, think about all the time you felt warm at the back of your neck or had to put on your sunglass on top of your caps or hats. The need to wear the sunglasses and the sensation of warm on your neck is the proof that your normal caps are not blocking off any sunlight which is why you need to wear a hat visor.
By not wearing these visors hats, you are exposing yourself to a lot of danger because of the prolonged exposure to the harmful UV rays of the sun that can result in some major health issues and skin diseases such as skin cancer, loss of eyesight, melanoma and etc. Apart from all of these, it can also lead to premature aging of your skin and even affect the quality of your hair.
How To Choose The Sun Visor Hats
There are many visors on the market today. I find many of them uncomfortable after a few holes of golf, but here are a couple you might consider: the No Headache Visor, which promises not to pinch or slide off. They come in avariety of patterns and bands. I prefer the style known as the “Spring Lace” visor. There is a plastic “springlike” strap that you can pull to adjust to your head. Unlike the firm plastic bands, these don’t become a pain in the head after twelve holes.
There is another type of visor that has a wide headband in addition to the visor iteself. Many of the tour players wear them, so I’m sure you’ve seen the style I mean. Perhaps it’s because I have a small head, but this style of visor doesn’t quite sit correctly. If I begin a round wearing this visor, it’s hanging off my bag within a hole or two.
If you opt for a visor, select a white visor with a black under-brim (to reduce glare). Look for the same qualities as the hat in regards to absorbing moisture—you don’t want the visor to get heavy and uncomfortable.
The choice of hat is up to you. With so many styles to choose from and a wide range of prices and materials, the selection is unlimited. Choose straw, cotton, wide brim, narrow brim, pattern or solid— just be sure it fits properly and protects you from the sun so you can enjoy your next round of sun without any worry.
In the end, I think it comes down to personal preference. There is a lot that goes into thermoregulation in hot and humid environments. You should choose what you perceive as feeling more comfortable. Your head, neck or face feeling cool has a big impact on your comfort level, even if it doesn’t reduce core temperature.