While you can never skip sunscreen, the best sun hats for women provide an extra layer of protection against those harsh UV rays on hot days. When sizing up the different options on the market, you’ll want to consider features like material, weight, packability and breathability. We did the research and read the reviews so you can find the very best sun hats for your beach days, hikes and vacation holidays. Our top pick overall: Brixton’s Joanna Straw Hat, a stylish and versatile straw hat that keeps you cool—literally and figuratively. For a great budget option, we like Madewell’s Braided Straw Hat for less than $50, and Anthropologie’s Cotton Crusher Hat is your best bet for travel since it bends and folds easily into a handbag or suitcase.
The best sun hats for women provide an extra layer of stylish protection. Ladies Summer Hats Beach
Here’s what else topped our list for the best sun hats for women, and for more summer essentials, check out our guides to the best swimsuit brands and most comfortable sandals.
Sizes: XS to XL| Color: Honey| Sun protection: UPF 50+ | Brim length: 4 inches
Brixton’s highly-rated Joanna Woven Hat is both practical and stylish. Unlike other straw hats, this one has some weight to it and top-quality construction. With the hidden adjustable hook and loop strap on the inside, you can also customize the fit to your exact head size. Keep in mind that the Joanna has a slightly shallow crown so those with larger heads might need to size up.
Sizes: S to L | Colors: 3 total, including Warm Nutmeg and Antique Cream | Sun protection: Not listed | Brim length: Medium
For less than $40, Madewell’s braided straw hat keeps you covered with an effortless-cool look. The textured weave comes in three different colors, each with a different color band, and the hat has a soft construction, making it easy to pack for travel.
Sizes: S to XL | Colors: 2 total, including Brown and Black | Sun protection: UPF 45+ | Brim length: 3.5 inches
Janessa Leoné’s handcrafted Panama-style hat has a beautiful, fine weave and a leather band that adds to the luxury look. Made in the USA, the hat combines a pinch-front crown and a flat, medium-length brim that’s versatile and provides good sun coverage. If travel is in your future, the straw has a durable fiber at its core, so you can roll and pack this hat for up to a day and it will return to its original shape.
Sizes: One size | Colors: 8 total, including Red and Toast | Sun protection: UPF 50 | Brim length: 8 inches
A floppy sun hat with an extra wide brim takes sun protection to the next level. San Diego’s has a generous eight-inch brim, delivering UPF 50 protection. In comes in eight rich colors, from sunny citron to subdued black, so it works with different styles. Given its large size, though, this hat could be tricky to pack in a suitcase.
Sizes: S to M | Colors: 5 total, including Black and Natural | Sun protection: Not listed | Brim length: Medium
Jenni Kayne’s bestselling sun hat exudes all the things the California-based brand is known for: simplicity, beautiful materials and effortless style. It’s made from 100% cotton canvas and has a lightweight feel and generous brim. You pack this hat without ruining its shape and it’s also washable. This pick doesn’t have a chin strap so you’ll need to hold it down in windy situations.
Sizes: S to L | Colors: 2 total, including White Opal and Mint Moment | Sun protection: SPF 40+ | Brim length: Long
Lululemon’s new bucket hat is well suit to long, active days in the sun as well as laidback, relaxed days by the pool. The extra-wide brim and UPF 40+ protects your face while the sweat wicking and quick drying fabric keeps your head cool.
Sizes: One Size | Colors: 7 total, including Green and Coral | Sun protection: UPF 50 | Brim length: 5 inches
There are a lot of reasons to love this wide-brim Anthropologie hat: It has UPF 50 sun protection, the crown is adjustable with an inner drawstring, and the entire thing is lightweight and folds up nicely in your bag. Style-wise, the shape is great for gardening or a day at the beach. Just keep in mind that cotton shrinks, so you’ll want to wash this hat in cold water and let air dry.
Sizes: S to XL | Colors: 4 total, including Vanilla and Navy | Sun protection: UPF 50+ | Brim length: 6 inches
The founders of Solbari are deeply committed to protecting skin, so their hats and clothing not only offers UPF protection but also helps to support research, prevention, detection and treatment of skin cancer. The Ultra Wide Brim Hat provides shade for your face, neck and shoulders, and features thoughtful touches, including a ponytail opening at the back and detachable chin strap. The UPF 50+ keeps you safe during long periods of time outdoors. Made of 100 percent polyester, the hat spot cleans quite easily, but isn’t as breathable as natural straw options.
Sizes: 6 to 8| Colors: 8 total, including Soft Mauve and Light Stone | Sun protection: UPF 50+ | Brim length: 3.5 inches
Tilley’s Airflo hat keeps you cool on the trails. Designed with a mesh crown, this pick is ultra breathable in the heat, and the PFC-free durable water-repellent finish protects you in the rain. The strap keeps the hat on in windy conditions, too. If this hat stains from sweat, it’s machine washable on delicate. Just be sure to air dry to retain its shape.
Sizes: S to L | Colors: 4 total, including Black and Calcite Beige | Sun protection: Not listed | Brim Length: Medium
Whether you’re hitting the beach or trails, you want something lightweight and cool that fits in a bag easily and importantly, won’t blow off your head on a windy day. Athleta’s Excursion hat has a breathable, mesh crown with ventilated sides and a weighted adjustable chin strap. It’s made from a sweat wicking nylon blend for added comfort, too. It tends to run large, though, so size down.
Sizes: One Size | Colors: Natural/White | Sun protection: Not listed | Brim length: Medium
This all-straw hat from Free People has a vintage look with a wide brim and dipped crown that looks great with linen pants or a flowing midi dress. The linen band adds interest and the breathability of the straw comes in handy for keeping cool on hot summer days.
Sizes: S to L | Colors: 6 total, including Beige and Ivory | Sun protection: UPF 50+ | Brim length: 2.5 inches
A unisex fedora is incredibly versatile and this bestseller on Amazon has a lot going for it with an adjustable interior, detachable chin strap and UPF 50+ for an added shield from UV rays. The crushable design means you can pack it for vacation, too. Pineapple And Star is a boutique business that specializes in high-quality hats with UV protection; the Amari is their signature style and is meant for men and women. These hats are spot clean only so handle stains with care—but the company offers a lifetime warranty for their workmanship.
Sizes: One size | Colors: 2 total, including Cream and Natural Black| Sun protection: Not listed | Brim length: 2.75 inches
Tuckernuck teamed up with boutique brand Toucan Hats for an exclusive collection. This classic wide-brim sun hat has a deep pinched crown, flat brim and ribbon that comes in either white or black. It can be folded into a suitcase and still holds its shape with a tightly woven straw construction. Consider this a versatile pick that looks great with a beach cover-up or white jeans and a tee.
Sizes: XS | Colors: 8 total, including Navy and Slate | Sun protection: UPF 50+ | Brim length: 3.5 inches
Those who have a smaller than average head will appreciate the fit and comfort of this scrunchie hat. It’s designed with a smaller circumference (21.6 inches) to fit petite heads and has an adjustable wire-edged brim that you can mold to your liking, fold into your bag and reshape again. This pick is also recommended by the Skin Cancer Foundation and rated to block 97.5% of the sun’s ultraviolet rays.
I spent six years as a reporter at Forbes focusing on markets and finance. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I double-majored in business journalism and economics while working for UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School as a marketing and communications assistant. Before Forbes, I spent a summer reporting on the L.A. private sector for Los Angeles Business Journal and wrote about publicly traded North Carolina companies for NC Business News Wire. Connect on LinkedIn and follow me on X @Jon_Ponciano.
I spent six years as a reporter at Forbes focusing on markets and finance. I graduated from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, where I double-majored in business journalism and economics while working for UNC's Kenan-Flagler Business School as a marketing and communications assistant. Before Forbes, I spent a summer reporting on the L.A. private sector for Los Angeles Business Journal and wrote about publicly traded North Carolina companies for NC Business News Wire. Connect on LinkedIn and follow me on X @Jon_Ponciano.
I am an accomplished author, journalist, and photographer who specializes in consumer technologies. Please visit my website at www.JasonRich.com and check out my eBook, \"iPhone 14 Pro Max Digital Photography\" (www.iPhoneBookShop.com). I am also the author of The Remote Worker's Handbook (Entrepreneur Books) that'll be published in March 2023.
For product reviews, gift ideas, and latest deals, Subscribe to the Forbes Finds newsletter.
I'm an avid consumer of the tech gear I write about, and I look for products that inspire me. I’ve worked as an editor at Forbes Vetted, PCWorld and PCMag, and as a freelance writer for countless publications. My expertise spans a wide range of consumer tech categories, including laptops, cameras, phones, storage and more. When not diving into the latest gadget, I'm also a book editor, storyteller and sports photographer. I earned my M.S. in Technology Management from Columbia University. You can reach me at melissa@perenson.com.
South Dakota USA native, but I cut my teeth in New York and San Francisco. I've been reporting on grooming since 2013, and have written for nearly every men's publication on the topic. My second beat is travel, as I spend nearly half the year in transit. Because of that, however, I am always relieved when I can unwind at home in Berlin, where I've been living since early 2018.
For product reviews, gift ideas, and latest deals, Subscribe to the Forbes Finds newsletter.
As the senior beauty editor, I edit, assign and write about all things beauty and grooming, from buzzy styling tools to celebrity skincare favorites. I’ve been a journalist covering style and travel for more than 15 years, and I’ve written about everything from the best international spas worth the long-haul flight to the art of French girl hair. My work has appeared in Condé Nast Traveler, Allure, NYMag, Teen Vogue, People, Afar and many more. Previously, I held senior editorial roles at Lucky magazine, NBC Universal and Cookie magazine. A California native, I majored in English and French Literature at Amherst College and attended Columbia Journalism School.
For product reviews, gift ideas, and latest deals, Subscribe to the Forbes Finds newsletter.
I'm a freelance writer here at Forbes with extensive experience covering sleep, fitness, health, general wellness, beauty, parenting and lifestyle topics. For more about me and my work, check out my website or connect with me on Instagram and Linked in.
For product reviews, gift ideas, and latest deals, Subscribe to the Forbes Finds newsletter.
I’m a veteran outdoors communicator who has written for just about every outdoors publication that’s been in existence over the past 20 years. A lifelong Michigan resident, I grew up chasing whitetails, turkeys and the greatest game fish on the planet: smallmouth bass. The bulk of my hunting has been done on public land and I was hunting public ground long before it was the “in” thing to do.
Handmade Straw Hat Beach Hats For Travel Beach For product reviews, gift ideas, and latest deals, Subscribe to the Forbes Finds newsletter.