The holidays are just around the corner, and as with any other piece of your wardrobe, you’ll want to pack your hat without crushing its shape or altering its unique aesthetic and style in any way.

Traveling well with hats can seem tricky at times. With our tips and tricks for how to pack different hats, it can be a smooth and straightforward experience that leaves you and your headwear happy and confident no matter where you go.

The best hats for travel

Also known as baseball caps, snapback caps are designed with a curved, hard brim at the front and an adjustable strap closure at the back. The flexible structure of most snapbacks (except for the front brim, which provides protection for your face and a touch of timeless style to any outfit) make these hats an easy travel partner.

Classic look meets ultimate comfort and portability with the soft-brimmed, stylish yet practical bucket hat. Our bucket hats come with reversible brims that turn up when the sun’s shining, and flips down to protect you from rain. Bucket hats always bounce back into shape after being folded or rolled, making them one of the best hats for traveling.

Winter holidays mean colder weather (unless you’re escaping to Florida!). Beanies are a must-have for winter travel, and top our list for the best travel hat for men and women alike. Keep yourself warm while staying true to your personalized style and flair with our cozy and crisply colored winter beanies. The folding cuff meets Brixton’s standard of everyday finesse.

These comfortable, timeless headpieces feature soft brims that make packing them into a suitcase or even a purse quick and easy. Made from Australian wool or other mixed fabrics, Brixton's berets are doable and can be adjusted to suit you and your style.

Packing the hat

The best and easiest way to travel with a hat is to wear it, of course. But if keeping your headpiece where it belongs isn’t possible for the entire trip, packing it into your luggage is the next best choice.

With a bit of careful and creative planning, packing your travel hat(s) in a suitcase, carry-on doesn’t need to take up too much space.

For those of us traveling over the holidays, here is how to pack a hat to fit into your suitcase and still look good afterwards.

1. Place your hat in the middle of the suitcase facing up. There should be lots of space around the hat on all sides; if the brim touches the sides of the suitcase, that’s fine.
2. Line the hat (below the brim) with clothes and other items. Be careful not to push the brim too much up or down, as this may change its shape.
3. It might be a good idea to fill the hat with small, soft items such as socks to help the hat maintain its shape. Everything should feel snug, not crowded.
4. Put a final layer on top of the hat, such as a pair of folded jeans or a sweatshirt, to protect the hat from potential zippers on the other side of the suitcase.

“Crushable” hats, headwear that can be folded any which way and are not formed into a fixed shape, are one of the best hats for traveling. Many felt and cotton hats fall into this category.

Keep in mind, however, that flexible hats are still susceptible to wrinkles. To avoid damaging your travel hat, fold it in half along the dorsal line of the crown, then roll the hat until it fits perfectly into your luggage. When you’re unpacking, use your hands and a little steam to reshape your hat as needed.

What about wide-brim hats?

Instead of opting to wear your wide-brim hat round-trip on a plane or purchasing a hat box, consider ways to pack your headpiece along with the rest of your luggage.

• These hat materials tend to travel best: nylon, polyester, cotton or bendable straw, wool or felt.
• Wide-brim floppy hats and straw or felt hats make good choices, while rigid hats may crack under packing pressure.
• Place the hat into your luggage on top of heavier items, such as jeans and coats. Close the suitcase slowly and carefully to avoid crushing the hat.
• If your hat needs a bit of coaxing back in shape after being packed, a handheld steamer is the perfect tool to steam out wrinkles and allow you to reshape the hat with your fingers.

Still worried about the best way to pack a hat for the holidays? With these tips and tricks, there’s no need to struggle with properly packing your travel hat again.

• Make sure that everything around your hat is completely sealed, so that nothing leaks and stains it.
• Ensure that your hat is completely dry before packing it away to avoid damage.
• A light steaming after unpacking eases out any creases or bends in the hat after a long trip.
• Roll, fold, or tuck in clothing items into the crown of the hat for support.

Headwear for every occasion done proper with Brixton

As you plan your next trip to someplace warm (or cold), think about how you’ll be packing your favorite hats. Experiment with the packable Brixton hats you might have, and experience the fun of always having a timeless, classic headpiece to show off wherever you are in the world!

Brixton’s cultured hat accessories and elegant hat styles are stylish headwear choices that fit both men and women for traveling done proper.