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Fancy headgear isn't just reserved for the royal wedding, Oprah's garden party, the Kentucky Derby or mornings when tackling bedhead is just more trouble than it's worth—today is Hat Day in the Sun. And while wearing broad-spectrum SPF daily is a necessary part of avoiding a burn (and preventing skin cancer), it's just one aspect of the equation, as Steven Q. Wang, MD, director of dermatologic surgery and dermatology at Memorial Sloan-Kettering Cancer Center in Basking Ridge, New Jersey, reminded me earlier this week. The Headwear Association—founded in 1908 by 34 hat salesmen at the Waldorf-Astoria Hotel in New York City (one imagines 34 people in top hats drinking Manhattans)—will be passing out free sun protection hats in various locations across the United States. Check out their website or follow them on Twitter to find out where you can score a freebie near you.

[Up next, three things that make it a sun-safe hat]


Whether you've been recently influenced by Hat Person of the Year Johnny Depp or runners-up like Nicole Richie and Justin Timberlake, here are the Headwear Association's guidelines for what to wear on your head this summer:

Pick one with a big brim that's at least two and a half inches long to protect your neck, face and ears.

Look for a style that curves down to cover the contours of your head and neck to help block out ultraviolet radiation.

Skip heavy fabrics that will make you sweat and opt for breathable, closed-weave straw or cotton.


In short, neither Princess Beatrice's infamous bow hat nor Victoria Beckham's tiny black topper will keep you adequately covered. But a version that meets the above standards will help save your skin and prevent your hair color from fading. How's that for fashion bonus points?

Already found your day-at-the-beach (or the races) hat? Share it with us!