A Brilliant Trick for Packing a Floppy Hat in a Suitcase

Truth: A floppy hat is the ideal warm-weather accessory. It’s chic. It’s sun-protective. It’s just plain fun. Too bad it’s also a total pain to travel with on an airplane. But we recently stumbled upon a pretty genius solution (thanks to A Pair and A Spare) that changes everything. 

Step 1: Gently stuff a heavier piece of clothing (like your favorite chambray button-down) inside the crown of your floppy hat. If you have to, add a second piece of clothing. The goal is to make sure the part of the hat where you put your head is completely stuffed (to maintain its shape). 

Step 2: Pack heavier items--like jeans and shoes--at the bottom of your suitcase.

Step 3: Place your hat in the center of your suitcase so the brim lies flat against the bottom layer of clothes.

Step 4: Add lighter-weight clothes (like tees and caftans) on top of the brim of your hat, nestling them around the crown so the hat stays secure in your bag.

Step 5: Enjoy being the most fabulous regular at the swim-up bar (and not looking like a weirdo in the middle of the Michigan airport).

Opening image: Atlantic-Pacific