Summer is here! And depending on where you reside, the sun is probably already blazing. It seems as if the temperature immediately went from 70s to 90s within a couple weeks! As we enjoy the days of Haute Girl Summer, we are also transitioning our wardrobes and thinking about how we can stay cool in the hot sun. One simple accessory can be the difference between getting a little relief from the sun and getting that awful hijabi tan line around our face.

Yes, I’m talking about a hat!

By the way, fellow covered sisters, we are no longer entertaining the question, “Aren’t you hot in that?” from ANYONE in the hot weather! Everyone is hot when the sun is beating down, whether you are wearing a hijab or not, and that question is only asked so that we are made to seem uncomfortable in our full-coverage clothing. From now on, we are haute, not hot, as far as judgy onlookers are concerned.

And it’s with that energy that I present to you some hijab-plus-summer-hat style inspiration. Because I don’t want you to be afraid of trying to wear a hat with your hijab. It can be done beautifully and help cool you. Be sure to read to the end for my advice on how to effectively manage your hair while wearing a hijab and hat!

The first style of wearing comes from HajdaKhadeejah Ibraheem, who stuns in a light, breathable woven hijab and an oversized floppy sun hat on vacation in Bali. Her hat says “Stop Staring,” a statement in and of itself. I love fashion that talks back!

Speaking of shade, Mish A. and Eslimah are basking at the beach in wide brim hats with a radiant summer glow that is absolutely infectious. Get a similar chiffon color as Mish by choosing Haute Hijab’s Pewter Chiffon, and grab an HH Camel Chiffon for a similar color as the beautiful Eslimah.

Basma K has recently been cranking out breathtaking vacation content from Greece and is staying cool in a woven sun hat, adding interesting texture to her breezy look. And guess what? I found a similar hat as Basma’s here!

Now what if you wanted to make an even bigger statement with your hat? Choosing a mega-sized sun hat like Zaheera’s or Sabrina’s really steps the elegance up a notch. I would love Zaheera’s look with the HH Dark Honey Chiffon to match her beautiful golden dress. Sabrina’s all-white look is literally my spirit animal! I’m definitely replicating this look as soon as we hit the beach this summer. She’s wearing a supersized sun hat with a hijab similar to the HH White Jersey.

But what if sun hats are not your thing? Other hat options can be a chic visor, a bucket hat, or a baseball cap. Sabrina is shown here again wearing a beautiful visor with the same outfit as above. As a stylist, I love that her content here is showing us options! The visor will provide just as much protection from the sun with its extended front brim, but with not as much bulk around the sides and back.

And how adorable is 12-year-old Menaal, daughter of blogger Ashley Seward, in her bucket hat! She pulls off the matching neutrals so seamlessly with a jersey hijab similar to HH’s Sienna jersey. Bucket hats are not just for young girls by the way! See my article here for some cool inspiration for adults who want to wear bucket hats.

When it comes to baseball caps, there are two types of hijabis in the world – those that wear the scarf under the cap, and those that wear the scarf over it. I personally love how each looks, and it all depends on your preference and styling! Ahdilah’s forest green cap with matching green trousers is a stylish on-the-go look paired with an easy white top and neutral bag. It’s a look that can work for errands, or meeting up with a friend for coffee.

Ahdilah wears a woven hijab underneath, similar in color to HH’s Pearl Bamboo Woven. On the other hand, Rawdah matches her ivory cap to an ivory satin pull-on hijab she styled over the cap. Which team are you on – cap over, or cap under?

But Hakeemah, where do I put my hair? Girl, I was just getting to that. If you have hair that’s super short, it’s super easy to pull off a hijab and hat because there’s no added bulk under your hijab. But hair that is shoulder length or longer oftentimes is worn in a bun or ponytail under hijabs and might interfere with getting the hat to fit properly.

And if you have thick or textured hair, or hair that’s mid-back in length or longer, it can get harder and harder to style a hat. One solution can be to buy a hat with more head space. Jamela Boutique designs a hijab-friendly hat with more head room for just this reason. Also, wearing your hair in braids as opposed to a bun can help to flatten the hair so that the hat slides on easier. Wearing long hair in a low bun near the nape of the neck may also help to wear hats seamlessly.

For women with long braids or locs, the issue becomes both bulk and length simultaneously that is not easily resolved with positioning of the bun. Backless caps may be a great solution for you, or wearing your hair down and covering it with a long khimar that extends beyond the length of your hair. Just be careful with wind so that your inches are not exposed, sis! Try using a loc soc as an undercap can keep all your hair together and covered even in a strong wind.

However you choose to style your summer hats and hijabs, consider wearing HH to complete your look. Breathable wovens and breezy chiffons pair beautifully with summer hats and are available in so many colors for your favorite summer outfits. And if you’re new to the hat-hijab game, give it a try!