I didn’t expect to love Wallaroo Hats as much as I do largely because so many hat manufacturers are similar. I used to love to wear hats in my twenties and would pick them up from time-to-time when I was traveling and frankly, found that I never wore them.
Then of course, I’d see a fabulous number on someone and wondered why I didn’t wear one of my own fabulous hats. This went on for years of course and every now and then, I’d wear one to an event, but then realized years later that the reason I avoided them was that I love the feeling of sun and wind on my face. No longer in my twenties, I realize that making that choice was a bad decision, not only because it increases the likelihood of skin cancer, but it creates unwanted aging spots that much sooner in life.
Last summer when I was in Japan, I picked up a few hats because they seem to have the best range of hats I’ve ever seen; the prices are incredibly reasonable contrary to what you may have heard. Now, I love hats, particularly ones that exude style and practical use.
Meet Colorado-based Wallaroo, which oddly enough is an Australian name. If you’ve been to Australia, you know that the Aussies know how to take care of their skin and because the sun is so fierce, everyone wears strong block and zinc on their noses when they hit the beach and…they wear hats. The two women ownership team behind Wallaroo used their Australian experience to get the idea for the company and today, their hats can be ordered online and found at many resorts, boutiques, outdoor retailers, gardening stores, and catalogs.
My two favorites from their new collection are the Sydney (below) and the Nola hat, both ideal for the sun. The colors are fabulous — the Sydney comes in a myriad of colors sure to go with any outfit, including denim blue, ivory, white, sea foam, lavender, light blue, lime, red, black, sienna and a variety of different shades of beige and brown.
The Nola hat is sophisticated, elegant and flexible given its very neutral colors, making it a natural choice for any casual outfit — the colors are neutral but sophisticated, making it easy to pair up with whatever happens to be in your suitcase. The Nola comes in brown, latte and black combos and we love the fact that the hats are SPF 50, giving you even further protection from the sun’s harsh rays. An addition bonus is their 4 inch brim.
I also really like the Breton, which is similar to the sun hats we selected, however the Breton comes in two tone colors and frankly, they’re really fun, such as this red number pictured below. They use contrasting poly-ribbon braids with a natural wooden-beaded leather tie and the 4 inch brim can be worn up or down. This piece also rolls up easily for packing, a godsend for avid travelers.
The Bianca makes for a great visor choice and like the rest of the Wallaroo selection, it’s functional but stylin’ at the same time. More details at https://www.wallaroohats.com. Given that so many of you are looking for great getaways after the holidays and January and February are popular months to get away from colder winter temperatures, we thought you’d love a few hat choices to bring along with you on your trip.
Renee Blodgett is the founder of We Blog the World. The site combines the magic of an online culture and travel magazine with a global blog network and has contributors from every continent in the world. Having lived in 10 countries and explored nearly 80, she is an avid traveler, and a lover, observer and participant in cultural diversity.
She is also the CEO and founder of Magic Sauce Media, a new media services consultancy focused on viral marketing, social media, branding, events and PR. For over 20 years, she has helped companies from 12 countries get traction in the market. Known for her global and organic approach to product and corporate launches, Renee practices what she pitches and as an active user of social media, she helps clients navigate digital waters from around the world. Renee has been blogging for over 16 years and regularly writes on her personal blog Down the Avenue, Huffington Post, BlogHer, We Blog the World and other sites. She was ranked #12 Social Media Influencer by Forbes Magazine and is listed as a new media influencer and game changer on various sites and books on the new media revolution. In 2013, she was listed as the 6th most influential woman in social media by Forbes Magazine on a Top 20 List.
Her passion for art, storytelling and photography led to the launch of Magic Sauce Photography, which is a visual extension of her writing, the result of which has led to producing six photo books: Galapagos Islands, London, South Africa, Rome, Urbanization and Ecuador.
Renee is also the co-founder of Traveling Geeks, an initiative that brings entrepreneurs, thought leaders, bloggers, creators, curators and influencers to other countries to share and learn from peers, governments, corporations, and the general public in order to educate, share, evaluate, and promote innovative technologies.
