The bucket hat is back in a big way this festival season, and it's definitely the must-have item for summer swag.
When it comes down to it, summer is all about the wardrobe. From old-school classics like custom Hawaiian shirts and shorts, to your choice of shades and shoes, there's an unwritten rule that everyone should make at least some effort to find out what's going to be on trend for the summer. (We say 'unwritten' but truth be told, we wrote something about this very thing in our blog post on what sustainable swag we think will be bang on trend for summer.)
Bucket hat breakdown
Before we get into why we expect bucket hats to be such a big deal this summer, it's important to understand exactly what we're talking about. There's a fine line in this world between things that are bucket hats and things that are not, so let us be the ones to break it down for you to make sure you know what we're talking about.
They're shaped, as you would imagine, like a bucket. They've always got a nice floppy rim sticking out at the bottom and are made with soft material, but beyond that the world is your oyster.
You can find them emblazoned with just about any design, and there is no colour on the rainbow that doesn't look absolutely dashing on a bucket hat. Our hats are reversible as well as fully customizable, so you can get two looks/moods/vibes for the price of one.
Whether it's topping off your festival fit, or to keep your eyes nice and shaded at the beach, it's about as close to a best friend as you will ever get with a piece of headgear.
Who's been wearing them
People who haven't been living under a rock, that's who has been wearing bucket hats...
We mentioned already that they are back on trend for summer 2022, but there's a good chance that they never actually went anywhere in the first place. People like Liam Gallagher of Oasis fame have been wearing bucket hats for decades, and it's only through today's lens can we truly appreciate what a look this really is.
You only really have to attend a music festival this summer or follow a few fashion-conscious celebrities on Instagram to find a few examples of how to pull off wearing a bucket hat. Not that you need to put any effort into such a great item of clothing, you can wear one on top of pretty much any outfit.
Take Coachella 2022 for example. If you have watched any clips from the festival, or were lucky enough to attend yourself, there's a pretty solid chance you saw a large number of bucket hats on attendees.
Have a look below at Disclosure's live performance this year. Pretty much every time the camera cuts over to the crowd you can see at least one or two bucket hats.
In case you are wondering, those are the people that understood the assignment.
Why they are so awesome
You really only have to look at a bucket hat to understand what it is about them that is so very awesome. Beyond the points we've already mentioned about the fact they top off just about any look and continue to stay in vogue, they're also incredibly comfortable to wear on a hot summer's day (or as an extra bit of waterproof clothing in the rain).
The beauty of the bucket hat lies in its simplicity. Practical, comfortable and versatile, there aren't many accessories out there that fall into the same category.
There's nothing wrong with a baseball cap or beanies, in fact both are awesome in their own little way. Bucket hats on the other hand show that bit more personality, and wearing one gives people the impression that you are a fun person to be around.
When made properly, they're also as friendly to the environment as they are to your summer wardrobe. A bucket hat made from recycled materials is something that you are guaranteed to want to treasure until the end of time.
Our custom bucket hats tick all those boxes, coming in whatever style your heart desires. They're all fully reversible and made from recycled polyester, so even if you order a yellow hat it's actually a green one!
You can buy them as a gift from you to you, as a gift for a close friend or choose it as some eco-friendly swag to send as a corporate gift to a client or colleague. With a super low minimum order quantity of just 100 units, you can find out more here.
Our favourite bucket hats
Bucket hats are like wands from Harry Potter; the hat chooses the wearer. No two people are going to have the exact same taste, and one of the best things about them is that you can put your own twist on them simply by changing the colour or design you choose.
We're quite proud of the designs we've been able to help our customers create, from colourful numbers laden with palm trees to unique designs that made for a memorable bit of sustainable swag.
It would also be remiss not to talk about how a bucket hat played an important part in one of the most memorable things to happen on a music gig over the past 10 years. Glastonbury 2019 was special for a great number of reasons, with one young man's escapade onto the stage with English musician Dave being one of the most talked about.
Not only does he absolutely knock it out of the park by banging out every line of the song, but he looked damn good while doing it. Some might point to the Thiago Silva PSG jersey as being the most iconic part of his look, but we know better.
That bucket hat atop is head is what made him stand out from the crowd. A free thinker who was ahead of the game by three years, it was only a matter of time before he was given the credit he deserved.
Also, a shout out to Dave for mentioning the fact that they're drinking water out of cans to cut down on plastic use, because sustainability is eternally cool. Almost as eternally cool as the incomparable bucket hat.