Silly question about hats in Paris

You'll get better advice from the women. My only guy input would be (a) do take some kind of hat to keep the sun off, and (b) baseball caps have always worked for me, though they make it easier to identify me as an American tourist. But I couldn't fool anyone anyway, and neither will you!

Have a wonderful trip, Cathy, and be sure to let us know how it went!

Hats are always in style! The key is to select a style of hat that compliments your wardrobe style. Are you athletic and tend to wear more casual sportswear - then a fashion baseball hat or visor would work. A girly girl? Something frilly. Conservative dresser then a simple hat with small brim. You get the idea. With any luck your travel clothes have a color theme and you can find a hat to compliment.

Or you can just grab your fav baseball hat and not care what anyone thinks!

Its your world!

Gotcha. Well, I'm both frilly (foo-foo) AND athletic... but for this t I ripwant to go more girly... full brimmed...
I'm at gym 3 days a week and am in martial arts, so I get enough "atletic/tomboy"... I think I'll go to fred meyers and buy something more "girly"... and thanks.... guess color doesn't matter so much? (and no, my tastes isn't so much bright colors)... I keep getting the impression to dress in more muted colors in Paris, for some reason.

I think any kind of hat will be fine, and very necessary for walking around in 80 degree weather.

Okay, sold then.
I shall buy myself a girly medium brimmed hat for Paris.
:)

Have a ball!

Protecting your head from sun and rain is a different question than girly frilly accessorizing. Plain baseball caps without logos can be useful and a little less touristy (but the fashion police have pretty much given up, you know.) Or the workingman version of the same where the crown of the hat extends to the front of the bill is sharper, for men and women. But you can wait until you are in Paris and buy an expensive beret, enduringly fashionable despite being cliche, and a nice souvenir to take home. Again, it's unisex, as are scarves, altlhough an extra wrap is a little less useful at the time you have chosen to visit.

Last couple of times in Paris I noticed that virtually no one wore hats. I really find a sunhat improves the quality of my day; nothing gives me a headache faster than sun in my eyes for hours. So I have a sun hat. My husband wears one of those billed caps commonly worn by older men in France to keep the sun from his eyes.

I think baseball hats look gooberish and you don't see them on many French people -- but better that, than the sun in your eyes all day.

I have never seen a beret on a French person in France -- and they don't keep the sun out of your eyes anyway. I see few caps in summer, but those that I do see for men are those things that look like newsboy caps i.e. they have a little bill and the top extends onto this bill. They are for sale in the men's section of department stores and you see many in winter and a few in summer being warn by men, especially bald men. My non bald husband likes them for the sun protection.

But I have in many months in the country never seen a French person in a beret.

I've never seen a French person in a beret, either.
They apparently became associated with France at some point, but it must have been a hundred years ago.

Cathy, you may already have made your purchase, but if not.. I got a hat from Freddie's for my Greek trip with a fabric crown and a straw half brim ( think wider baseball cap) the brim was trimmed in the same fabric as the crown. It came in with black or white fabric and folded up easily.

A hat with a full brim is far more effective as a sunblock than a baseball cap. And of course more stylish. Something crushable is best as you need to get it there and back in one piece.

I've seen French people wearing berets, but not very often and more likely in cold, wet weather as it is not good for sunblocking. And they tend to be older men...

Um...it won't just be you and the French citizens on the streets. There will be German, Swedes, Japanese, English, etc. Some will wear sensible sun hats, others will wear visors, and some will even carry umbrellas. Just choose what works for you and keeps the sun off your face. You'll see a million different types of headgear no matter what. After all, who cares? And you shouldn't care even if someone else does. Have a great time!

Umbrella hats!

I've been in Paris for the past two weeks and I've seen inexpensive hats for sale everywhere. The streets are crowded with tourists right now and they're wearing every type of hat you can imagine. Not much would look out of place.