CALIFORNIA STRAW HATS

Volcom: Orange County-based Volcom is a one-stop shop for skater/surfer/snowboarder fashion, from straw hats to board shorts to two-piece suits.  Because they target skaters – who shred clothes quickly, no matter how high quality – I did not expect Volcom to put much effort into the second-thing-to-go elements of clothing construction.  After all, why double-stitch a garment that’s going to be rags within weeks regardless?  But I was pleasantly surprised.  A few years back, I bought a Volcom button-up. It was a good purchase.  The shirt had a clean silhouette, but with slightly skewed seams that bent people’s eyes just enough to prevent them from looking past me.  And – because I do not lead a tear-through-fabric lifestyle – it lasted for years.

San Diego Hat Company: Carlsbad-based San Diego Hat Company makes serviceable, inexpensive hats for keeping off the California sun.