![](https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/739/8b9/4980cbc095481c18fe748a06ebf9628a36-summer-shopping-tips-final02.rsquare.w700.jpg)
Photo-Illustration: by The Strategist; Photos courtesy of the vendors
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- Flax (the stuff from the ’70s with weird spells on the tag are much better than the more present-day offerings)
- Uniqlo (the cotton-linen blend items are the way to go, and are extremely soft)
- Muji (the dresses in particular are great) -US
![Alpha60 I Hat](https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/fb3/726/f5fc27856a4bc072a5c8e47e8b129ee4c6-alpha60-saya-hat.rsquare.w600.jpg)
This one (from a brand beloved by stylish Melburnians) is perfectly minimalist and practical. And since it was designed for use in a country with a depleted ozone layer, it has a broad and bendy brim that offers actual sun protection, as well as a detachable chin strap. -KG
![Scala Women's Cotton Hat](https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/222/f25/8f9587d250b592a441c892a2ecf168d634.rsquare.w600.jpg)
The owned-by-two-Strategist-editors, available-on-Amazon-for-$28 Milani is easy to pack down and is a nice bucket-wide brim-hybrid. The nearly identical Scala has a wider color selection. -KS
![Frogg Toggs Chilly Mini Cooling Towel](https://pyxis.nymag.com/v1/imgs/8ce/412/96a147ebb343a92360525236d8b24c84f0-frogg-toggs-cooling-towel.rsquare.w600.jpg)
They’re exceedingly pleasant to