Review: Suburban Turban, and a Contest

SUBURBAN TURBAN

I tried to tuck my hair up..

Now that you have saved some bangs using the Shebangz system, you need headwear.

When you think of hats, you think of the Queen of England, amirite?  Okay, maybe you are younger - so Kate Middleton?   Nobody does hats like the Brits, they have that particular thing all figured out.  Here in the US, in my personal experience, it is hard to find hats that are comfortable and cute.  This is particularly true when you are planning to cover a bald scalp as well as find something cute to go with an outfit.

It's near impossible to find a hat that doesn't leave you looking - well, bald.  Most hats are not designed properly for hair loss, they leave you exposed above the ear or in the back.  In winter, skullcaps, while not always beautiful, will do the trick, as long as you can find a soft and unscratchy one, but for those of us in mild climates, a thick wool pullover won't do.   There are many kind souls who will give out free, hand-knitted one to canceer patients  - but if your skin is sensitive, they may lie unused in your drawer.

Casual girls can just throw on a baseball cap but I was working in a professional environment, and I wanted some style.  Hats that might fit when you have hair will slide around when you don't - a few times I found myself turning my head  and discovering my hat stayed in the same position.   I found exactly one turban style hat that I would wear and that was disappointing.  It was the most comfortable and stylish option and I wanted many of them, but I could only find the one.

The USA and hats, something doesn't mix.

Scarves became my go-to, but they are not without issues either. I had some lovely vintage scarves leftover from my ebay selling days, but silk is, well, silky and you want it to stay in place.  Bandanas are okay but again, not great for a workplace environment and also tend to be scratchy.

Putting something on my head became the hardest part of getting dressed in the morning.  I'd have to start with my hat or scarf and match the rest of my outfit, and my lack of good choices was frustrating.

So as you know: my criteria for review is that a problem must exist and the company must solve it, and that happened to be the case in headwear.

In comes Suburban Turban, a hat and scarf company located in the UK but now selling in the US via Etsy. Remembering my difficulty finding cute hats, I checked the website and was drawn to them. What cute styles!

The hat I reviewed is called Bea, and I love it with hair and I believe I would have loved it more without. (I took pictures with my hair tucked in so you can get an idea.)  It's incredibly soft, yet has strength enough so that you get the feel that it will stay on, even on a windy day. I have a dusky plum with a darker purple lining; but they are available in different colors.  These hats are work appropriate as well as weekend casual.  You might have noticed I talked a lot about how sensitive my head was (not an uncommon problem) and this hat is made of a soft jersey.  They also come in a felted wool. Super, super comfy and cush.   The thing I love the most is they are styled so that that weird, flat look you get in most cancer hats and turbans won't show.  The piping and the flower pattern is going to help to hide that odd shape, and is very clever.  Believe it or not, every hat is made individually!  Purchase from Suburban Turban and you will get a hand-made piece of millinery couture you can use years after the real need is over.

Don't trust my taste? This hat was also featured in Vogue.  They did a special section about hair loss, well worth the read. You can see the Bea hat in two of the video features.

Suburban Turban also has some lovely scarves that are designed for hair loss, and their website has scarf tying instructions.

Leave it to the Brits to design a fashionable hat for women facing hair loss.

Visit my facebook page to enter a contest to win a Bea hat!  Tell your friends.

Disclaimer:  I sometimes review products designed for cancer patients.  I don't get paid to do these reviews,  and I am not affiliated with the companies in any way.  The only thing I have received is the product itself. It would be hard to review something without seeing it,  although you'd be amazed at how many ask me to do just that!  Those of you who know me understand that I believe a product must have value for a patient for me to even consider posting it. I worry about the morality of marketing to cancer patients at a time when they are most vulnerable - on the other hand, I support people who see a problem and fill a need.  So when I do reviews, it's because I think the product does the latter.  All three of the products I'll review over the next few days were designed by and for cancer patients.