Great merino wool bobble hats by Alessia Giovanni in Italy. And a damn cute kid!

Despite being summer, the weather around here has been highly unpredictable. We are mostly blessed with beautiful days, but early in the morning and after the sun has dropped below the horizon, the air can get a bit crisp. I think the best way to keep warm without feeling stuffy or sweaty is to focus on the extremities and head. I am a fan of the beanie, but recently I saw Outdoor Research’s new line of warm headgear and I think I may need to add a few to my wardrobe. The Yukon cap, with it’s textured wool exterior and button ear flaps, really caught my eye. However, the one that I think really stands out is the Odd Job hat (pictured). Besides scoring points for the Bond reference, the brimmed hat comes with a bottle opener attached. Come to think of it, drinking beers is another great way to keep warm! Click here to check out their entire line.

Headgear can be a statement without adorning the signifying letter of your local sports team. Steel Darts, a hat maker with showrooms in Irving, TX and NYC, stick to their idea of future-retroism, yielding patterned ball caps and patchwork fedoras. Somehow, the muted colors chosen by their designers manage to make a loud noise without being garrish. Also, the crossed darts logo on each hat is a nice change from your common New Era affair. We’ve got out eye on the IWONDER ball cap.

The Philadelphia Phillies have not won a world series since Jimmy Carter’s final days in office, but the way their fans whine about it you’d think Ben Franklin had yet to invent bifocals the last time someone with a P on their hat hoisted that Commisioner’s trophy above their head. While the Philly Phanatics have nothing on fans of the 2004 Red Sox, 2005 White Sox or those poor Cubbies when it comes to championship droughts, some of the faithful fans in the City of Brotherly love have figured they’re just about due to drink that sweet, sweet nectar of victory. In honor of the Phillies ascent to the ‘Fall Classic’, Philly based apparel company UBIQ has designed “Reverse The Curse” tees and beanies to bolster fans and finally banish the bogus curse of Billy Penn. The items are available at UBIQ retail locations and their online store. As a Mets fan, I say, “Go Rays!”

[ED NOTE: As a Sox fan, I say go Phillies.]

Brixton Ltd has previously been praised for their impressive array of stylish headwear, but with autumn in the not so distant future, you’re going to need more than just a cap to avoid the chill air. The So-Cal based designers have got you covered. Their new line of jackets (The Clampdownand Debaser) and flannels (Cedar) are a choice way to keep the cold at bay whether you’re in the Bay Area or enjoying the colorful Northeast foliage. They also compliment some of Brixton’s great new fall hat models including the Stroll, Combat, and Busker.

If you’re in the market for haute headgear, whether it be a fine fedora or a dapper derby, look no further than Los Angeles-based ELM Company. Their new spring/summer collection runs the gamut from retro to modern with a classic line of Copelands or a few slick fitted caps that they don’t sell at Lids.

Odds are that at some point this summer, having the heat beat down mercilessly on the top of your head is going to make you want to seek some shade. Whether you’re on the beach, in the middle of some oasis-free desert, or perhaps roaming through a sun-soaked urban canyon … it might not be so easy to avoid ultraviolet rays on your own. That’s why it’s always convenient to have a hat on hand. If you’re looking for a more stylish alternative than donning the logo of your local hapless sports franchise, the folks from Brixton Ltd. are here to help. The So Cal-based hat designers have quite the array of options when it comes to keeping your noggin cool, with everything from the Castor — a straw fedora that might make Indiana Jones forsake his signature costume — to the Leland, a new-fangled take on the old fishing hat. If you still fancy your good ol’ ball cap they’ve got a version of that too. Whatever type of hat you fancy Brixton’s got you covered.

A family album, a statement of personal identity and a nod to tradition; it’s rare for an article of clothing to be any of these things, let alone all of them. Yet the two hats in the Evil Monito x Kangol collaboration — a cabby hat and a fedora — manage to pull off the feat, and to do it with absolute cohesion. These hats are instant classics.

The shape of the cabby model, and the fabric — British millerain wax cotton — are nods to Kangol’s past. The lining of both hats, silk printed with Evil Monito founder Rickey Kim’s family photos, are a nod to Kim’s identity as a first generation American and to the debt he owes to his father, who emigrated to America from Korea in the 1970s. It’s evident that Kim has had a complicated relationship with his father. “As a child, I grew to fear him. As an adolescent, I grew to despise him. As an adult, I no longer knew who he was,” says Kim. Yet by including his family album on these pieces, Kim has found a way to both work through his issues and do what he does best: make striking clothing. Of course, if you check out the Evil Monito store you’ll see a lot of nice things for sale, but you won’t see these Kangol hats. That’s because they aren’t available yet….but they will be soon.

When trucker hats became trendy a few years ago, who thought we’d get to where we are now? Behold Fujizaki’s new Cushioned Collection; these hats are limited edition and are a preview of what’s to come in their Fall/Winter 2007 collection. The front is made of cushioned satin (either white or black), and the inside is lined in either gold or purple satin. And lest I forget to mention that these hats are healthier than many others? Thanks to their Thermo Molded Transparency Visor which offers 100% UV protection, your pretty mug won’t get sunburned. While you’re not going to find these in some off-interstate truck stop in the middle of Nebraska, Fujizaki is currently distributed in Italy, Spain, Korea, Portugal, Denmark and in selected shops in Monaco, Dubai, Israel, Japan, and Australia — they are available through Fujizaki’s web store for 60 Euros. Get one before Ashton Kutcher finds out about them…after that, well. You know what happens.