If you live in a region where hot weather is the norm, or in a region where heat approaches with a vengeance during the summer months, there are simply times when one does not want to have anything on their head. Alas, we steadfast wrappers persevere. Through intense heat, humidity, desert climates, we’ve always got ourselves covered! How, though, do we begin to examine the many, many ways that we can cool off a little during these extremely hot times?

Let’s start by making a list of all of the ways (we’ll discuss each one in more detail later) that we’ve come across in our Wrapunzel Community, and by speaking with Wrapunzelistas like YOU, who are always keeping cool. Some may seem quite obvious, others not so much. And by no means are we medical professionals – this is merely practical advice. Please seek the help of a medical professional whenever you experience any symptoms associated with (excess) heat exposure:

1. Lighter weight/weave fabrics – switch out your heavy, thick winter pashminas for lighter, cooler fabrics that are more breathable. 100% cotton, silks, and even viscose are great choices. Wrap with only one thickness (ply) of fabric.
2. Cold Pack – if you wear a larger style of shaper and have some room in the cap, try inserting a flexible cold pack on those steamy days.
3. Shade/Screen – find respite from the scorch in the shade of a large umbrella or parasol. Or even find a nice leafy tree to rest under and refresh. Make sure to wear sunscreen to prevent sunburn at your hairline and nape of your neck!
4. Dress Airy – trade in warmer clothing for breezy outfits preferably constructed of natural fabrics for breathability.
5. Hydrate – Drink, drink, DRINK! This will cool and replenish your body.
6. Lightly and Spicily – Eating lighter foods in extreme heat will help you feel cooler. And if you dare, try spicy foods – they make you perspire, which cools the body.
7. Pay Attention – change your wrap to something lighter if you’re starting to feel overly hot.
8. Abandon Shaper – try just a No-Slip Headband and/or volumizing scrunchie under your scarf.
9. Unstuff / Restuff – try filling your shaper with a different type of stuffing that will allow for more air circulation and result in a cooler feel
10. Shpritz – carry a small spray bottle with you filled with oil of peppermint and water. Keep this in the fridge when you’re not out. When it’s schmoiling outside, just shpritz your schvitz away (schvitz is Yiddish for sweat)!
11. Raise the Bar – go a smidge higher above the nape of your neck with your first knot

OK, so here we go with a bit more detail!

1. Lighter weight/weave fabrics. How simple is this? Like you change your clothes for the seasons, it’s time to change your scarves too. Warm, tighter weave scarves like pashminas take leave of your storage to make room for open and airy scarves and natural fabrics. Try a Wrapunzel 100% cotton Israeli Tichel, Petalsoft or Cornerstone Scarf for cool breathability. Also, strive for lighter colors that don’t absorb the sunlight in the way darker ones do.
2. Cold Pack. This may seem ridiculous to some, but actually inserting a small flexible cold pack between your head and your shaper or in with your shaper’s stuffing can make you feel like you’re in the arctic tundra! Sounds silly, works wonders.
3. Shade/Screen. This is important. Carry an ‘ultra compact’ large umbrella in your bag when you’re out on a hot day. It will create a barrier between you and Mr. Golden Sun, creating your own little cool climate bubble underneath. Also, you can try a veil-style wrap that drapes over the nape of your neck! And make sure to slather on the sunscreen, especially near your hairline and the nape of your neck to prevent dreaded “scarf lines!” Sunburns wreak havoc on body temperature….ain’t nobody got time for that!
4. Dress Airy. Imagine a bright, sunny day and you, running across a flowery field in a parka and snowpants, NOT! Break out your coolest fashions as the weather heats. Think skirts and button down blouses in flowing styles. Stay light and loosey, goosey.
5. Hydrate. Perhaps the most important on this list for your hot weather health. We lose so much water during the summer months that it’s paramount to replenish it – large quantities and often. Simply put, drink as much as you can and as often as you can. And the water’s temperature isn’t as important as you think. Drink whatever temperature water you can most easily ingest, and try electrolyte drinks for added hydration. And if you’re a coffee drinker, make sure to drink 2 cups of water for every 1 cup of coffee you drink, ounce for ounce. Coffee is a diuretic (it will make your body lose water!).
6. Lightly and Spicily. Changing your diet in the blast of the heat will prove comforting and hydrating. Think salads and juicy fruits for dessert. All of those water-full vegetables and fruits will hydrate your body while not making you feel weighed down. And if you’re adventurous and can tolerate them, spicy foods are a great bet. Residents of hot climate countries such as Mexico and India have got this down pat. Strive for chili-peppery spices – the capsaicin in the peppers (ever heard of Scoville Units? look it up!) will heat up your body from the inside, making you perspire, activating nature’s own body-cooling method!
7. Pay Attention. If you’re feeling any symptoms of overheating, change your wrap, or if you’re able, remove it altogether. Don’t wait. Don’t let things develop into a medical situation. Adjust your wrap, stop, sit, and see #5! Lather, Rinse, Repeat.
8. Abandon Shaper. Shapers…you know they make your wraps, and you, look incredible. But the blasting heat of summer isn’t the time to be overly concerned with your look – it’s most important to be concerned with your health. Take OFF that shaper and opt for a Wrapunzel No-Slip Headband and/or Featherlight Scrunchie instead! If you’re too much of a shaper fan, you can try Wrapunzel’s Bobo Shaper this summer. It’s a long band of pouf that ties with fabric ties and is open in the back so you can catch a breeze!
9. Unstuff/Restuff. Sometimes, there’s just too much polyester on your head and it’s stifling. Try taking the poly-fill stuffing out of your Wrapunzel Shaper through the intentional ‘hole’ in the cap and re-stuffing it with a more breathable, lighter media. We’ve heard of everything – lamb’s wool, nylon shower puffs and yes, even old pantyhose! Your results will be just as much loft at a lesser heat price!
10. Shpritz. Yes. Put a small spray bottle of water with a few drops of peppermint essential oil into your fridge at night and grab it and go in the morning. Spraying your (close your eyes!) face with this concoction will cool and sooth you when it’s searing out!
11. Raise the Bar. This is pretty self-explanatory. If you bring your first knot up in the back, you’ll have a bit more neck/skin exposed to the air. Just be sure to sunscreen because it will be exposed to the sun too!