Summer is here and it’s time to hit the beach! —or picnic, vacation, or really any fun in the sun sort of activity! As a California girl, I am actually at the beach year round, however, there is something about June-August that just hits different!

I recently had a daycation at nearby hotel here in SoCal and it was so much fun! For pretty much every beach or summer outing I have a few items that are always a must: a straw hat, beachy tote to carry blankets, sunscreen, snacks, water, etc., and I normally have a smaller tote bag for my valuables like phone, keys, sunglasses, and my camera and camera accessories. Also, can’t forget a cute swimsuit — bonus points if it can double as an outfit like this one piece and cover-up skirt combo!

As a lifestyle vegan, choosing products with both vegan and sustainable materials is super important to me. I try to opt for more natural plant based options as much as possible so materials like straw, linen, cotton, organic cotton, seagrass, hemp, etc. are all things that I look for. Each of these Jen & Co items are PETA Approved and make for the cutest beachy trio!

SHOP THE LOOK

I have a vegan hat obsession. I can’t deny it. Unfortunately, with this obsession comes some obstacles — i.e. most of the quality hats out there are not vegan and contain wool, leather, and suede. I have spent years collecting my hats and have had to have a lot of patience in finding them.

IF YOU’RE SHOPPING SECONDHAND…

I typically get most of my hats through Poshmark — a secondhand shopping app (you can use my code ACSHERM1 to save $10 on your first purchase)! I have some favorite brands that I search for that we will get into later in this post, but I like to use keywords to search for my hats as well like vegan, faux suede, faux leather, and straw. The same goes for other sites/apps like eBay, Mercari, Depop, etc. although I don’t think they are as good for this particular search as Poshmark.

Make sure to confirm the materials with the seller if it isn’t already in the description! You can find brand new hats on from these places as well for a fraction of the cost, not everything has been worn or used before!

IF YOU’RE BUYING DIRECT FROM A RETAILER OR BRAND…

Some brands and companies that I like that have vegan hats are listed below. I have yet to find a big one that is completely vegan, but there are some smaller all vegan brands as well as big brands that have vegan options.