I found it in a dress-up box. My girlfriend said I couldn't wear it.
I found a spinny hat in my family's dress-up box back in Australia. Something about it just felt right. But when I brought it to Bali, my girlfriend told me I couldn't wear it in public. So it went into storage for six months.
When I found it again, I thought: screw what other people think. It makes me happy. I was nervous the first time I left the house. Within minutes I regretted not being brave enough six months earlier. Strangers smiled. They said they loved it. They asked where I got it.
Bali to Australia to India to the USA, across Europe, Cambodia, and Sri Lanka. Same thing everywhere. Some people avoid eye contact. That's fine. I'm not for everyone. But the people I am for? They light up. Joy, not a joke. That's the difference.
Fair warning: wearing this means strangers will talk to you. If you prefer being invisible, skip this one.
I looked for something playful I could wear every day. Funny shirts? People laugh at you. Festival gear? Only works on weekends. Every spinny hat on Amazon looks gimmicky. They sit on top of your head, don't fit right. Everything playful is either a joke or a costume. Nobody is making something you'd actually wear to the cafe on a Tuesday.
My hat is 10 years old and isn't manufactured anymore. So I'm flying to China with the exact one so a manufacturer can copy it. Same fit. Same spin. Better fabric. The first playful accessory designed to be worn every day.