Lake Life - Natalie Dillon

How would you describe the inspiration behind this hat?

One of the central reasons I create content is to hopefully inspire others to spend more time enjoying the outdoors, and the same value was the driving force behind this hat. Lakes are an area of pride for us northerners, and I wanted to make a hat that represents the beauty, simplicity and fun that comes with time on the water.

Describe the different design elements.

I’m no graphic designer, so I brought my ideas to Spencer Johnson and we worked together to bring them to life. I wanted the central element to be a fish, as I’m an angler, and fishing is something that connects so many of us to the water. But we also know that people love time on the lake for a myriad of reasons, so we wanted the design to represent that. The wave and pine tree motifs represent the natural beauty of lakes that we can all enjoy, whether we’re fishing, boating, canoeing, wakeboarding or hanging on shore.

What are some of your favorite lakes?

With over 10,000 in my state alone, and many more around us, it’s hard to choose! But I typically like lakes for one of two reasons: great fishing, or as a quiet escape. Some of my favorites are Lake Minnetonka, Lake of the Isles and Crane Lake in Minnesota, Bearskin Lake in Wisconsin, and perhaps my all-time favorite: Lake of the Woods, which stretches Northern Minnesota to Ontario.

Why do you think it’s important to promote a shared love of the outdoors?

For me it’s twofold. I hope to help instill a love of nature in people, especially young people, because there are so many benefits of time on the water – from the time away from screens, to the confidence building that comes with fishing, to the health benefits of time spent outside. But I also think it’s essential to connect people with our lakes so we can maintain these beautiful places for future generations.

What is “Lake Life” to you?

When I hear the term Lake Life, an image comes to mind: it’s mid-summer, I’m on a boat with friends, and we’ve been casting all day long. Finally, just as the sun is about to set, our hard work is rewarded with a big musky. We drive the boat to a lakeside establishment and celebrate with some bar food and a beer. That’s the ultimate day for me, and the epitome of Lake Life.