The Strand Magazine, published in 1902, reporting on the newest fad of the time – the Panama hat:
One hundred pounds for a straw hat! Enough with which to take a three months’ holiday, enough to keep your son a year at college, enough to buy a small farm. And yet so astute a financier as [...]
A short piece on panama hats from an issue of The Rotarian in 1956:
The next time you put on that crisp, cool “Panama” hat, remember to thank the Ecuadorians – they made it! This year their South American country will produce 4 million hats, 90 percent of which will be exported to the United [...]
From the late 1940’s. Common hat models were the Stetsonian, the Diplomat, the Vogue, and the Casual.
The results of my search – a Stetson branded panama hat with a plain ribbon and 2″ narrow snap brim.
Posted in Men's Clothing | Also tagged Stetson |
Not quite willing to buy one online yet, I instead stopped by Seattle’s only hat store – Byrnie Utz Hats. It’s been open since 1934 and the interior decor probably hasn’t changed much since. Brands carried: Borsalino, Stetson, Dobbs, Christys, Scala, and many many more.
After about spending an hour in the [...]
A few options available online… goals I had in mind in what I was looking for: classic/simple styling, a narrow to medium size brim, made from straw or shantung, and with no visible branding. Unless going the custom order route, it’s surprisingly hard to find a RTW hat which meets that criteria.
A Stetson made [...]
Some inspiration from Free & Easy to get things started.
Posted in Men's Clothing | Also tagged Free & Easy |
While shopping around online for a panama hat for summer, I came across this trailer for a documentary on how they’re made. The process of weaving them looks grueling, and it puts some perspective on why some panama hats can cost hundreds of dollars and more.