UrbanAristocrat
New in Town
- Messages
- 18
- Location
- Toronto, Canada
I did a Fedora LOunge search on this topic but haven't come up with a primer on Panama hats. The only info I have is from "The Indispensible Guide to Classic Men's Clothing" (my bible, after Flusser's "Dressing the Man"!). If anyone has any advice to add (e.g. reputable makers, different types, bleached versus natural straw) I would appreciate it!
Panama
The Panama is simply a straw hat with a crown, brim and, usually, a ribbon. Genuine Panama hats, despite their name, are made in Ecuador. And although they are called “straw” hats, they are made of a type of palm that grows in Central and South America. All Panama hats are hand woven. “The finer the weave, the higher the quality,” says Mr. Baum [manager of Worth & Worth]. The quality is discerned from the suppleness of the straw and the fineness of the weave; the finer woven hats are made from the thinner strands of palm. The edge of a well-made brim is woven; a brim on a lesser quality Panama is folded over and sewn down over itself . . . Panamas often have black ribbon, said by London hatmakers Lock & Co. to date back to the mourning of the death of Queen Victoria. But Panamas are also made with ribbons of brown or other colors, or with no ribbon. Some Panamas are made with a ridge along the top from front to back, which allows them to be safely folded then rolled, for convenience while traveling.
Montecristi
The Montecristi is a type of Panama, but of craftsmanship so exquisite it deserves special attention. All Montecrisits are hand-made in the Ecuadorian village that gave them their name. Good Montecristis can cost as much as a good suit. They are distinguished by the very small, fine weave of the palm, and are extraordinarily supple, yet durable.
Panama
The Panama is simply a straw hat with a crown, brim and, usually, a ribbon. Genuine Panama hats, despite their name, are made in Ecuador. And although they are called “straw” hats, they are made of a type of palm that grows in Central and South America. All Panama hats are hand woven. “The finer the weave, the higher the quality,” says Mr. Baum [manager of Worth & Worth]. The quality is discerned from the suppleness of the straw and the fineness of the weave; the finer woven hats are made from the thinner strands of palm. The edge of a well-made brim is woven; a brim on a lesser quality Panama is folded over and sewn down over itself . . . Panamas often have black ribbon, said by London hatmakers Lock & Co. to date back to the mourning of the death of Queen Victoria. But Panamas are also made with ribbons of brown or other colors, or with no ribbon. Some Panamas are made with a ridge along the top from front to back, which allows them to be safely folded then rolled, for convenience while traveling.
Montecristi
The Montecristi is a type of Panama, but of craftsmanship so exquisite it deserves special attention. All Montecrisits are hand-made in the Ecuadorian village that gave them their name. Good Montecristis can cost as much as a good suit. They are distinguished by the very small, fine weave of the palm, and are extraordinarily supple, yet durable.
