Straw Hats or Felt

[HarpPlayerGene]

Is it still proper to wear straw hats now that Labor Day has passed?

Man, lemme tell ya', I'm sure going to.

It has been such a rainy summer I got gypped out of most opportunities for wearing my Panamas. When the wet season finally passes it'll still be plenty warm here in Florida so I'll milk it until probably November!

 

[jpbales]

it's going to be a dissappointing Christmas for me then!

Good example! :eusa_clap

P.S.-Santa Knows...

 

[Dreispitz]

In the intermeidte weather I tend to go bareheaded, I must admit, to my disgrace.

Straws are already hibernating in their boxes. A considerable amount of felt hats purchased during summer, is now waiting to be donned.

 

[RBH]

... where there is nothing to learn but faith .

So.. whats your point? [huh]

 

[thinkfloyd]

Straw all year round for me... living in a tropical country has its ups and downs of course. I love to wear fancy jackets and felt hats, but its just too durn hot! I only get to wear them when the occasion is being held in a hotel lobby with cool air conditioning!

 

[CRH]

Style Time

So.. whats your point? [huh]

The seasons are not dallied in the time of men

Put not your faith in the calendar

nor in the judgment of others who do not walk down this hatted road

Rather bear witness to the weather

in timeless Style




Is that better? [huh].

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

"Straw Hats or Felt?"

Polypropylene. Straw if I had a decent one, but my poly straw Capricorn does ok. 80 degrees today, no furfelt in my immediate future.

 

[marvelgoose]

You know I feel like I replied to this question before? Deja Vu in a Nostalgic Community - is it possible?

According to "Hatless Jack: The President, the Fedora, and the History of an American Style", the traditional date was October 1st. Hat retailers suffered through a month with slow hat sales as the demand for straw was small and no one bought a new felt.

Until the turn of the century, that is. The hatters association began promoting September 15 as the first day to wear a felt. Hatters coordinated advertising and events to push that day.

It is believed that a merchant in New York City got a little too enthused. The author passes on rumors that a hat retailer hired young street toughs to roam the streets and remove straw hats from heads. Not just remove, but toss under cars, smash a fist through the crown, stomp on it, or any number of things.

You can imagine the rash of fights that broke out and the clogged minor court system.

Having been primed, youth gangs made Sept 15th an annual straw hat smashing event. There were minor riots and the press covered it in detail. Hat wearers began making sure that September 15th found them with their straw hat safely tucked away in a closet.

Fingers were pointed at Hat retailers. A man without a hat in those days was naked, subject to ridicule and disdain. If a man's straw hat was taken from him, nothing would do but to retire to the nearest hat store a buy a new felt hat right then -- even if there was a perfectly good one at home.

Later, some tried to move the date up to Labor Day, but it didn't take.

Of course, in today's society, no one gives a rip when you wear a hat, or dress in white, either Your straw will be safe after Sept 15.

 

[WesternHatWearer]

Straw Season? Fur Season? Does it matter?

I work with some people who are very adamant that straw and fur hats have seasons in which they are worn. I have never heard of this, but I do not know everything in the world. With that said, I wanted to gain some insight from fellow hat enthusiast.
My co-workers pronounce straw season as late spring to early fall, and fur season from mid-fall to mid-spring.

I do not know that I really care if someone wears a straw hat in winter or a fur in summer. Someone may only own one hat and they wear it as they see it.

Sorry for the ramble. I just wanted to gather some other points of view.

Tim

 

[carouselvic]

Your friends are correct.

 

[gqmagic]

I wore a Milan Straw & a Panama Straw last week with temps in the 80's.

As our weather here is milder than the east coast for example, tell your by the season/calender friends you prefer to dress by the thermometer rather than the calender.

 

[HudsonHawk]

You wear whatever is comfortable on your head, which is dictated by weather. Where I live in Texas, I typically wear straw up until it starts to cool off in mid-late November, until it warms up again in March. But those dates are not set in stone, and if one wanted to wear a straw hat when it's cold, there is nothing wrong with it other than it's not really doing the job as well as a felt hat would.

 

[alanfgag]

Your friends are correct.

+1. Easiest way to remember is when you take out your white shoes, the straw hats come out too.

 

[Greyryder]

I'm not a fan of straw hats, so I'll gladly wear fur felt, all year long. If somebody doesn't like it, that's their problem, and I'd appreciate if they didn't try to make it mine.

Wear what you like.

 

[alanfgag]

If somebody doesn't like it, that's their problem, and I'd appreciate if they didn't try to make it mine.
Wear what you like.

Of course... understanding the traditions and from whence they come not withstanding. :eusa_doh:

 

[1961MJS]

I'm not a fan of straw hats, so I'll gladly wear fur felt, all year long. If somebody doesn't like it, that's their problem, and I'd appreciate if they didn't try to make it mine.

Wear what you like.

Hi

I would tend to agree, but look up Straw Hat Riots in Wikipedia. You'll be AMAZED. They didn't like it and they made it your problem too.

Later

 

[RJR]

Absolutely a personal choice imo.

 

[WesternHatWearer]

Thank you for the replies. As I said, this was the first I had heard of such. It was interesting and lead me to ask the question.