Panama Hats.

[Leekbrookgull]

Looking to smarten myself for next seasons cricket. Therefore,i am looking to 'invest' in a Panama Hat. There is a shop in Leek,that can supply me with one. however they are abit vague on the price for a genuine hat. I reckon £35-45 should cover it ?

 

[REDLAND]

don't forget to leave it on your cars parcel shelf when you not wearing it

 

[The Large One]

From wikipedia

Name
It was called jipijapa, from the name of a palm tree from the leaves of which the hats are sometimes made or montecristi, a name it still goes by among the specialists of quality panamas. The jipijapa or montecristi has also been called toquilla, a name derived from the name of the hats that the Spaniards wore at the time of the conquest. Toquilla is also the name of the palm from which the hats are made.

Popularity and culture
Panama hats are often seen as accessories to summer weight suits, such as linen or silk. Beginning around the turn of the century, panamas began to be associated with the seaside and tropical locales, such as Brighton or the Caribbean. They are usually preferred over felt hats in such climates for they are light coloured, light weight, and breathable.

Beginning in the late 1960s, hats in general were worn less often. However, the panama seems to be one of the few hats to survive the tests of time. Men can still be seen sporting a panama in the tropics. It is, by no means, as popular as it was during the golden age of hats, but it is still surviving. As a matter of fact, well founded hat companies, such as Dobbs, Stetson and Cavanaugh, now produce more panama styled hats than felt hats, such as fedoras or bowlers.

Quality
Panama hat quality is a heavily disputed subject. There are two main processes in the hat's creation: weaving and blocking. The best way to gauge the quality of the weave is to count the number of weaves per square inch. Fewer than 100 would be considered low quality. There are many degrees of increasing quality, up to the rarest and most expensive hats, which can have as many as 1600-2000 weaves per square inch; it is not unheard of for these hats to sell for thousands of dollars apiece.

The quality of the weave itself, however, is more important. A high weave count, even an attractive-looking one, does not guarantee a well-woven hat. It is said that a Panama of true quality can hold water and can be folded for storage without damage.

Even though the panama continues to provide a livelihood for thousands of Ecuadorians, fewer than a dozen weavers capable of making the finest "montecristi superfinos" remain; the UK's Financial Times Magazine (Jan. 2007) recently reported that there may not be more than 15-20 years remaining for the industry in Ecuador, due to the competition of paper-based Chinese-made imitations.

 

[Cadiz Seagull]

I bought one in Marks and Sparks

 

[Icy Gull]

They are a bugger in a strong wind, or even a gust will have them spinning off down the road or field or beach or wherever.

 

[Stinkers Bridge]

Is it really a hat made out of Panama cigars?

 

[Icy Gull]

Is it really a hat made out of Panama cigars?

Think it has feck all to do with Panama except in name

 

[glasfryn]

Did'nt a certain Mr M Allison wear one of these and if my memory serves me a lot of the preferred Albion supporters wore them as a piss take.

 

[thedonkeycentrehalf]

Did'nt a certain Mr M Allison wear one of these and if my memory serves me a lot of the preferred Albion supporters wore them as a piss take.

Malcolm Allison was a Fedora man.

 

[cattlin'srockshop]

I think the Sussex shop do a panama hat with the sussex ribbons. Very nice it is too.

And you can tell them all that we stand or fall for sussex by the sea

 

[Barrow Boy]

I bought one in Marks and Sparks

Snap!