Overview – What is a Hat?

Before we get down to brass tacks, we need a foundation. So, how do we define a hat?

Hats are outlined by the Merriam-Webster dictionary with two definitions:

• A covering for the head usually having      a shaped crown and brim.

• A distinctive head covering worn as a      symbol of office.

The definition gives us two themes: pragmatism and status. It's not surprising, therefore, that there is such a hybrid approach to the construction of most hats.

Brimmed hats have a few features in common:

• The crown comprises the top      part of the hat. It's the region that actually sits on your head.      The “tip” is its highest point.

• The pinch refers for any      indentations on the crown.

• Bands are usually strips      that are decorative in nature, going around the crown and resting on the      brim.

• A brim, of course, is the hat's      edge. This often protrudes off the sides of the hat and the lower part of      the crown. In baseball or flat caps, this is called a bill.

• Some hats come with interior lining,      which comes in various soft fabrics.

• The sweatband lines the interior      of the crown's base. it helps guarantee a good fit keeps the shape.

1. The Fedora

Few men's hats are as iconic as the fedora. It epitomizes the classic man. It didn't start that way, though…

The fedora started as a woman's hat in 1882. It came simultaneously into fame as a play by the same name wherein the main character – a woman named Fedora –  wore the hat.

Though it was an iconic women's fashion piece for years, that all changed in 1924 when Prince Edward of Britain took a liking to them. At that point, it became a men's hat. The fedora usurped other forms of headwear

Should You Wear It?

When it comes to men's hats, the fedora is synonymous with classic style. If you're the kind of guy who loves sport coats and blazers, then this may be a winner.

It works best if you keep your look as classic as possible. This means suits, dress shirts, slacks, dress shoes, etc. This is the paragon hat for the classically-minded man.

2. The Trilby

This men's hat is often confused with a fedora due to the similarity in appearance, but it's not the same.

Just like the fedora, however, it has its roots in the theatre in 1894. George du Maurier’s novel, titled Trilby, was eventually adapted into a live performance that featured the hat.

Over time, it was swiftly adopted by the British aristocracy. It was henceforth made popular among horse racing circles. In England, a trip to the racecourse wouldn't be complete without a tweed suit and a brown felt trilby.

The main difference between a trilby and a fedora is the width of the brim, which is often an inch or less.

3. The Panama Hat

Though it also resembles a fedora, one key feature sets it apart: Straw.

During the 1500s and in the midst of the Spanish conquests, the conquistadors began noticing the elegant headwear sported by the natives of Ecuador. The hats were woven with straw. However, they were so well made that the Spaniards believed the material to be vampire skin.

The name “Panama Hat” is actually a misnomer derived by travelers to South America. Their first encounters with the straw hat occurred in Panama before they arrived in Ecuador.

This men's hat is traditionally made using straw from the toquilla plant, found only in the rainforests of Ecuador. The general rule of thumb for Panama hats is this: the finer the fibers are and the closer they are in color, the higher quality the hat is.

Should You Wear It?

If you want to make a great statement in the Summer or – better yet – you live in a perpetually hot climate, then the answer is yes.

As a men's hat, the Panama not only keeps the sun out but keeps your head from getting too hot underneath. The perforated nature of the weave keeps air passing back and forth.

It melds style and functionality into one powerful tool.

We will continue this series in our next blog