I was walking in Manhattan the other day and I kept seeing a certain hat upon the heads of both men and women. I continued along 14th Street and noticed that this same hat was displayed in store windows and amongst street vendors. I wasn’t even aware that this hat was a classic and had been around for quite some time. This straw hat is known as The Panama hat. I couldn’t help but wonder why this hat was named, The Panama, so the research began.
When I searched for more information on The Panama hat or Panama, wikipedia.com wrote that it is a “traditional brimmed hat of Ecuadorian origin that is made from the plaited leaves of the toquilla straw plant (Carludovica palmata)”. As I researched more about the Panama hat, I also discovered that it is also known as a Jipijapa, which is a town in Ecuador and one of the centers of the hat trade. South American products, during the 19th and early 20th century, were shipped first to the Isthmus of Panama before sailing for their destinations in Asia, the rest of the Americas and Europe. So, rather than their place of domestic origin, these hats were name according to their point of international sale. What was it about this hat that made it so popular around the globe? Good old fashion newspapers.
When President Theodore Roosevelt visited the Panama Canal construction 1906, he wore the panama. He had been introduced to this hat when he saw it worn by canal workers as well as the many news photos printed during that time. It was one particular photo, dated November 16, 1906, where President Theodore Roosevelt is seen wearing a black-banded straw hat while sitting at the controls during an inspection tour of the Panama Canal excavation. Well before tweets and status updates brought us news as it was happening, this picture of President Theodore Roosevelt created a lot of buzz. In fact, most of the comments about the photo were in regards to the President’s “Panama” hat. The Panama has also influenced movie goers, as it has appeared in well-known movies like Gone With The Wind, Casablanca, The Natural, The Legend of Bagger Vance, and Hannibal just to name a few.
More recently, current summer fashion blogs and online magazines have images of celebrities sporting the Panama including; Britney Spears, Jennifer Aniston, Misha Barton, and Terrence Howard. It is no doubt that Panama hats have become a symbol of elegance, luxury and sophistication.
Do you have a Panama hat in your summer hat collection? Do you think it is a hat that looks good on both men and women?
35 Comments Post a comment
i don’t have the Panama hat but i will be watching for it!
I’ve always loved the panama hat, always reminds me of summer!
I tweeted @hairgirl1966
I dont have one but I love hats so I will keep an eye out for one. Should be easy to find one with so many celebrities wearing them.
I don’t have a many hats anyway… I find it hard to find a hat that actually fits :-/
tweeted the message
I don’t have one. I think my head is too small to pull it off.
don’t have one, but yes, a fine summer hat for both sexes. interesting blog!
They are very cool hats. It would be cool if they come in different colors
my husband has this hat
It looks better on him than me
Don’t have one, but maybe I should get one. Do you have one on the site?
I like it, but I don’t know if I would be brave enough to wear one.
I don’t have a Panama Hat and I thik it looks good on men only.
One hat – two ways to use it – sounds good to me!
I don’t currently have a Panama hat in my collection at all but I do think they are very fashionable on both men and women!! I would love to win one to try it out!!!
Thanks!
princess.ella@live.ca
It was actually on my to-do list to buy a Panama hat this summer for myself. I like good sun protection but can’t stand big floppy hats. They’re too difficult to store.
Tweeted for a second entry.
I have a vintage hat that says “Panama fiber” inside. Don’t know if it’s a real “panama” hat. It is a natural grassy fiber, rather than paper or plastic straw. It’s a lot cooler than any other summer hat I’ve had.
haha! very cute blog entry
don’t have one, if i’ve seen them i didn’t know what they were called so no opinion on wheather they look better on women or men…
Next time we go to cuba i think ill get an authentic one,its facinating to see them made.
Too hot to wear a hat on top of a sheitel, and I don’t look good with no hair out, so although I love hats, I just don’t wear them.
I personally don’t like wearing hats, but I like the style of Panama hats.
My favorite and most flattering hats can be described as “man’s” shape.
I am a hat freak, so the panama would fit right into my collection.
tweeted for 2nd entry – https://twitter.com/amomsrantings/status/17416135198
I look HORRIBLE in Panama hats, lol. I prefer cowboy hats.
love them and they look good on both men and women
I think it really depends on what they are wearing. I’d see it more on a woman rather than a man but that’s just my opinion.
I don’t have one, but my husband wears a white one to shul sometimes. In AZ it’s just too hot for anything else!
love the panama hat we got one for hubby on a cruise awhile back
I love all types of head gear
i love wearing hats
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