Straw hats

There is no accessory more mysterious in the world than a straw hat. It has passed through the centuries without losing its relevance. Over the centuries, the straw hat has inspired writers and poets, films have been made about it and songs have been composed. The languid girls in straw hats were immortalized by artists on their canvases.

Today, like two or three centuries ago, a straw hat is the object of love and pride of many fashionistas. This accessory is often worn by Brad Pitt and Hugh Jackman, Sean Connery and Dakota Johnson. In stylish straw hats, Madonna, Julia Roberts and Britney Spears spectacularly appear before the public.

A beautiful and mysterious straw hat makes you want to try it on immediately.

1. The main practical function of the straw hat is to protect against the scorching rays of the sun.
2. In addition, such a headdress allows you to hide the flaws of the hairstyle from prying eyes.
3. Straw hats are light, delicate and environmentally friendly as they are made from natural materials.
4. Straw hats allow you to create a unique image for both men and women.

Hardly any other accessory has so many varieties.

Straw hats - panama hats, hoods, caps.

A more modern option is straw baseball caps.

The legendary Mexican sombreros are real giants compared to their brethren.

An unshakable symbol of the Wild West and a sense of freedom are cowboy straw hats.

The boaters, who appeared later than the others, are still one of the most beloved models of straw hats. At the beginning of the 2000s, the boater hat even became the centerpiece of many collections of fashion houses around the world.

Straw hats differ in the size of the brim, the shape of the crown and, oddly enough, the material.Not everything that craftsmen make them from is real straw in our usual sense.

As the name suggests, the hats are made of straw. This is the most ancient material, which is very fond of hatmakers. The "golden age" for straw hats began in the 17th century in Florence. It was there that a special variety of wheat was bred with golden, as if soaked with the sun, stems. She was raised specifically for the production of hats. Harvesting was also elevated to the rank of a real art, the wheat was not mowed, but pulled out together with the root, this gave the straw the necessary flexibility. Since it is rather difficult to pluck out the whole grain without damaging it, the apprentice boys were specially trained to do this.

In 1880, hatters discovered a new material - the so-called Panama straw. During the construction of the Panama Canal, workers found that the fibers of the Panamanian palm tree - toquilla - make good headdresses. Collecting Panama straw is generally a mystical ritual. It can be obtained only during periods of specific lunar phases, strictly one hour before sunset, otherwise the raw material will be too dry and brittle. The craftsmen process the toquilla fibers exclusively by hand. It takes about six months to produce one Panamanian straw hat!

An attempt to use Chinese straw (or rice) for the production of straw hats turned out to be a resounding success. Until now, rice straw hats are considered one of the most prestigious and practical. The rice stalk will bleach perfectly, it is plastic.

In 1960, an artificial straw was created - viscose. She also found application in hat making.

And after 20 years, straw hats began to be made from abaca - a Philippine textile banana.

There are caps made of algae dried in a special cunning way.

The first to weave hats from straw began in Ancient Greece. A bright idea came to the heads of local peasants who were looking for an effective way to protect themselves from the exhausting sun in the field.

In the Middle Ages, the idea of ​​weaving such hats was adopted in Asia, and gradually the headdress came to Europe. But until the 16th century, straw hats were worn only by commoners, peasants and unnamed townspeople - representatives of the lower classes. By its shape, color and style, it was possible to unmistakably determine who its owner is on the social ladder - a blacksmith, healer or merchant.

In the 17th century, the straw hat was finally noticed by aristocrats. French women and American men liked the headdress more than others. Ladies' straw hats were transformed beyond recognition: they began to be decorated with feathers and precious stones, ribbons, lace, as well as dried and fresh flowers.

The cowboy hat was created in 1860. It was conceived as a male version of a straw dress, but very soon women also began to wear it. If a sophisticated straw hat used to envelop beauties with a light flair of romanticism, then "cowboy" girls played a significant role in the formation of feminism. The lady in the cowboy hat is a daring, bold, independent traveler who is not afraid of difficulties.

In 1880, another version of the straw hat appeared - the boater. Short-brimmed and modest, at first she was the main headdress of Italian boatmen and rowers, then she won the hearts of the inhabitants of the Baltic States, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia.

Choosing a straw hat to your liking, you first need to decide on the type of headdress. Someone prefers a boater, while someone would like to flaunt in a wide-brimmed hat.

There are several strict rules, violation of which is not permissible:

• Yellow and beige hats are contraindicated for blondes. They will not emphasize the beauty of the owner of blonde hair, but simply "merge" with them.

• All paths are open to brunettes in the choice of straw hats - they can, without doubt and fear, show off in a headdress of any color. But white straw hats look most impressive on them.

• Ladies who are thin should remember that a wide-brimmed hat can do them a disservice. In order not to look like a fly agaric in it after the rain, it is important that the brim of the hat does not go beyond the shoulder line.

• It is not recommended for women of short stature to wear hats with large brim.

• Short-brimmed boaters should not be chosen by ladies with curvaceous forms.

• Brimless straw hats are ideal only for girls and women with thin builds with small facial features (for example, the British Queen Elizabeth).

Correct size is when the hat does not press and does not slip. To achieve this result, you cannot do without trying on.

Everyone dreams of trying on a straw hat. But wearing it takes a certain amount of courage. You need to be able to present this headdress. First you are his, and then he is you!

In summer, a straw hat can be a great addition to an urban look. A light sundress of any length, sandals or ballet flats.

The image of a dreamy person in love will be complemented by wooden decorations, various silk scarves, ribbons that can be tied around the crown of a straw hat. The main thing here is not to overdo it and not look too colorful. It is important to remember that where there is a straw hat with a large brim, there is no place for shoes with heels.

Beach style speaks for itself. A straw hat will be in harmony with short shorts, light T-shirts, a large textile summer bag.

You can wear a straw hat to work, but for a business style, only hats with small brims of a modest color are optimal. They will harmoniously complement the image of a lady in a trouser suit, a sash or a tie.

For an evening dress, a win-win option is a white hat with light, romantic Provence style dresses.

For a friendly party it is quite possible to wear a "cowboy shirt" with jeans, or a retro hat with a wide, usually two-tone, ribbon around the crown.

Any style of clothing where you want to add a straw hat can be experimented with. With beads, scarves, pieces of silk fabric, lace. The straw hat will endure everything.

Straw hats are commonly found in large quantities in headwear stores. There are not many of them, but buying a hat online is too risky. The new thing may turn out to be a fake.

The starting price for the simplest straw hat in Russia starts from 1000 rubles, and in branded salons it reaches 15-20 thousand, if it is handmade, elite material, and on the tag there is a name known all over the world.

The straw hat does not require much maintenance. It is enough to store it correctly - on a special hat stand, which are sold in any hardware store and cost mere pennies.

It happens that the hat is deformed, especially if it was transported in the luggage. But this is not a verdict. You can carefully steam the fields yourself, straighten them manually. The "crippled" crown is straightened by putting on a steamed hat on a round object. The most difficult defect is damage to the weave. Here you cannot do without the help of specialists. Hat workshops are now in every city in the country.

The straw hat is capable of changing the life of its owner. Don't believe me? Try it yourself!