Straw hats

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

Today, like two or three centuries ago, a straw hat is the subject 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 effectively appear in front of the audience.

A beautiful and mysterious straw hat causes an understandable desire to try it on immediately.

1. The main practical function of a straw hat is protection against scorching sunlight.
2. In addition, such a hat makes it possible to hide the shortcomings of hairstyles from prying eyes.
3. Straw hats are light, delicate, environmentally friendly, as they are made from natural materials.
4. Straw hats allow you to create a unique image for both a man and a fair sex.

It is unlikely that any other accessory has so many varieties.

Straw hats - panama, hoods, caps.

A more modern option is straw caps.

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

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

Boater, which appeared later than the rest, still remain one of the most beloved models of straw hats. At the beginning of the “zero”, the boater hat even became the central element of many collections of fashion houses in the world.

Straw hats differ in field size, tulle shape and, oddly enough, material.Not everything that masters make of them is real straw in the usual sense for us.

As the name implies, hats are made from straw. This is the most ancient material, which is really loved by hatmakers. The Golden Age for straw hats started in the 17th century in Florence. It was there that a special kind of wheat was bred with golden stalks, as if saturated with the sun. She was raised specifically for the production of hats. Harvesting was also elevated to the rank of real art, wheat was not mowed, but pulled out together with the root, this gave the straw the necessary flexibility. Since it is rather difficult to rip out the whole cereal without damaging it, boys — apprentices — were specially trained for this.

In 1880, the hatter discovered a new material - the so-called Panamanian straw. During the construction of the Panama Canal, workers found that good hats came out of the fibers of the Panama palm - toquilla. Picking Panama straws is generally a mystical ritual. It can be obtained only during periods of specific lunar phases, strictly an hour before sunset, otherwise the raw materials will be too dry and brittle. Masters process tokilla fibers exclusively by hand. The production of one straw hat in Panamanian takes about six months!

An attempt to use Chinese straw (or rice) for straw hats was a resounding success. Until now, hats made from rice straw are considered one of the most prestigious and practical. The rice stalk is perfectly bleached, it is plastic.

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

And after 20 years, straw hats began to be made from abacus, a Filipino textile banana.

There are algae caps, dried in a special tricky way.

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

In the Middle Ages, the idea of ​​weaving such hats was adopted in Asia, gradually the headgear 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 accurately determine who its owner on the social ladder is - a blacksmith, a healer or a merchant.

In the 17th century, a straw hat was finally spotted 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.

In 1860, a cowboy hat was created. She thought of it as a masculine version of straw, but very soon women began to wear it. If a sophisticated straw hat used to envelop the beauties with a touch of romanticism, then “cowboys” played a significant role in the development 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 - boater. Short-haired and modest, it was at first the main headdress of Italian boaters and rowers, then it won the hearts of the inhabitants of the Baltic states, Moldova, Ukraine and Russia.

When choosing a straw hat to your liking, you first need to decide on the type of headgear. Someone prefers boater, and someone would like to flaunt in a wide-brimmed hat.

There are several strict rules whose violation is not permissible:

• Blondes are contraindicated in yellow and beige hats. They do not emphasize the beauty of the owner of blond hair, but simply "merge" with them.

• Brunettes in the choice of straw hats are open all the way - they can without a doubt and fear show off in a headdress of any color. But white straw hats look most impressive on them.

• Slim ladies should remember that a wide-brimmed hat can do them a “disservice.” In order not to look like an amanita after the rain, it is important that the fields of the hat do not go beyond the shoulder line.

• Women of small stature are not recommended to wear hats with large brim.

• Short-boiled boater should not be chosen by ladies with magnificent forms.

• Fieldless straw hats are ideal only for girls and women of thin physique with fine features (for example, the British Queen Elizabeth).

The right size is when the hat does not squeeze or slide. To achieve such a result, you can not do without trying.

Everyone wants to try on a straw hat. But in order to wear it, requires a certain amount of courage. You need to be able to present this headdress. First you are him, and then he is you!

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

The image of a dreamy dreamy person will be complemented by wooden jewelry, a variety of silk scarves, ribbons that can be tied around the top 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 large brim, there is no place for shoes with heels.

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

In a straw hat you can go to work, but for business style only hats with small frugal colors are optimal. They harmoniously complement the image of a lady in a trouser suit, in a shirt or tie.

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

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

In any style of clothing where you want to add a straw hat, you can experiment. With beads, shawls, pieces of silk fabric, lace. The straw hat will endure everything.

Straw hats in large numbers are usually found in stores specializing in headgear trade. There are not many, but buying a hat on the Internet is too risky. The new thing may turn out to be a fake.

The initial 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, luxury material, and on the tag is a name known all over the world.

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

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

A straw hat is capable of changing the life of its owner. Do not believe? Try it for yourself!