Panama Hat Thread

[Aureliano]

Great hat Jonbuilder. :eusa_clap

A bit off subject. Today I wore my montecristi but I seemed the only one in NYC wearing a straw. It really felt like autumn, it was very windy. Any one else wore a straw, or was is just silly me?[huh]

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Great hat Jonbuilder. :eusa_clap

A bit off subject. Today I wore my montecristi but I seemed the only one in NYC wearing a straw. It really felt like autumn, it was very windy. Any one else wore a straw, or was is just silly me?[huh]

Actually I did today. Fall foliage has already started. Who cares[huh]

 

[Aureliano]

At least I wasn't alone. Hey man, did you shave your head? I feel I've only see you with a hat....

 

[Carlisle Blues]

At least I wasn't alone. Hey man, did you shave your head? I feel I've only see you with a hat....

Hahahahahlol lol lol I just got a hair cut buzzed me like crazy!!!!!!!lol lol

 

[Aureliano]

wow! a nice felt will keep you warm though

 

[Carlisle Blues]

wow! a nice felt will keep you warm though

Thanks for the advice I put it back on..

 

[jonbuilder]

That's a great find. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it.

Thank you Scott, I have thought about dressing up the hat with a new ribbon, but I always like wear a hat for a while to get a feel for it before making any major changes.. I kind of like the vintage worn in look of the hat and plan on keeping the hat in it present state for the time being other that working on the brim wave. The hat crease is set and is not taking to any adjustments.

 

[jonbuilder]

recrease of staw hats

I have two vintage panamas, one vintage Milan, and one vintage Buka hat. I do think any of these straw hats would take a recrease and would require a profession to re-block if I want to change the crease. Unlike like felt hats I do think I can just punch out the crown, steam and re shape, Am I missing something?
I do have a heavy straw hat I brought years ago in Mexico prior to my Fedora education. I use this hat for a down and dirty beater like when I dug up my septic tank and other dirty tasks when my hands get soiled and I do not worry about pulling the hat of my head to get some air. I did recrease this hat after soaking it in soapy water to clean it and after wards let it dry on a hat stretcher. I would not attempt this with what I consider my fine straws.
Any one having experience or suggestions regarding re creasing straws, please fire away.

 

[Aureliano]

Thanks for the advice I put it back on..

lol lol lol :eusa_clap

 

[cookie]

The bad... The liner in the hat is not merely unnecessary but a negative. I've seen lighter satin in coffins.

How they can slap such a piece of garbage on a beautiful hat body is beyond me. It's like putting a Minnie Pearl outfit on Angelina Jolie.

Classic lines!:eusa_clap lol

 

[ScottF]

Here's a smaller Montecristi I picked up last night for my girlfriend - looks like a fairly fine weave:

ebay Panama

The above hat has arrived, but was crammed into (not folded) a 7 1/2 x 5 x 14 1/2 box. The result was a sharp crease at the top front left of the hat that I thought at first was a break, and a slightly lighter one on the right front. Other than that it would have been ready to wear with a simple re-shape of the brim.

Question - can I work on these areas with steam?

Above might be a moot point, as the intended recipient is doubtful she'd wear that style...she really looks fantastic in a floppy Panama I picked up for her earlier this Summer.

 

[Aureliano]

I had the same issue with one of my motecristis I used steam and--the crease was in the brim--I ironed it with a cloth between the iron and the hat. It took several times before it went away.

 

[rlk]

The above hat has arrived, but was crammed into (not folded) a 7 1/2 x 5 x 14 1/2 box. The result was a sharp crease at the top front left of the hat that I thought at first was a break, and a slightly lighter one on the right front. Other than that it would have been ready to wear with a simple re-shape of the brim.

Question - can I work on these areas with steam?

Above might be a moot point, as the intended recipient is doubtful she'd wear that style...she really looks fantastic in a floppy Panama I picked up for her earlier this Summer.

Plain water works with straw but it is hard to get it to dry smoothly without something to press it. The hat could always be reblocked into a fedora or plantation style as well. A cigar or pencil roll on the brim could take up some of the size. Even a homburg.

 

[ScottF]

Plain water works with straw but it is hard to get it to dry smoothly without something to press it. The hat could always be reblocked into a fedora or plantation style as well. A cigar or pencil roll on the brim could take up some of the size. Even a homburg.

Thanks guys. Well, I must confess that when Optimo called for my decision on the other Montecristi, I opted for the fedora style. So given my gf is passing on this one, I'll probably send it to them for a look. I liked my other one, and this one is even nicer - I can see what looks like the vestiges of a ring around the brim, near the crown, which makes me think it was originally a bigger hat, re-sized to make it smaller. Might be very easily re-sized up to 7 1/4 as an Optimo-style.

 

[daizawaguy]

Cuenca at a festival in Japan

 

[Roninjedi]

Woohoo! My first real Panama.

It's finally here! I picked up a Diamante on the Bay from Panama Bob. It was waiting when I got home from work. It's kind of a coarse weave, not ultramegafinosupremo but who cares! It's my first Panama hat.

I picked up a size 62, since my head is actually about 61.5. It fits kind of loosely, but if I don't like it after a few days, I can always add a bit of paper towel under the sweatband. The brim was a bit wavy out of the box, so I took advantage of a tip I learned on the FL and ironed it flat with some damp cloth in between the brim and my iron. Now I wish the back was snapped up a little bit more, but I can adjust that little by little later on. It's on my head as I type. Without further ado, the pics.

Inside:

Profile:

Front:

On my 7 3/4 long-oval noggin:

Almost ready to go on assignment to South America for "The Company" (except for that whole training, skills, and fluency with Spanish thing.)

It's raining down here in Central TX today so I actually wish my Akubra was here already. The sun will be out soon enough, though, and then I'll be rockin' my new Panama around the town.

Sorry to be so silly in my enthusiasm about this hat. I've just been waiting eagerly for the first of my hat purchases. Are there any special tips I should observe for the long-term care of, even an average quality Panama, or should I just relax?

 

[billysmom]

Roninjedi -

That Panama looks wonderful on you!!!!!

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[duggap]

Roninjedi, the less finely woven hats are desirable. I have two that are fairly finely woven and the problem is it is like putting a piece of plastic wrap on my head. So when I am going to be outside for a long period, I wear my less finely woven hats as they tend to let a little more air inside. Your hat looks good but I bet you start saving up for one of those finer woven models.

 

[Aerol]

Lookin' good!

Just remember, the best hat block is your own head. The more you wear it the better it will fit.

 

[WineGuy]

You look great wearing it Roninjedi. If you want it to snap up on the back a little then just shoot it with a few puffs of steam from a steam iron and flange it by forming a letter "C" with your thumb and pointer finger and roll the brim through it back and forth a few time. You'll understand better what I'm describing as you do it.