Rules for wearing a straw hat

plain old dave · Mar 29, 2007

I had always understood the 'rule' to be straw after Easter, felt after 1st Frost...

Warlock · Apr 24, 2007

The day the heat forces me into a straw is a day I regret.

scotrace · Sep 11, 2007

Just about time to box the straws and brush the felts. September 15, felt hat day.

TaxMan1 · Sep 11, 2007

Not in Florida.........

duggap · Sep 11, 2007

Scot, I just got to break the rules. Here in Tennessee we are having a heat wave still, and a drought. My felts, even my Art tropic aire is too hot. I vote we, the remaining hat wearers, remake the rules. So, if that be the case, when does the majority say we should quit wearing straw.[huh]

plain old dave · Sep 11, 2007

My vote is for returning to felt at the 1st frost in your area, whenever that might happen to be.

funneman · Sep 11, 2007

They're not rules, they're more like....guidelines.

My old radio partner ran up to me at a formal wedding back in the nineties to tell me I had seriously broken a fashion rule. I was wearing a black tuxedo and the sun was still out. He had a good laugh at my expense as he stood in front of me in a beige unlined linen suit and t-shirt ala Miami Vice and white sneakers.lol

johnnycanuck · Sep 11, 2007

first frost? That was ages ago...... I keep checking the weather. No rain and it gets to over 20 degrees, its a straw day. But I think they may get put away soon. Winter is in the air.
Johnny

ThinkandDrive · Sep 11, 2007

And here I just bought my first hat. . . not just straw, but my first fedora.

$20 straw at Jos. A Bank. It was a price I just couldn't pass up, for my first.

I know it's not a classic, but as a bald man, I need all the coverage I can get.

So, I only have until the end of the week to wear it? haha.

Time to start looking at felts.

HamletJSD · Sep 11, 2007

TaxMan1 said:
Not in Florida.........

You're right about that one ... any time the sun is shining you pretty much need to have the Panama at arms reach ... and I mean year round.

Fortunately, the evenings do get a bit cooler starting soon and if you go out after 5 or 6 in the evening you can wear any felt you like

J.T.Marcus · Sep 11, 2007

Wear what you want, when you want, and don't criticize anybody else. That's my philosophy!

Dutch McCoy · Sep 11, 2007

I just purchesed my first straw hat, a lovely porkpie, and I plan to wear it until it becomes frozen to my head. Then I will move to my felts.

funneman · Sep 11, 2007

ThinkandDrive said:
And here I just bought my first hat. . . not just straw, but my first fedora.

$20 straw at Jos. A Bank. It was a price I just couldn't pass up, for my first.

Hey ThinkandDrive I'd like to see a picture of that straw. Could you post one please?

duggap · Sep 11, 2007

Hey JT, since we are making up new rules, I suggest yours should be rule number one.:eusa_clap

scotrace · Apr 2, 2008

Straw Hat Day Approacheth....

dhermann1 · Apr 2, 2008

We had a day of very mild weather here in NYC the day before yesterday, and I walked down Montague Street sporting my new Panama. The wind nearly lifted it into New York Harbor, but my hand got up in time to keep it on my head. The hat felt just really nice on my skull. I think the rule of thumb should be comfort. If a straw feels more comfortable, then go with it.

univibe88 · Apr 3, 2008

scotrace said:
I've got a new Panama that has been waiting for a good, sunny, warm day.

That makes two of us!

Tango Yankee · Apr 3, 2008

scotrace said:
Straw Hat Day Approacheth....

Boy, and I hardly got to wear any of my felt hats this year!

Not working, I didn't leave the house very often and when I did I was dressed rather informally. I tended to wear the same hats that were handy; didn't get out a selection. Perhaps next year...

But now, which straws to wear when I do go out? Darned good question!

Cheers,
Tom

HamletJSD · Apr 3, 2008

akaBruno said:
Sweating whether you like it or not... cools the body. The head does seem to retain body temps though.

lol

You sound like a buddy of mine from Orlando who would, in the middle of hard work in a hot summer, always want to drink hot coffee. His excuse? "Sweating cools the body." We tried to explain to him that his logic was backward. Intentionally raising your body temp to promote sweating is rather like opening up your windows on a hot day because the heat coming in your house will cause your air conditioner to turn on ...

Not to say your logic is wrong, though. I, too, will use this same excuse if it means I get to wear the hat I really want to wear despite the heat

FATS88 · Aug 29, 2008

Andykev said:
It was "tradition" for the switch from felts to straw and vice versa to be as Dr. Strange stated:

"Back when the summer season wasn't bounded by Memorial Day and Labor Day, the old standard "Straw Hat Day" was May 15 (and correspondingly, September 15 for putting away straws).

But honestly, I would go by temperature!

This thread could have ended right then:eusa_doh:

It is like brown vs. black shoes with what color suit. If you have ever been out on a sunny day with your felt, and wished you had your straw instead, then you know when it is the right time to "switch". And damn the "fashion police".

Here is the SF Bay Area, in the summer we get our natural air conditioning, the FOG. You get up in the morning and it is cold, and you better have a jacket. By lunch, or if you move farther inland from the bay, to Walnut Creek or the Diablo area, you better have your straw.

You can ruin a felt hat by wearing it on a hot hot summer day, and sweating it to death. And get heat stroke at the same time.

I have even put a hat box in my trunk, and switch hats. Felt in the morning, and then swap with the straw in the trunk for the afternoon, and then back again when the fog rolls in during the evening. Our temp's can go to the 60's in the morning, 90-100 in the day, and drop (thankfully) to the 60-70 range again in the evenings.

That's for sure, about the weather here, early spring, or early autumn,
I have to pick out two sets of clothes that I might be able feel comfortable
wearing all day at church, and fellowship afterwards.
I was only able to wear straw two or three Saturdays last year,
and this year; I'm tired of wearing straw.
I've decided this year to keep my wool newsboys close by,
and I did opt wear one a few weeks back, when it drizzled all
day, and it was my turn to "stand guard" in front.

And one Sabbath a "pea souper" of a day I...gulp, went hatless

I didn't want my optimo to get damp, and warp.
I would like to know more about the "a gentleman never wears straw
within the city environs" decree,
only because; when I've been blessed to be able to travel out of the country;
the last thing I ever want to look like is; a person who just does not
care about dress codes or convention, aka "THE UGLY AMERICAN"
Lastly, it would seem to me that many of the heirs of the classist who
thought up some of these edicts, no longer wear hats at all

CHEERS!
Fats

I love our natural air conditioner,
it's one of the very few things left here
that hasn't been messed up,
but not for trying.

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