Panamanian uprising

A suitable replacement for my daily straw hat has been found.

It's a genuine "Panama" hat from Ecuador via the USA (woven and formed in Ecuador, trimmed and banded in the USofA), marketed by Pantropic of Northern California, and trimmed in Massachusetts.

The 3" brim is the perfect width. The just slightly open weave allows ventilation. The fedora pinched crown meets my fashion sense (not too tall), and the 3/4 inch black silk hatband looks less formal than the standard 1-1/4 inch variety fitted to Panamas.

Now to overcome my fear of wearing it out (by wearing it out).

Old soldiers never die, they just become yardwork hats.

A suitable replacement hat has been found (soon to be unveiled on these pages), and this old favorite will now be consigned to die an ugly death protecting my head when I do yard work.

Adios, mis amigo. Vaya con Dios.

Falling a 1/4 inch short.

Ultimately, it just didn't make the cut, falling about a 1/4 inch short. I tried, but the slightly insecure feeling of the forced-fitting on my inflated cranium led to failure.

But Pantropic makes nice hats. Quality straw, all natural materials in sweatband and headband, with an understated style on many levels. Maybe I'll find another Pantropic, one more suitable to a bloated skull.

Shades of things to comes?

A contender returns. This is the Pantropic Ecuadoran Panama that is sized L, but is just slightly too small. Also problematic is the lanyard (while functional, I dislike the look and bother). But it's a handsome hat.

I wore it today to Fredericksburg, where the temp hit 101°. It did a good job providing portable shade, and might bode well for the future.

P.S. Sam Bass was born, and died, on this date. He robbed the UP train.

Another reason I wear hats.

I wear hats because they make my shadow more interesting.

Sweet Rejection

I want it to work. Really I do. I like so much about it. The cloth headband, the darker straw. The vent holes. Alas. Brim too narrow, crown too tall.

It certainly works as a centerpiece, just not as a headpiece. But relief is on the way (?).

Road kill

As the search for a new straw hat winds down (a winner to be revealed soon... hopefully), I nonetheless keep my eyes open for other cancer-preventing head coverings. I spied this company-issue hat along the side of Farm-to-Market Road 1626 the other day. I washed it in the dishwasher twice. For novelty use only.

Black cotton brushed-twill ball cap, embroidered logo, manufactured by Cintas.

In college, I dined at Church's with great regularity. I'd buy a two-piece snack-box with a wing, a drumstick, a yeast roll, and a jalapeño for $1.19. At that time, Church's was a San Antonio-based company, and their fried chicken was the best chain-chicken on the market. They over-expanded, and fell into the hands of their major competitor, Popeye's Chicken out of Louisiana. Swamp-death to the brand, as Popeye's made Church's the "lowest priced" fried chicken place... with low-price quality.