Crafted in the homes of Ecuadorian Master Hatmakers, it will last a lifetime if cared for properly. Much like a linen suit, or fine Italian shoes they are made to be worn and will age elegantly producing a patina that tells the story of the places you have been. Continue reading

If a hat is woven by hand in Ecuador, using the Toquilla palm then it is a Panama hat. There are many copies and imitations but it helps to know how to tell the difference. Continue reading

In our post-industrial age, everything is made quickly and cheaply using machines. Craftsmanship has become a valuable and rare commodity. The Panama hat is the embodiment of an ancient craft that has exited for thousands of years, unchanged and unsurpassed. Like hand made shoes, or a fitted suit, they are one of the very few things you can own, that is made entirely by hand.

Read about the Art of Wearing a Hat

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For thousands of years, hats have been the most important & powerful clothing that you can wear. Crowning the top of your head, they are clearly seen even from a distance. There was once a sophisticated visual language that everyone understood, and used to communicate who they are - through hats. Come with me and learn the art. Continue reading

When you first start on your Panama hat journey, it can be confusing. Certain shaped hats, will suit different shaped heads and bodies. This article will help you to navigate elegantly through the choices, and become an expert. Continue reading

Finding the right hat can be daunting, so we invite you to join us for an online hat fitting. We will answer all your questions, work out what will look best on you and make the whole process very easy. Continue reading

Every day people come into my store wanting to buy a hat, but believing that hats don't suit them. It is like saying that shoes don't suit you. The truth is they carry hat trauma.

Sometime in their life someone told them they looked stupid, or that hats don't suit them. Often it happened when they were children, and they cannot remember it. Maybe it was your Mum forcing you to wear something ridiculous at the beach, or maybe it was a teenage foray into the hat world. 

An older man come in the other day having never worn a hat. I asked him about any possible trauma, and he remembered that whenever his Dad wore a hat his Mum would belittle him for looking stupid. That ancestral trauma, has stayed around his whole life. It didn't start with him, but he carries it.

 

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