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Post by brokennock on May 3, 2019 0:42:31 GMT -7
What have we for documentation of men wearing straw hats in the 1750s to 1780s time period? Do we have evidence of straw, or palm, hats shaped like the felt hats we are come to expect? Straw "round hat" with low crown and flat round brim? Straw Tricorner?
I'd think these more comfortable in summer, and one does not go out of doors without one's cover on their head.
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Post by spence on May 3, 2019 8:48:49 GMT -7
They were there. Three examples, two boys and a girl...
The Pennsylvania Gazette
January 5, 1769
ABSCONDED from her master last night, an English servant Girl, named JANE GREENWOOD, but calls herself ANN SMITH; she is supposed to be about the barracks. The following description she may be known by, viz. she is a short dirty girl, much marked with the small pox, and squints, has a mark between her eyes like a burn, and for her ugliness I challenge town and country; she had on when she went away, a linsey woolsey jacket and petticoat, straw hat , mens shoes, and took with her two gowns, two shifts, stockings, &c. &c. Whoever takes up and brings home the said girl to the subscriber, BENJAMIN RANDOLPH, Cabinet maker in Chestnut street, shall have their labour for their pains.
THE VIRGINIA GAZETTE 3
April 18, 1777
NORTHUMBERLAND, March 21, 1777.
RUN away from the subscriber.... He had on a brown broadcloth coat patched under the arms, with a reddish coloured velvet collar to it and slash cuffs, a purple broadcloth waistcoat, with gold basket buttons, a pair of spotted velvet breeches, white yarn stockings, and a pair of silk and worsted do, new shoes, and a straw hat fitted in with blue and white wool, which hides the straw.
The Pennsylvania Packet
August 25, 1778
He is supposed to have gone off with one William Sutliff, lately a soldier in the British service, who wears a red coat without facings, straw hat lined with black snakes skin, and a band round it of the same.
Spence
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Post by brokennock on May 3, 2019 17:33:57 GMT -7
Hmm,interesting.
I wonder if that's the earliest reference to a snakeskin hat band.
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Post by brokennock on Apr 15, 2023 6:45:04 GMT -7
Sorry to resurrect such an old topic thread, the sudden change from cold winter temps to summer temps has me thinking about this again. (Two Thursday mornings ago, the delivery van was crusted in ice when I went to pick it up in the morning, the next Thursday was cold but without ice, this past Thursday was 90°)
Do we have any paintings or drawings in which the men's hats appear to be straw/palm? I'd like to get an idea of shape and structure. I'd like to try to find something cooler that doesn't look like a woman's straw sun hat.
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Apr 15, 2023 7:57:30 GMT -7
I haven’t been able to find anything on straws as of yet. I think Tidings makes mention without documentation. What I do have is note of white hats… but not until 1770s in the Middle Colonies and New England.
The best I’ve found for warm weather is the linen cap. I have mentions as early as 1732 of Virginia gentlemen wearing linen caps due to the heat.
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Post by spence on Apr 15, 2023 9:47:36 GMT -7
I have nothing that early. This description would seem to fit your idea, but it's from much later...Philip Henry Gosse, in Alabama, 1838:
"A Panama hat made of the leaves of the palmetto, split fine, low in the crown, and very broad in the flap;"
Spence
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RyanAK
City-dweller
Once scalped…
Posts: 973
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Post by RyanAK on Apr 15, 2023 13:21:32 GMT -7
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Post by artificer on Apr 15, 2023 14:48:00 GMT -7
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Post by brokennock on Apr 15, 2023 18:05:00 GMT -7
Excellent links Gus. Thank you. |
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Post by brokennock on Apr 15, 2023 18:06:52 GMT -7
I have nothing that early. This description would seem to fit your idea, but it's from much later...Philip Henry Gosse, in Alabama, 1838: "A Panama hat made of the leaves of the palmetto, split fine, low in the crown, and very broad in the flap;" Spence Well, it is something to think about... I like the "low in the crown part," part. Not so sure about the, "very broad in the flap," part though, lol. |
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Post by brokennock on Apr 15, 2023 18:18:42 GMT -7
I haven’t been able to find anything on straws as of yet. I think Tidings makes mention without documentation. What I do have is note of white hats… but not until 1770s in the Middle Colonies and New England. The best I’ve found for warm weather is the linen cap. I have mentions as early as 1732 of Virginia gentlemen wearing linen caps due to the heat. I've considered the linen cap. But, honestly, if I were to forgo a brim to shade my eyes I would just stick with my silk or cotton head scarf. I usually wear one under my hat anyway to keep the hat a little cleaner and so that if I take the hat off my bald head doesn't act as a reflective beacon (it is incredible how much skin stands out in the woods). Unless it is really cold out, the primary purpose of a hat, for me personally, instead of just a cravat/bandana/head scarf/linen cap os the brim to shade my eyes and keep weather off my glasses and from down the back of my collar. By shading my eyes I can see better and hope to reduce the reflection/glare off of my glasses. While still in Boy Scouts our troop was looking into changing uniform hats. Choices were; ball caps, berets, those flat "officer's" cloth hats (not sure what they are really called, think WWII officers), or campaign hats. The officer's hat had the advantage of tucking in a belt or pocket when entering the mess hall, but, it and the beret are otherwise useless other than for looks. I pushed hard for the campaign hat. I didn't win that one,,, but I have my grandfather's from when he was my dad's troop leader. |
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Post by artificer on Apr 16, 2023 11:04:21 GMT -7
I have nothing that early. This description would seem to fit your idea, but it's from much later...Philip Henry Gosse, in Alabama, 1838: "A Panama hat made of the leaves of the palmetto, split fine, low in the crown, and very broad in the flap;" Spence Well, it is something to think about... I like the "low in the crown part," part. Not so sure about the, "very broad in the flap," part though, lol.I may be going out on a limb here and I realize it, but here goes. The "Rifleman's Cap/Hat" is well documented in our period and we have discussed one original in other threads. We have to remember that it most likely began as a hat or blank with a larger brim, and the original owner cut it down to his liking. As long as you begin with a period correct blank, who is to say how far you can cut the brim so the hat suit's you and still keeps the sun and rain off the back of your head/neck? Gus |
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Post by Black Hand on Apr 16, 2023 13:37:23 GMT -7
While still in Boy Scouts our troop was looking into changing uniform hats. Choices were; ball caps, berets, those flat "officer's" cloth hats (not sure what they are really called, think WWII officers), or campaign hats. The officer's hat had the advantage of tucking in a belt or pocket when entering the mess hall, but, it and the beret are otherwise useless other than for looks. I pushed hard for the campaign hat. I didn't win that one,,, but I have my grandfather's from when he was my dad's troop leader. As part of the Council Training Staff years ago, we were required to wear the Campaign Hat - can't honestly say I was fond of the thing (later trainings went with ball caps for all). As a general rule, I dislike hats and only wear one when absolutely necessary. Even so, when hunting, the ball cap is worn backwards most of the time because the brim interferes with my field of vision (I only wear my contact when hunting). |
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Post by brokennock on Apr 16, 2023 13:59:10 GMT -7
Well, it is something to think about... I like the "low in the crown part," part. Not so sure about the, "very broad in the flap," part though, lol.I may be going out on a limb here and I realize it, but here goes. The "Rifleman's Cap/Hat" is well documented in our period and we have discussed one original in other threads. We have to remember that it most likely began as a hat or blank with a larger brim, and the original owner cut it down to his liking. As long as you begin with a period correct blank, who is to say how far you can cut the brim so the hat suit's you and still keeps the sun and rain off the back of your head/neck? Gus Can a straw hat's brim be cut without it unraveling? |
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Post by Black Hand on Apr 16, 2023 16:06:09 GMT -7
I suspect not. You could bind the edge after cutting....
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