Straw hats usually give the impression of being light and functional. They tend to be seen as casual, but there is a growing range of elegant designs suitable for dressier occasions.
Straw hats, broadly defined, include those made of materials other than wheat straw, such as sisal. The parts called crowns, which cover the head, may be round or have sharp shapes like felt hats. Straw hats have excellent ventilation and thus are unlikely to make users feel hot and humid. There are also "straw-hat-like" products made of synthetic fabrics, such as polyester, that help the hats retain their shapes.
Kosuke Kuniyuki, 36, a buyer of men's goods for Matsuzakaya Ueno department store, said, "Putting them on, you can enjoy their relaxing mood."
Hats with round crowns and wide brims give casual impressions. Those with felt-like crowns and narrow brims give formal impressions. Those with broad hat bands, about four centimeters wide, tend to look formal, and those with narrow bands tend to look casual.
"Black, white and gray ones are easy to match various outfits," Kuniyuki said. Hats dyed in two or three colors and ones with houndstooth check and other patterns are good to enjoy in combination with casual wear.
White straw hats shaped like Tyrolean hats, which have felt-type crowns with brims that curve up at the back are easily combined with formal styles. "Wear that type pulled down a little so that your forehead is hidden," Kuniyuki suggested. Hats with high crowns and wide brims are also good with casual wear.
Of course you'll want to choose one in the proper size. A basic guideline is that you don't feel tightness when you wear the hat. You'll also want a hat that goes well with the shape of your face. People with round faces should raise the front part of the hat to accentuate the vertical length of their face. For those with narrow faces, hats with low crowns and wide brims are recommended. Check these points in a mirror when trying hats on.
"The current trend is straw hats with relatively higher crowns, which are more than 10 centimeters tall. They have an impression of being sharp and the whole silhouette looks straightened up," Kuniyuki said.
Recently, replaceable hat bands that let wearers enjoy varieties of fashion are also available. Products called "set up ribbons" made of cotton or hemp contain rubber bands for elasticity. The hat bands come in a wide variety of designs, including solid colors, stripes and botanical patterns.
"Some people buy many different types of hat bands at once. If other parts of the coordination are simple, it's recommended to use the colors and patterns of hat bands as accents," Kuniyuki said.
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