Straw Hat Day is celebrated annually on May 15 to honour this timeless accessory. It is worn by men and women in a variety of designs. Straw hats, from conical to Panama, have withstood the test of time, serving not only as solar protection but also as a fashion statement. Today is the day to commemorate this practical yet fashionable hat. Do you possess one? If the answer is no, today is the day to acquire one and proceed with your day in elegance.
The background of Straw Hat Day
Uncertain is the origin of Straw Hat Day. The movement began in New Orleans in the late 1910s. The day signifies the start of summer, with individuals replacing their winter hats with spring/summer ones. Straw Hat Day was celebrated on the second Saturday of May at the University of Pennsylvania, where it was the primary spring festivity for undergraduates and a baseball game. The day was so universally accepted in Philadelphia that no one dared wear a straw hat before a baseball game on that day.
A straw hat, which is a brimmed cap woven from straw or straw-like materials, is not only worn for protection but also as a fashion statement and even as a symbol. Furthermore, it has existed since the Middle Ages. In Lesotho, the local name for the straw hat is’mokorotlo’, and it is donned as part of the traditional Sotho attire. It is a national icon. Additionally, the’mokorotlo’ appears on their flag and licence plates. The Panama hat gained popularity in the United States after President Theodore Roosevelt wore one during a visit to the construction site of the Panama Canal.
Boaters, lifeguards, fedoras, and Panamas are popular types of straw headwear. A boater or straw boater is a warm-weather, semi-formal cap. It is the form of straw hat people wore around the time Straw Hat Day was first celebrated. The boater is constructed of rigid sennit straw, with a stiff flat brim and striped grosgrain ribbon around the crown. Numerous boys’ institutions in the United Kingdom, Australia, and South Africa include it in their school uniforms. Although typically worn by males, the boater is unisex. Thus, ladies, you can style it with your attire.
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STRAW HAT DAY ACTIVITIES
Don a straw cap.
For this occasion, a straw headwear is required. Choose from the boater, fedora, or Panama depending on your preference. Enjoy the day and set sail for the sun.
Inform others about the day
Take photographs of you wearing your preferred design of straw hat. Share them on social media to inform others of the current date.
Purchase a Straw
Hat Day is also for those without straw hats. Choose your preferred designs of straw hats and purchase one in order to participate in the celebration.
5 FACTS ABOUT STRAWN HATS THAT YOU MUST KNOW
In the 19th century, the headwear were hand-woven in Ecuador and then exported to Panama.
They constructed a large straw headdress with a circumference of 21 feet nine inches and a height of 8 feet six inches.
A brawl broke out in New York because some individuals continued to wear straw hats after summer ended.
At the beginning of the 20th century, she made the boater cap popular among women.
Prior to its adoption as attire in the 1860s, women and children wore boaters.
STRAW HAT DAY DATES
| Year | Date | Day |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | May 15 | Monday |
| 2024 | May 15 | Wednesday |
| 2025 | May 15 | Thursday |
| 2026 | May 15 | Friday |
| 2027 | May 15 | Saturday |