The Brunswick news. [volume] (Brunswick, Ga.) 1901-1903, 1902-06-05
The PANAMA Hat.

The panama hat, which enjoyed
much vogue last year, will from pres
ent indications enjoy greater popularity
this summer says the New York
-Times. AS the demand exceeded the
supply Of the best class OF these hats
last year. so much so that it was al
most impossible during even the middle
Of The season to secure one without
paying double the price asked when
they were first placed on the market,
dealers have ordered them in large
lots. and it is improbable that any one
desiring them viii be taxed the high
prices which were prevalent last year,
The panama may be the popular
hat Of this season, though, and on this
account many who wore them last year
are likely to forsake them. These per-
sons will adopt some other Kind Of
straw. but they are confined to small
number. They will, it is thought, IA
vor the wide brim hat with plain and
colored bands.
--vcordng to dealers, tie 1andiua .les
has come to stay. About two decades
ago IT enjoyed some vogue, but not TO
the extent Of last summer. The young
men OF twenty years ago ignored them
for the reason that they were not
blocked in a suitable shape. The wear
ers at that time were mostly middle
aged ana elderly men.
The panama for the young man
which will find much favor is the
''negligee" hat A good and seryicea-
BILE one may be obtained at a price
ranging from $40 to sos. 1t IS made Of
very piable straw and may be formed
/ by the wearer into any shape desirable
Though the demand for the panama,
! 1t is expected, will exceed that Of last
year, the supply will be greater and
! the price lower One concern with
number of stores IN NsAy York has
taken orders for nearly 5000 hats,
the customers paying from $40 to S25
During the month of January this firm
received orders for 1000 hats De
posts were paid, and In a short time
every available inch Of space ~ the
shops was taken up with the storage
Of these hats. Many Of the young men
also bought their hats on the install
ment plan, beginning In January and
paying a dollar or two each week.
Some panama hats can be had for as
high as $500. One Of the leading hat
ters in New York displayed a panama
hat in jar of water TO show that It
viii not discolor. The high priced hats
are made by natives Of Ecuador from
grass obtalnable in that country It
requires several months to braid these
hats. 1t can only be done properly
while the dew is falling. The work is
/ done with the straw under water, and
sometimes two women are engaged In
braiding It.
In one hat seen In a Broadway win
dow there are $500 yards Of straw 1t
required eighteen months to weave II,
and two women were working on 1t
during this time while the dEw was
falling. Panama hats arranged In diff
ferent shapes and decorated with sim.
/ pie trimming are also to be seen In
| millinery stores. Women win, It Is
expected, wear them IN large numbers
| this year.
The panama hat whom 1t reaches the
United States does not look like the
article it Is later found to be They
! arrive In bales containing hundreds
'nested'' together The duty is about
i SIS per cent which makes the price
/ high in comparison with what is paid
for the hats in the producing coun-
! tries
limitations of the real panama are
offered at lower prices They are
made of grass grown in the West In
/ dies They retail In New York at from
j 50 to 50.