The Indianapolis journal. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1867-1904, 1902-06-01
This Summer They Are the Distinctive
Badge of the Man That Has and
Spends Money.
ALL WORKED OUT BY HAND
PURITY OF COLOR AND FINENEss OF
WEAVE DECIDE PRICE.
sultan Of Turkey Has Some That Are
Worth over $500 Apiece Usual
Value Is About $50.


dress that the poor man can neither have
nor initiate and it is the first time that
such a thing has occurred in years. 1t is a
straw hat something that has been looked
upon as the cheapest and most insignificant
part of mans attire. Many a man has
ilabitually lain low all winter and dressed
in styles very much out OF date. but as
soon as the sun has begun to throw down
its sultry rays has emerged in a strictly
up-to-date straw hat which could not be
told from the one worn by a railroad presi-
dent or a multi-millionaire and at the most
did not cost more than s. But these days
are over, because the Panama hat has
taken the place Of the common straw. and
the genuine is too expensive to buy and to
initiate it is almost impossible. There are
some limitations. but they are so poor that
the man who intends buying one generally
lays 1t aside with disgust and purchases an
automobile cap instead
The Panama hat was worn some here
last summer. but not enough to be notice.
able. 1t took this hat a long time TO get a
hold in this city. When the dealers said
that these hats would be the coming style.
and that the cheapest would be $40. while
there would be limit as TO how high the
"
who are exclusive dressers. began to laugh
Up their sleeves and the young man who
goes in society began staying home at
night to save the necessary coin: down
deep in his heart, however. he hoped that
the dealers were wrong. but they were not,
and it happened just as they had predicted.
The fashionable men. one after another,
came out in Panama hats of all sizes and
-,
ungainly the hat the more stylish it is.
The dealers assert that those who intend
buying Panama hats should do so at once,
the stock in all the stores is fast de-
creasing, and when this is gone there will
be no more until next year. The Eastern
firms are now Offering 30 per cent more to
manufacturers than they did in the spring.
because in many cases they have exhausted
their stock. These hats are only made UP
they are ordered the year before, and
as the demand has greatly exceeded all
expectations the market is running low
One dealer in this city ordered his stock
last July. and then went to New York in
February TO see that IL had arrived all
right. He had all OF his hats shipped but
four dozen, and these he left, but when ne
ordered his last shipment he found that
a
he had previously got. The way the deal
ers say the manufacturers in the East are
doing is to shift the hats and let the West
have the poorer grades, no matter what the
merchants have ordered. The men OF In
dianapolis do not go in for exceptionally
high-priced hats. their limit being about
$50. and there are more Of this grade sold
here than any other. Panamas are cheaper
in this city than in either New York or
Chicago. The hat that in New York costs
$50 10 $50 sells here at so or So. The ad-
vantage Of these hats. the dealers claim, is
that they will last for years. and as the
styles change can be blocked over.
1t seems that If some concern would be-
gin selling Panama hats on the plan of 81
down and 80 cents a week II would make
money, for as il is now man OF moder-
ate means who buys OF these hats has
TO do without his new summer suit And il
is in the expensiveness Of these hats that
the women revel. In the past it has al
ways been that husband could jeer at
his wife for the prices she paid for her
hats, but now he can't say a word for she
tells him that she never in her life paid
$50 or $50 for as unsightly a thing as he
did. In the eyes Of a woman there is moth
ing beautiful in the Panama hat. for she
generally compares il TO a haystack or
basket. She also asserts that If she did pay
enormous prices for her headgear she got
her moneys worth in trimming. and that
is more than her husband did.
The vogue of the Panama hats in this
country is due. no doubt. TO so many
Americans having Travelled extensively
through the Southern and Eastern coun-
tries in the last few years. particularly
since the Spanish-Amerlcan war, where
they became acquainted with the way the
natives Of those tropical places dress in
order to be comfortable during the heated
months. They found also that the hats
they wore were the most serviceable, be-
cause Of the lightness and breadth OF brim.
and through this medium the hats were in
troduced into this country. All through the
Argentine Republic the natives never wear
any other headgear. The ones, however.
that they wear are not quite so shapely as
those seen in this city. They are more on
the order Of one which was received by a
local dealer and sold 10 a well-known man.
who has before manifested many pecuIiari-
ties in his dress. 1t is said that the hat he
bought cost $50 It has crown that runs
almost 10 a decided point; similar to a
clown hat. The brim IS very broad and
turns UP close 10 the crown in the back
and in the front is pulled down over the
face. The hat has no band on II. and in
every way has an uncompleted appearances.
WHY PRICES ARE HIGH.
Persons who are not interested in the
subject OF Panama hats think that the
prices. which seem unreasonable. are exag-
gerated because the manufa cturers and
dealers are taking advantage Of their pop
ularity. Those who happen 10 be interested
in the subject enough 10 purchase hat
generally don't care why the prices are so
high, but. in a matter-of-fact way. lay
down the $40 or $50 without a murmur One
of the characteristic ways a man has OF
buying a Panama hat is 10 walk into a
store and say 10 the clerk. Il want so
hat" and without looking al any other
grade 20 take the one that suits him best
for the money. he had made up his mind
as to the price he was going 10 pay when
he came in. The prices at which these hats
are held will not seem excessive when II is
con sfdered that every BIT OF the weaving