Men in Hats

Summer time is here, unfortunately, and the weather has gotten hot. What is the man man of style to do to find relief from the oppression that unrelenting sunshine presents to one without wearing a pith helmet?
The answer is: The Boater. Among the uninitiated the hat is called a "straw hat" (too broad a term) or a "skimmer" (a slightly different hat -- skimmers are worn by students at Eton).
Unfortunately, the boater has taken a beating from popular culture. It has become a vaudeville staple for hoofers, an institution (in its foam plastic incarnation -- a truly blasphemous creation on the level with the plastic green derby worn by drunks on St. Patrick's Day) at political conventions and pizza parlors, and a joke when the crown is punched out by a comedian.
But the boater is a serious and useful item of headgear for the man. It's lightweight, offers shade, and looks good when worn properly. When worn level and square the hat says that is a serious man not to be taken lightly, as in the photo above of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. When worn with a sideways tilt the wearer comes across as a bit of a rake or a joker. When worn tilted back one appears either young or as a sailor (the boater was based on the canvas and tar hats that sailors wore in the 1800's).
The boater is one of the few men's hats that women can wear and not look ridiculous. But a woman wearing a boater can only look not silly if she is either wearing a middie blouse and long skirt or a striped pullover and sailor pants. Preferably the ribbon on the hat should be long and drape over the back of the hat. Hot pants, Levis and mini-skirts never look good with a boater.
So, if you are suffering from the oppression of summer weather, consider buying yourself a boater. It's a great hat and works well.