Welcome to the
DelMonico Hatter August newsletter.
The above picture of a market woman in a straw hat was painted all the way back in 1657, by Dutch painter Pieter Aertsen.
And last but not least, we just received a shipment of
brand new 2014/15 fur felt fedora styles from
Stetson!
So, we've launched an End-Of-Summer sale: From now until Sunday, August 24th, get 15% OFF your next order! Use Coupon Code: RENAISSANCE at checkout.*
Below, you'll also see that we're featuring the highest-quality
Montecristi Straw Hat we sell - a true work of art in itself, offered at 30% off for a limited time. But, that's not the only straw hat that has gotten the status of "work of art", so we decided to showcase some Straw Hat History found in the beautiful art of the Renaissance period. Enjoy!
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Detail of an illustrated manuscript from around 1500 A.D.
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Straw Hats in History: The Renaissance
The Renaissance was a period lasting from roughly the 14th to the 17th century, when Europe began to advance forward culturally and scientifically from the Medieval era. Some of the artwork from this time offers a great glimpse into the straw hats of the past.
To the right is a detail from an illustrated religious manuscript, called a "Book of Hours." This was a book that listed out the various hymns and prayers used at different hours of the day. A calendar of each month's religious feasts was also included, often illustrated by the kind of work done during that month. The illustration here is for June, and the labor of the month was "making hay".
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17th Century Straw Hat,
with Ostrich Plume
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Hat styles and trends advanced with the centuries, of course, just as they do today. By the 1600's, new straw hat decorations, new shapes and even new colors had appeared. An example is the the painting to the right, done by Belgian artist Jacob Jordaens in 1640. It is a picture of the artist's daughter, Elizabeth. The straw hat she is wearing is decorated with an ostrich plume and a sprig of honeysuckle, and in some ways it looks quite similar to certain styles of women's straw hats worn today.
Overall, straw hats have been used throughout history for both fashion and utilitarian purposes, and the features people looked for in a good quality hat were probably similar back then, too: durability, excellent sun protection and a touch of class.
For a truly classy straw hat, however, it's nearly impossible to beat the
Montecristi Panama Fedora Hat.
The ultimate in straw hat evolution, this hat was hand woven by a skilled artisan over the course of a whole month. It is constructed of straw harvested directly from the jungles of Ecuador. The weave is incredibly fine, and the texture is almost cloth-like in its feel.
For a limited time, we're offering a historic sale price on this item: 30% Off! No coupon code necessary. This hat might not have been sculpted by Michelangelo, but you can sure bet he'd be wearing something this stylish, given half a chance!
Some other hats are shown below. The
RENAISSANCE coupon code above is not valid on this Montecristi, but you can certainly use it for 15% Off your next purchase of anything else in our Online Catalog.
So, go ahead, and find the hat that's been waiting for you!
