Remember When: Straw hat season is here. Get under a straw hat!

Joyce Harvey
·4 min read

Yes, this writer is old enough to remember receiving a “new” outfit to wear for Easter each year, even if it was a “hand-me-down.” The outfits for girls and women always included a new “Easter bonnet.” No thought was ever given to when men wore hats or what kind they wore.

In recent years as countless hours have been spent looking through old newspapers, local “hat history” has been discovered. Local milliners’ shops and then department stores sold hats for women. After seeing the repetition of ads through the years, it finally “sunk in” that there was an official “Straw Hat Season” for men. Quite the advertising promotion. If men had to visit a men’s clothing store for a hat, they might see a shirt, tie or suit they also wanted to purchase.

Lancaster's Mayor Fred Von Stein is pictured above wearing his new straw hat that was presented to him by Tom Benua (left), owner of the Robert L. Benua Co. Photo appeared in the E-G on May 12, 1948.
Lancaster's Mayor Fred Von Stein is pictured above wearing his new straw hat that was presented to him by Tom Benua (left), owner of the Robert L. Benua Co. Photo appeared in the E-G on May 12, 1948.

Ads shamed men into needing a new hat. “Last season’s straw hats won’t do this season—the changes in shapes are very marked, and will make your old hat appear decidedly old fashioned. This isn’t a season of one shape or braid, but of many styles. ‘Cool headed’ men are those who wear straw hats. ‘Level-headed’ men will buy them here, where the choicest styles are shown. We are experts in fitting hats, and it requires an expert to do it well,” stated Highland & Fricker’s ad in the Daily Eagle (30 April 1915).

“May 15--That’s Today. Official Opening of the Straw Hat Season…We have the new high crowns for young men; and the usual conservative shapes for the man with quiet taste. There is a big variety of rough and smooth braids to select from this year; and you will find us with the best and most approved styles,” claimed the Mattox ad in the Daily Eagle (15 May1915).

The May 15th date “moved” with each year’s calendar. It appears it needed to be “scheduled” for a good shopping day. It was made official by the Chamber of Commerce or the Mayor. In 1931 it was Wednesday, May 13; 1936 it was Saturday, May 16; and 1941 it was Saturday, May 17.

The seven hats pictured appeared in E-G 16 May 1941. One hat was displayed in the window of seven stores. The first seven men who visited each store window, identified the hats correctly on an entry blank, and won a straw hat were: Roger D. Dubble, Ralph H. Hall, F. H. Mosure, G. H Wolfe, D. Ramsey, D. E. Chestnut, and H. H. Dunn.
The seven hats pictured appeared in E-G 16 May 1941. One hat was displayed in the window of seven stores. The first seven men who visited each store window, identified the hats correctly on an entry blank, and won a straw hat were: Roger D. Dubble, Ralph H. Hall, F. H. Mosure, G. H Wolfe, D. Ramsey, D. E. Chestnut, and H. H. Dunn.

“Authorities say the black cat jinx will be sure to get all male individuals who venture out tomorrow without a straw hat,” warned the Daily Eagle 12 May 1931. “In order to prepare for the rush, Lancaster clothiers have arranged a pleasing assortment of straw hats for every man in the city. They fit every face or if they don’t fit, they can be coaxed to fit. Panamas are the most kindly for this latter purpose, together with their first cousins, the milans and the leghorns. The sennit straw, flat of crown, medium wide as to brim, seems to be the pick of the collegiate, the man about town and the man who can afford two or three hats for the summer season.”

Just as important as it was for men to have a straw hat on their heads by the first “official” day of Straw Hat Season, the straw hat had to be replaced by a felt or silk hat by September 15. Stores began running ads in early August reminding men they needed to purchase their fall hats before Sept. 15. “Tomorrow is Sept. 15th…it will mark the close of the straw hat season and ring in the opening season on felt hats. It is suggested that you get under a new felt tomorrow morning,” warned the Daily Eagle (14 Sept. 1931).

This ad appeared in the Daily Eagle 15 Aug. 1919 to remind "straw-hatters" the end of straw hat season was near and fall hats needed to be purchased.
This ad appeared in the Daily Eagle 15 Aug. 1919 to remind "straw-hatters" the end of straw hat season was near and fall hats needed to be purchased.

A “unique exit for straw hat season” was planned in 1929 (Daily Eagle, 12 Sept.) by the Men’s Clothing Division of the Chamber of Commerce. Nine downtown businesses participated in a “scheme” to remove “used” straw hats from town. Each boy who could talk his father into giving him his old straw hat was to bring the hat to the corner of High and Chestnut Sts. on Saturday morning, Sept. 14 at 9 a.m. They formed a parade and marched through downtown to the site of a bonfire. Each boy who tossed a hat into the fire, received a free ticket to attend a movie at the Palace Theatre. It was reported 200 boys participated, and some carried banners reading “Good-bye Old Man Straw. Hello, Mr. Felt Hat.” Obviously, their fathers would need to buy a new straw hat for May 1930.

Readers may contact Harvey at joycelancastereg@gmail.com

This article originally appeared on Lancaster Eagle-Gazette: Remember When: Straw hat season is here. Get under a straw hat!