Straw Dress Hats Evolution

Miller Hats Milan Straw hats

Since the 1950 season the Miller Hats Milan has grown to popularity second only to the Panama, parallel to Milan promotion in the expensive brands. The Milan is favored primarily for its fine appearance combined with its being one of the more durable types of straws. The appearance of a Milan is distinguished by the smart pattern formed by its braid, by the pleasing, natural luster of its surface, and by the rich color tones achieved through modern bleaching and dyeing methods.

The quality and appearance of a Milan depends in the first place on the fineness and uniformity of the fiber and on the resulting width of the braid as measured in millimeters, a millimeter being approximately .04 inch. The fineness and style effect are further determined by the skill with which the braid is sewn to form the hat in the American Factory.

The Milan originally was hand-braided of wheat straw. Although Milan braid originated in Italy Chinese duplicated it, and subsequently, due to the Government embargo on China imports, we have turned to Japan where remarkably fine Milan braids are produced using a hemp fiber.

By the 1956 season, the Milan demand had become so great as to force introduction of new braiding techniques which provide the ventilation and lighter weight features required to fully satisfy the comfort-minded public.

Miller Hats Coconut Straw hats

Coconut Straw hats are braid hats with a distinctive style effect achieved by the boldness of the braids, which makes them appropriate for casual and sport clothes as well as for dressier outfits.

Additional to the variety of style effects, which can be achieved in plaiting the braids, the manner of forming can be varied to provide crown ventilation as desired by the trade.

Miller Hats Raffia Straw hats

For “Fun-in-the-Sun” the Raffia Sport hats are tops! Casually smart, crushable and extremely light in weight, (only two ounces), the Raffia is the ultimate in “knock-about” playtime straws.

The Raffia Straw hats featured in the Miller Hats line are entirely hand-made, they have a more appealing sporty appearance than if they had been factory made with the processes used for dress straws.

To make these hats with the desired qualities of softness, flexibility, lightness, and durability, the weavers import the Raffia fiber from the island of Madagascar.

Miller Hats Yacht Straw hats

These are the hats designated as “hard” or “stiff” straws and also referred to as “skimmers” (slang), “sailors” or “boaters”. These nautical terns have an historical background, which explains them. In 1779 Admiral Nelson introduces a flattop, curled-brim stiff straw for his British navy men and it was later adapted to the uniform of the young American navy. The straw braid used was named “Sennit” after a fancy braid the tars were required to do as part of the knotting and splicing skill. English weavers first made sennit braid for hats and the technique was later adapted by oriental hat braid weavers.

The sennit sailor straw was first popularized for civilians by fashionable society folk watching the rowing regattas on the English rivers and it became the accepted hat for young gentlemen taking their lasses out boating. From yachting to street-wear, the appeal of the flat brimmed sailor as a crisply smart dress hat continued through the years with details of styling changing with fashion.