The Breton is the Panama hat equivalent of the simple black dress. All occasion, always appropriate, casual or elegant.

Simple rounded crown. Narrow ribbon. Gently scooped brim. My most popular women’s style for nearly two decades.

Note: the brim on the hat in the photos is unusually wide. Photographer error. Yes, I am the photographer. I hate it when there’s no one to blame but myself.

You can get quite a lot of different looks from the same hat by varying how you wear the brim. Up all around, down all around, up in front down in back, down in front up in back, and so on. A short-brim Breton worn tilted back can have a very fun “school girl” look.

The brim in the style photos is about as wide as they come. Most women prefer a little less brim on the Breton, as in the photo of Astoria to the left.

If you’re looking for a really wide brim, be sure to look at the UltraWide and WideBrim in the Beach & Garden Hats page.

Hat in the style photos is size 71⁄8, crown about 4 inches, brim 4 inches, ribbon 1⁄2 inch black grosgrain.

Here is the (AC) version of the Breton. Exact same style. The only difference is the weave style of the crown.

The (AC) means Air Conditioned. Instead of having a solid weave like the hat above, the crown of this hat alternates open spaces and solid weave to create designs. The attractive geometric designs vary from one hat to another. Like snowflakes, no two are identical.

The open areas allow air to circulate freely in and out of the crown, thus allowing you to keep your cool while others about you are losing theirs. This would be the “inspiration” for dubbing them “Air Conditioned.”

Sharon in Knoxville asked me to make a Breton (AC) for her. She was kind enough to write, on beautiful stationery:

“When I opened the perfectly wrapped box, I actually gasped. The hat was lovelier than I pictured in my mind. Now that I have it, I wonder what you were thinking when I told you I wanted to wear it outside to work in the yard! There is NO WAY I would subject this work of art to yard work. It will spend its days showing off at garden parties, lawn weddings, bridge club games, political events and any other glamorous meetings I can conjure in my mind!”

That’s what Sharon does with her Breton (AC). What will you do with yours?

I should point out that’s not Sharon in the photo. That’s Deborah. Which one looks better in her Breton (AC)? Whichever one I’m talking to of course.

The hat in the style photos is size 67⁄8, crown about 4 inches, brim 33⁄4 inches, ribbon 1⁄2 inch black grosgrain.

Amazing isn’t it? I have actually watched the weavers’ fingers as they create these incredible lacy designs before my very eyes-and I still can’t believe it.

The all Lace Breton has geometric designs of open and solid weave in both the crown and the brim. It weighs exactly half of nothing.

A Spring or Summer hat, casual or dressy. Garden parties, backyard barbecues, White House meetings in the Rose Garden, afternoon tea on the veranda of the Moana Surfrider Hotel as the setting sun turns a green Diamond Head to gold.

Field reports suggest the Lace Breton is compatible with champagne flutes and wedding bells.

The ribbon on this one is a simple crisscross. If you prefer a bow, as shown on the other two Breton styles, just let me know.

The hat in the style photos is size 67⁄8, crown 4 inches, brim 33⁄4 inches, ribbon 1⁄2 inch black grosgrain.

A Derby. A Montecristi Derby. I just couldn’t resist. The hat in the photo is a personal hat.

I have a lot of shirts with old fashioned stand up collars. The Derby is very right with those shirts. Vertical stripes are nice. Maybe a vest. A silver-handled walking stick might be fun.

Another way to go with the Derby would be dressed-to-the-nines formal. If you attend the Kentucky Derby, wearing my Derby might be a good way to get on TV when they feature great hats. (Just for the record, I grew up in Kentucky and this is the hat I wore last Derby Day while mixing family recipe mint juleps. Served in Kentucky-made sterling julep cups, of course. Even here in Hawaii, I still celebrate the first Saturday in May as Spring’s High Holy Day.)

You could wear a Derby to a polo match. But not to the beach. Well, wait. I might be wrong. If it’s a nude beach, and you wear only the Derby, that could work.

Wear one around London in the summer and sooner or later someone will offer to buy it right off your head. Take several. Pay for the trip.

The hat in the photos is size 71⁄8, crown 43⁄4 inches, brim 21⁄8 inches after curl, 21⁄2 inches uncurled, $850.

This is the original Planter style, as immortalized atop Clark Gable in GWTW. His had a relatively tall crown, which is usually less flattering. Of course some people look good in anything. And a lot of them become movie stars. See movie clip

Charlton Heston wore a wider brim version with an almost flat crown top in his portrayal of a South American plantation owner in Naked Jungle. His wife (Eleanor Parker) looked even better in hers. Hers had an especially wide brim and fairly short crown styled like my Monte Carlo. See movie clip

The mass market version of this style, these days, is often called a Gambler. My Monte Carlo is blocked and styled by hand, so the brim edge gets a full curl (instead of just turning up). That’s the way they made them when there really were riverboat gamblers, and that’s the way I make my Monte Carlo now. No short cuts.

You can change the look of the style to suit your look by having me make your brim wider or shorter, and/or by making the curl diameter bigger or smaller. In the top photo the brim is about 31⁄8 inches with a slightly larger than regular curl. The same hat is shown in profile. The Monte Carlo in the second photo from the top has a wider brim and a regular curl. The same hat is shown in the bottom photo.

Brim width can vary from about 23⁄4 inches to 31⁄2 inches (after the curl). Curl diameter can vary from about 1⁄4 inch to about an inch, the default is about half an inch. Send me an email or call if you want help deciding.

The same classic style as the Monte Carlo above. The (AC) means “Air Conditioned.” Instead of having a solid weave like the hat above, the crown of this hat alternates open spaces and solid weave to create designs. The attractive geometric designs vary from one hat to another.

The open areas allow air to circulate freely in and out of the crown, so it is “Air Conditioned.” For extra shade, ask for a wider brim. The hat in the photos has a brim of about 31⁄2 inches. That should be plenty.

As with the solid weave Monte Carlo (above), brim width can vary from about 23⁄4 inches to 31⁄2 (after the curl). Curl diameter can vary from about 1⁄4 inch to about an inch, the default is about a half inch.

As you can see from the photos, even though they are the same style, the solid weave and the (AC) crowns create very different first impressions.

Almost all styles are available with either a regular or an (AC) crown. The Monte Carlo (AC) with a cloth inside band (instead of leather) might possibly be the world’s finest golf hat.

Also see The Golf of Panama in the Men’s section. Why did I call it that in the Men’s section but not the Women’s? Women usually can look at a style and figure out for themselves what to do with it. Men are more likely to need help.

This style was created for a client who lives on a tropical island off the coast of China. He didn’t say whether he has it all to himself. He did say the sun is strong.

He wanted a special style. After some discussion, we agreed on a Monte Carlo crown. After some experimentation, we agreed on a relatively short Aficionado brim. As soon as we saw the combination we knew it was a winner.

The moment I stepped back from the finished hat to take a look, I wanted to put it on and go watch thoroughbreds thunder down the home stretch at Keeneland on an Indian Summer afternoon perfumed by horses, bourbon, and burgoo. But that’s just me. Andy probably took it out of the box, put it on, and went to the beach.

I would not be at all surprised if his wife has realized by now that Andy’s Keeneland looks even better as Mrs. Andy’s Keeneland.

As with the Monte Carlo, a wider or narrower brim, a bigger or smaller curl, can make a big difference in the overall look of this style. My recommendation would be 25⁄8 to 3 inches with a small curl.

The hat in these photos is size 73⁄8, crown is 33⁄4 inches, brim is 3 inches curled, 31⁄4 inches before curl, $850.

Pierani sent me an email from Thailand to ask: “Did you see the movie The Lover, starring Jane March?”

She wanted me to make her a hat like the one Ms. March wore in the movie.

I own the movie, so I scanned through it to find scenes with the hat. Pierani also sent me some screenshots of the hat. As you can see in the photo to the left, it’s a great style. Looked easy enough to make—Monte Carlo crown and a wobbly brim.

The hat in the movie is a felt hat. A Montecristi Panama hat won’t ever behave like a felt hat. But I was pretty confident I could match the general look.

I enjoyed the challenge. Did I come close?

Photo below left is Pierani and her husband. They make me proud to be a hatter.

Update: After about a year, Pierani decided she wanted a non-wobbly, more orderly brim. That’s easy. The wobbly brim is one of those things that requires a lot of effort to make it look effortless.

I should have taken pictures of the new look. It’s good. I’ll make another one.

The ribbon on the hat in the style photos is 13⁄4 inches wide. The bow loops are very short, the keeper is very wide.

This is a nice style. Short and simple. The crown is about four inches tall. Smooth clean lines. Bold diamond shape in top of crown. Shorter brims suggested.

Technically, this is a fedora with a completely different look than any of my other fedoras. No pinches. The front comes to a sleek V, like the bow of a sailboat. Overall, it has sort of a “streamlined” look.

The Italiano would wear well with retro, euro, or jeans and an aloha shirt. It will never be my most popular style. But for some, it will be the perfect style.

Consider a narrow ribbon for an even stronger statement.

The hat in the photos is size 71⁄8, crown 41⁄4 inches, brim 25⁄8 inches, ribbon 11⁄16 inch black grosgrain, $650.

Another custom-made style. The block for this crown is barely four inches tall. This is the same diamond crown as the Italiano (above). But the brim of La Costa is a little wider and curled three-fourths of the way around like the Keeneland (above).

This is a good example of how you can mix and match crown styles and brim styles to create your own custom style.

I prefer this style with a relatively short brim, under 31⁄4 inches. La Costa is very “tailored” looking. I think it goes better with designer resort wear than with cut-offs, but some people can wear anything and make it look great. Consider a narrower ribbon to push the look even further.

The hat in the top three photos is size 71⁄8, crown is 4 inches, brim is 27⁄8 inches curled, $2500. The ribbon in the bottom photo is from the Vintage Collection, 3⁄4 inch wide, color Hemptone.

Also known as The Homburg. This hat was made as a special request for a client who’s a financial whiz by day and a blues player by night. He was so happy with his hat I fear his blues may suffer.

While I was putting the finishing touches on his hat, I realized that, as with most styles, it would look great on women. Some women. They know who they are.

To wear this style, and truly own it, a woman (or man) has to have a higher-than-average level of personal style. No slouches allowed.

This is a tall hat with a short brim and an extra-wide ribbon. A very dressy style. A hat with attitude.

After I finished the first one for my client, I immediately started another one for myself. That’s it below with the brown ribbon. It’s interesting how the brown ribbon gives the hat a completely different mood.

The ribbon is from my Vintage Collection. I have several browns, grays, greens, and tans in the Vintage Collection. Unfortunately, I’ve never had the “extra” time to photograph the various colors and re-engineer my web site to make it possible for you to choose one. If you want one of the ribbon colors you see in one of my style photos, just let me know which style and I can retrieve that ribbon color. Keep in mind that the color you see on your monitor may not be the exact color of the ribbon. (Another reason I don’t try to offer a wide range of colored ribbons on this site.)

The hat in the bottom photo is size 71⁄4, crown is 5 inches, brim is 21⁄2 inches, grosgrain ribbon is from the Vintage Collection and is 2 inches wide, $1000 (plus ribbon upgrade $35).

The Downing Street is very similar to the Homburgette. The difference is the pinches. It’s always fascinating to me how one simple difference creates a completely different look.

I originally created the Downing Street as a men’s style. But almost all of the men I showed it to thought it was a little too much of a “dandy” hat for them. Men are such style cowards, aren’t they? I knew women would be more appreciative of a style that departs from the mainstream, media-inspired fashion norms. It’s interesting to me that most men prefer to blend in and most women prefer to stand out.

This strikes me as a dressy style. I can easily picture you wearing it with a black pants suit. Or white. Or…

Hat in photos is size 71⁄8, crown 41⁄4 inches, brim 25⁄8 inches, ribbon 11⁄16 inch black grosgrain, $750.

Fitzgerald never revealed exactly what sort of hat Gatsby wore. But we know Gatsby, so we know his hat would have been elegant, distinctive, stylish, expensive, the envy of all who didn’t have one just like it. Well, envy no more; I give you—The Gatsby.

My Gatsby Fedora is a totally custom design. To make one requires two completely different blocks, an unreasonable amount of individual hand-work, and a couple of personal trade secrets. To wear one requires simply that you have a good head on your shoulders.

The Gatsby has a slightly taller crown, wider brim, wider ribbon, deeper “dimples” than my Classic Fedora. The top of the crown has a distinctive center crease.

The Gatsby is especially appropriate when driving your Bugatti to the club, drinking rum beneath a slowly turning ceiling fan, doing anything with palm trees nearby, or just looking like a man who looks great in a Panama hat.

The Gatsby in the top two photos is size 73⁄8. Crown is 43⁄4 inches tall. Brim is 27⁄8 inches wide. $1000.

The Optimo is the classic Panama hat style. In Ecuador, it’s called the Natural. The Optimo was the style of choice for British travelers, ex-pats, and empire builders in Malaysia, Hong Kong, India, and throughout the tropics—anywhere a gin and tonic had actual therapeutic value (against malaria, not just tropical tantrums). Even today, the style is more popular in the UK than in the US.

Some people think of it as a “Charlie Chan” hat. I preferred it on Peter O’Toole in The Last Emperor, Sean Connery in The Man Who Would Be King, Sidney Greenstreet in Casablanca.

This style probably originated as a natural consequence of people rolling up their hats. If you roll up an unblocked hat a few times, you wind up with a center crease. So why not call it a style, give it a name, and make some blocks.

This particular Optimo is hand-blocked and has a leather sweatband. You don’t roll it up. If want one to roll up, go here: Roll-Up Panama Hats

As with fedoras, there are several variations of the Optimo style. And as with Fedoras, I have definite opinions so I designed my own blocks. I prefer a more rounded crown over a flatter crown. Why? Better looking. Also better architecture.

The Optimo has been growing in popularity. More and more of you are choosing to swan about in non-roll-up Optimos. I’ve even taken to wearing one myself from time to time. A writer friend wears his Optimo as his Writing Hat. And as his Travel Hat. And as his Going To Town Hat. And as his Going To The Swings With Daughters Hat. And so on.

A good hat is like that. A good hat becomes a good friend.™

Visualize having ten good friends.

Now make it so.