Monte Carlo
This is the original Planter style, as immortalized by Clark Gable in GWTW. Charlton Heston wore a very wide brim version in his portrayal of a South American plantation owner in Naked Jungle. His wife (Eleanor Parker) looked even better in hers.
These days, the most common interpretation of this style is usually called a “Gambler.” And because most of them are shaped on a hat press, the outer edge of the brim just sort of turns up.
My Monte Carlo is blocked and styled by hand, so the brim edge gets a full curl. That’s the way they made them when there really were plantations and 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 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 (after the curl). Curl diameter can vary from about 1⁄4 inch to about an inch. Send me an email or call if you want help deciding.
PRICES Why One Panama Hat Costs More than Another
PREMIUM
$550, $650, $750, $900, $1100, $1500
SUPER-PREMIUM
$2000, $2500, $3000, $3500, $5000
RARE TREASURES very limited availability A $25,000 hat? Really? How Fine Are the Finest?
$7500 to $25,000
BRIM
3 to 3 1⁄2 inches (after curl)
CROWN
3 5⁄8 to 4 inches
SIZES details
21 to 25
1⁄8
inches
(53.3 to 63.8 cm)
SWEATBAND see choices
Standard sweatband for this style is un-dyed fine leather.
RIBBON see choices
Standard ribbon for this style is 1 1⁄16 inch black.
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Pipsqueak Productions, LLC
Text and photos © 1988-2010, B. Brent Black. All rights reserved.
