The Sun is way harsh in New Mexico yet I rarely wear hats.  Partially this is due to my head being just a bit larger than most hat sizes (I can uncomfortably squeeze into a 7.5 while most style-conscious hats stop at 7.25) but also because I rarely find hats that I both like, and which fit what I need them for: shade.

Most cowboy hats, if they are lightweight, have brims that turn up so much that ones ears and neck (and often side of face) is exposed.  Those that have flatter or larger brims tend to be of a heavy material.  I do have one of those for winter-time, but then the need is not so great.  In the summer, a heavy, leather hat, is simply awful. 

I can fit into baseball caps, but aside from shade for the eyes, these offer minimal protection, and are the worst when it comes to hat hair.  I have been looking for a hat like the one that Stevan is wearing in the header-banner above.  Full shade, made of straw and therefore light and breathable. 

This weekend I think I found the answer: the traditional South-East Asian straw hat most commonly associated with coolies – the Chinese workers of a century ago who toiled in the Western Unites States.  Maybe it looks silly, but it can’t be beat for shade.  It also causes minimum hat hair and each one costs a mere $3!  I wore one all day working around here and I think that for toiling in the sun, this is the way to go.

 

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