The towering, jewel-bedecked church hats, for instance, are a big hit among ministers' wives, while the straw Panama hats come into vogue around derby time. Other items have more practical uses ...

While straw hats have been a farmer-favorite since man invented the plow, interior designers such as Lilse McKenna and Ariel ...

They’ve been used as a functional item for many hundreds of years, and as a fashion statement for a just a few hundred less; ribbon-adorned floppy straw hats, boaters, Panama hats and floral ...