There are plenty of different hat styles available, but perhaps nothing captures the feeling of lazy summer days as a straw boater does. Although straw boater hats were especially popular during the late 19th and early 20th centuries, they are still worn along with the school uniform in schools in Australia, New Zealand and the UK. The name comes from the fact that they were popular when boating or sailing, and today, many people in sailing competitions like to wear them. The hat was so identified with summer and warmer weather that during the early 20th century, ‘straw hat day’ signified the first day of spring when it was considered warm enough to switch from winter headgear to a cooler hat. However, the boater wasn’t always about having fun and sailing; during the 1020s and 30s, it also became the unofficial hat of FBI agents.
