When imagining Mexico, a person usually sees tall cacti in front of him and people dressed a little strangely and comically. Despite the hot weather, they wear colorful woolen ponchos and wide-brimmed funny hats. The main purpose of the headdress is to protect the face and neck of a Mexican from the unbearably scorching rays of the hot sun.
Mexican hat name
The wide-brimmed accessory that is part of the traditional Mexican costume is called a sombrero. Every resident of the country has such an accessory in his closet. The hat is a headdress with a wide brim that casts a shadow over the entire body and a high crown in the shape of an unfinished cone. The product is attached to the chin using a lace passed through the brim.
Important! The headdress is very functional and reliably protects almost the entire human body from scorching rays.
The country's poor citizens use ordinary straw hats, while the wealthy use hats made of expensive materials, such as felt, felt or velvet.
Origin history and name
In Mexico, such an accessory appeared much later than its concept was invented. For example, in Mongolia, similar headdresses appeared in the 13th century. Then they reached Mexico, but at first they were small fields with an average width. They were used by shepherds.
The first hats appeared in Spain, where shepherds wore them. Then she began to transform and travel around the world, receiving more varieties and modifications. Mexicans styled the accessory to suit their climate, trying to protect their bodies from the hot rays of the scorching sun.
The sombrero's name was inspired by the Spanish word "sombra", which means "shadow". This is the main purpose of the hat - to create shade to protect from ultraviolet radiation that burns the skin. Today in Mexico you will not meet an ordinary person wearing such a headdress, but street musicians and actors often perform in sombreros. The accessory creates a special ambiance and looks impressive and beautiful.
Purpose of the hat
Initially, the accessory was used by shepherds and farmers to work unhindered under the hot sun during the daytime. Then it began to be used in other areas, already as a spectacular headdress that gives individuality.
There are different types of sombreros that have different purposes:
- vaquero (this is a classic cowboy hat with a medium-wide brim, curved up at the sides and a low crown);
- classic sombrero (features a wide brim and a cone-shaped crown);
- vueltia (this is an elegant classic headdress, distinguished by black and white colors);
- pintado (national accessory of the inhabitants of Panama, distinguished by a high crown and small, curved brim).
It is noteworthy that all products at all times were made exclusively by hand. Poor citizens wove them from straw themselves, while respectable ones preferred more expensive models decorated with embroidery, ribbons and other decorative elements.
Peculiarities
Today, the sombrero is not used in everyday life; on the streets you will not meet people who wear such an accessory just like that. At the same time, very often people in sombreros can be found at parties and various events.
Important! Modern Mexico uses similar products with wide brims as an item of special ambiance. They have a holiday dedicated to the national costume and specifically the sombrero.
There are still craftsmen working in the country who hand-make beautiful wide-brimmed accessories that effectively protect a person from the scorching rays of the sun. Tourists arriving in the country usually willingly purchase them as a souvenir.
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