# So, what's the deal with political conventions and Panama Hats?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805>\
**Category:** Politics & Elections\
**Created:** [September 15, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805 "2010-09-15T03:33:41Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805/1 "2010-09-15T03:33:41Z")

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I’m sure there’s been a thread about this, but I’m flailing. Why do people wear imitation Panama Hats to political conventions?

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**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 4:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805/2 "2010-09-15T04:45:33Z")

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Those are actually straw boaters (or sometimes fake straw boaters). I can trace it back to at least the 1900 Republican Convention in Philadelphia, where the delegates wore straw boaters because it was a hot and muggy June and they were trying to keep cool. I wouldn’t be surprised if it just became a tradition after that.

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**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805/3 "2010-09-15T13:29:33Z")

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[Panama hat](http://www.panamaforum.com/images/panama-hat.jpg)  
[Skimmer boat hat](http://www.wellpromo.com/upload/upimg06/Skimmer-Boater-Hat-41306.jpg)

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**Author:** ![BrainGlutton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/82dd89/32.png) [@BrainGlutton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrainGlutton)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 2:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805/4 "2010-09-15T14:26:50Z")

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> [@Munch](#):
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> [Panama hat](http://www.panamaforum.com/images/panama-hat.jpg)

Of course, it’s just not complete without tan shoes, pink shoelaces, a polka-dot vest and man, oh, man, a purple hat band.

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**Author:** ![conway](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/ec9cab/32.png) [@conway](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/conway)\
**Post date:** [September 15, 2010, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/so-whats-the-deal-with-political-conventions-and-panama-hats/553805/5 "2010-09-15T15:31:36Z")

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They love Van Halen.