A sombrero (Spanish , ) is a type of wide-brimmed Mexican men's hat used to shield the face and eyes from the sun. It usually has a high pointed crown, an extra-wide brim (broad enough to cast a shadow over the head, neck and shoulders of the wearer) that is slightly upturned at the edge, and a chin strap to hold it in place. In Mexico, this hat type is known as a (" charro hat", referring to the traditional Mexican horsemen). In Spanish, any wide-brimmed hat may be considered a sombrero.

Design

Sombreros, like cowboy hats, were designed in response to the demands of the physical environment. The concept of a broad-brimmed hat worn by a rider on horseback can be seen as far back as the Mongolian horsemen of the 13th century. In hot, sunny climates hats often have evolved wide brims. The exact origin of the Mexican sombrero is unknown, but it is usually accepted that the hat originated with

Mestizo (; ; fem. ) is a term used for racial classification to refer to a person of mixed European and Indigenous American ancestry. In certain regions such as Latin America, it may also refer to people who are culturally European even though thei ...

cowboys in Central Mexico. Although ''sombrero'' is usually taken to refer to the traditional Mexican headwear, the term ''sombrero'' predates this item of clothing, and has been applied to several differing styles of hat. Other types of hats known as ''sombrero'' can be found in South America and Spain, including the '' sombrero calañés'', '' sombrero cordobés'' and '' sombrero de catite'' (Spain), '' sombrero vueltiao'' (Colombia).

Cultural influence

Many early Texan cowboys adopted the Spanish and Mexican sombrero with its flat crown and wide, flat brim. Also called the , these hats came from Spain. The Mexican variation of the sombrero added an even wider brim and a high, conical crown. These are the hats worn by

mariachi Mariachi (, , ) is a genre of regional Mexican music that dates back to at least the 18th century, evolving over time in the countryside of various regions of western Mexico. The usual mariachi group today consists of as many as eight violins, t ...

musicians and . Both types of sombreros usually include a or chin strap. In the

Western United States The Western United States (also called the American West, the Far West, and the West) is the region comprising the westernmost states of the United States. As American settlement in the U.S. expanded westward, the meaning of the term ''the We ...

, the sombrero had a high conical or cylindrical crown with a saucer-shaped brim, highly embroidered and made of plush felt. In the Philippines, due to the influence from Spain brought about by the

Manila galleon fil, Galyon ng Maynila , english_name = Manila Galleon , duration = From 1565 to 1815 (250 years) , venue = Between Manila and Acapulco , location = New Spain ( Spanish Empir ...

trade, the term has been assimilated into the

Tagalog language Tagalog (, ; ; '' Baybayin'': ) is an Austronesian language spoken as a first language by the ethnic Tagalog people, who make up a quarter of the population of the Philippines, and as a second language by the majority. Its standardized form, ...

in the form of and now refers to any hat – from Mexican sombreros (as used in the English language) to baseball caps. The galaxy Messier 104 is known as the Sombrero Galaxy due to its appearance. Similarly,

Tampa Stadium Tampa Stadium (nicknamed The Big Sombrero and briefly known as Houlihan's Stadium) was a large open-air stadium (maximum capacity about 74,000) located in Tampa, Florida, which opened in 1967 and was significantly expanded in 1974–75. The faci ...

was also known as "The Big Sombrero". File:A smile of triumph.jpg, Mexican Escaramuza charra wearing sombrero in a chareada. File:Apache chief Eskiminzin.jpg, An

Apache The Apache () are a group of culturally related Native American tribes in the Southwestern United States, which include the Chiricahua, Jicarilla, Lipan, Mescalero, Mimbreño, Ndendahe (Bedonkohe or Mogollon and Nednhi or Carrizaleño a ...

chief with a sombrero File:Pancho villa horseback.jpg, Pancho Villa wearing a sombrero

References

External links

* {{Folk costume Hats Mexican clothing Spanish words and phrases

Design

Cultural influence

See also

References

External links