Bowler Hat

Cholas wearing hats

Figure 1. Cholas wearing bowler hats.
Photgraphed by Esther Kim

It is also known as: Derby hat and mushroom hat

It was in the late 19th century, the first Bolivian females to wear bowler hat were women horse riders, known as Amazons. These women wore men pants under long skits, with boots and top hats with veils (Robinson, 171).

The derby hat helped free women from the constrains of fashion. It is believed that the popularization of these hats started from a wrong delivery of male hats to the Capital and provider did not want to lose profit, as a result the salesman sweet talked Aymara women about the fertility powers of hat. Along the years, the accessory evolved and became part of the elegant costume (Aymara UTA).

Reference

Aymara UTA. "Vestido de la Mujer Aymara". http://aymara.org/chola.php

Robinson, F.M.. The Man inthe Bowler Hat United States: The University of North Carolina, 1979
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