If you hear the word “sombrero” what comes to mind? Is it the colorful intricately gold or silver embroidered and sequine decorated velvetine broad brimmed hat seen while a “charro” dramatically tapping and stamping his feet performs Mexico’s official dance, the Jarabe Tapatio/The Mexican Hat Dance? Is it the gigantic floppy flying saucer-like hat worn by that cartoon character mouse, Speedy Gonzales? Is it the huge hat providing shade for a fat mustached Mexican male taking a siesta beside a cactus? Well, if it is any or all of those stereotypes depicting that style of hat which has become a national and cultural symbol of Mexico, both positively and negatively, you would not be entirely correct.

In fact, a sombrero is any hat that has a brim. Taken from the Spanish word “sombre” meaning “shade” or “shadow,” the function of any sombrero is to protect the head, neck, and shoulders from the sun. What most non-Mexicans associate as a “sombrero” is what is referred to as a “sombrero Mexicano” by Spanish speakers from outside of Mexico. That high round crowned hat evolved from the Spanish “Zorro” broad brimmed flat-topped one. At one time in Mexico’s past a humble form of that sombrero, made of straw, was utilized by Mexico’s original mestizos as they toiled in the sun drenched fields.

However, nowadays one never sees that stereotypical sombrero (except for perhaps by foreign tourists!) worn in daily usage. Rather, that “showy” sombrero is used only in certain ceremonial and traditional settings: it is worn by costumed Mariachi musicians; folklorico/folk dancers may use them as part of their performances as they recreate episodes from Mexico’s regional history; and participants in Mexican fiestas/celebrations like the parades commemorating Mexican Independence or the beginning of the Mexican Revolution will be seen wearing them as part of their “uniforms.” Sure, a plethora of vendors in Mexico’s main plazas will be hawking inexpensive straw ones in the weeks prior to the September 16th celebrations but they are just for that one day’s fiestas throughout the country. Or along Zamora’s vast market’s “sombrero row” some “for show” and special use decorative ones are displayed on the walls of the stores but are vastly outnumbered by other mostly more contemporary and utilitarian styles of sombreros for sale.

So, if that sombrero is not representative of what is being worn by the men of Mexico, what is? Well, where I live in Western Central Mexico and in other rural or semi-rural locations in this part of Mexico men of all ages will be seen wearing baseball caps or the widely popular “sombrero vaqueros”/cowboy hats. Men may wear various types of these cowboy hats depending on the occasion; for agricultural work or daily use they may wear inexpensive broad brimmed ones made from straw or palm, oftentimes perforated; for visiting family or friends or for travel they may wear more stylish fabric ones with chin straps, a band made of cord draped around the bottom of the crown or perhaps even further adorned with a peacock's feather, and decorated with dangling tassels on the back; and for special events they may wear more expensive felt “social status” ones, normally black, cream, or white or ones made from leather. In my home, in my folksy “Mexican museum,” I have examples of those three current styles of sombrero vaqueros on display but perhaps even more museum-like, as a relic of the past, would be if I included a distinctively colored and patterned sombrero galoneados, the largest type of sombrero Mexicano.

As for the men who were born in and live in such cities as Morelia, Guadalajara, Queretaro, Puebla, or Mexico City they never, as in never, would wear either a sombrero Mexicano or even a sombrero vaqueros - the same could even be said for adult males residing in smaller cities like Uruapan and Zamora. If they wear hats, it would be pretty much whatever is in fashion, similar to what is worn in major cosmopolitan areas in the US and Canada. The only time that you would see anybody wearing a cowboy hat in those cities would be by men visiting there who come from outlying smaller communities.

Consequently, the stereotypical sombrero is pretty much an anachronism, albeit a respected and honored one in Mexico. What about women, though? What types of hats do they wear? For the most part, with very few exceptions, both rural and urban Mexican women regardless of socio-economic position do not wear any hats at all. Instead to protect themselves from the sun they are frequently seen “wearing” a “sombrilla,” an umbrella.