Name

• The name Sombrero comes from the Spanish "sombra," meaning "shade" or "shadow."
  
  

Description

• A sombrero consists of a conical cap mounted to a very large, round brim. Some sombreros sport decorative cloth bands, printed patterns, and hanging beads.
  
  

Materials

• Authentic Mexican sombreros are usually made from two materials. Functional but cheap sombreros are often made from woven straw. Sturdier, more decorative sombreros are made of stiffened felt.
  
  

History

• The sombrero originated in Mexico, where it gained popularity with peasant Mestizos (the ancestors of modern Mexicans) during the time of the Spanish Empire. Its use quickly spread throughout the country and into the southwestern United States.
  
  

Function

• The sombrero's wide brim is meant to provide field workers with shade for the face, neck, shoulders, and back. Its distinctive curved brim helps to keep the brim rigid, providing better, more consistent protection.
  
  

Traditions

• Sombreros are famously used in the "jarabe tapatio", commonly known to English-speakers as "the Mexican Hat Dance." The iconic image is of a costumed "charro" and lady step-dancing in a circle around the tossed sombrero.
  
  

Fun Fact

• The "jarabe tapatio" is the national folk dance of Mexico, and was originally composed to commemorate the end of the Mexican Revolution.