At the time these hats were ubiquitous, and signature Cochabamba, as many hats worn by the cholitas in the market identified where they were from by the hat they wore. By the late 1960’s chola identity declined, questioned by rural girls and women seeking more cultural acceptance in jobs and advanced education, thus leaving the rural stigma of the white stovepipe hat behind. I have not confirmed the hat style is no longer in favor, but the style seems absent from contemporary videos, suggesting the hat has become an interesting and rare artifact of history. Quoting from a travel information on-line article. In Cochabamba, Quechua women wear a white top hat of ripolined straw, decorated with a black ribbon. According to legend, a young unmarried Quechua woman in the city was reprimanded by a Roman Catholic priest for living with her boyfriend, a practice common among indigenous couples intending to marry. As a punishment, she was made to wear a black ribbon around the base of the hat. The next day at Mass, much to the priest’s chagrin, all the women were wearing the black ribbon and the style stuck. Dimensions: The brim of the hat is approximately 15″ in diameter and the stovepipe is 6.5″ high. At the base level the head opening is 7.5″ x 6.25″ with a slight taper up to the top. The item “Vintage Bolivian Woman’s Top Hat from Cochabamba” is in sale since Tuesday, September 17, 2019. This item is in the category “Clothing, Shoes & Accessories\Specialty\Vintage\Vintage Accessories\Women’s Hats”. The seller is “r*stellar” and is located in Tallahassee, Florida. This item can be shipped to United States, Canada, United Kingdom, Denmark, Romania, Slovakia, Bulgaria, Czech republic, Finland, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Malta, Estonia, Australia, Greece, Portugal, Cyprus, Slovenia, Japan, China, Sweden, South Korea, Indonesia, Taiwan, South africa, Thailand, Belgium, France, Hong Kong, Ireland, Netherlands, Poland, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Bahamas, Israel, Mexico, New Zealand, Philippines, Singapore, Switzerland, Norway, Saudi arabia, Ukraine, United arab emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain, Croatia, Malaysia, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Costa rica, Dominican republic, Panama, Trinidad and tobago, Guatemala, El salvador, Honduras, Jamaica, Antigua and barbuda, Aruba, Belize, Dominica, Grenada, Saint kitts and nevis, Saint lucia, Montserrat, Turks and caicos islands, Barbados, Bangladesh, Bermuda, Brunei darussalam, Bolivia, Ecuador, Egypt, French guiana, Guernsey, Gibraltar, Guadeloupe, Iceland, Jersey, Jordan, Cambodia, Cayman islands, Liechtenstein, Sri lanka, Luxembourg, Monaco, Macao, Martinique, Maldives, Nicaragua, Oman, Peru, Pakistan, Paraguay, Reunion, Viet nam, Uruguay.

• Size: S
• Modified Item: Yes
• Country/Region of Manufacture: Bolivia
• Style: Top Hat
• Decade: 1960s
• Material: Reblocked straw
• Original/Reproduction: Original
• Color: White gesso
• MPN: Does Not Apply
• Modification Description: Repainted gesso
• Occasion: Everyday
• Brand: Unbranded

Tags: bolivian, cochabamba, vintage, woman's