Straw Hats, Hemingway and Cuba

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Last night, I arrived in Cuba and was greeted by CHANEL in my hotel room with a lovely surprise: a very cute straw hat created in collaboration with Maison Michel, the famous hat-maker and milliner that was acquired by the House of CHANEL as one of its specialty ateliers.

The first thing popping up in my mind was, how is this shape called? Is it a Panama or a Havana hat, a feodora or a trilby…? Here is a little guide for you so that you will become a real insider.

The easiest thing to remember is that the rim of a fedora curls up while the rim of a panama hat is straight. A trilby is a narrow-brimmed type of hat which in shape resembles the Tyrolean hat.

Panama_Hat_Rag_bone

Straight rim: straw Panama hat by Rag & Bone.

Feodora_Melissa_Odabash
The rim curls up: icongrosgrain-trimmed woven paper fedora by Melissa Odabash.

Diesel_Trilby_hatNarrow-brimmed: icongradient trilby hat by Diesel.
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Trendy, the floppy brim: sunny sequined straw sunhat by Eugenia Kim.

Straw hats in all shapes have already become a must-have accessory for fashionistas everywhere as they are the perfect addition to a summery look. So ladies, hold on to your hats, many exciting things are waiting for you during the next days!

Ernest Hemingway wears the look of the successful novelist in Paris, in 1927, just after his book, “The Sun Also Rises,” hit the bestseller list. (AP Photo/Charles Scribner Sons)

I am leaving now an a Hemingway tour which will take me on a journey, following the footsteps of one of the worlds greatest writers here in Cuba. In 1940 Hemingway, with his new wife Martha, purchased a home outside Havana where he would live for the next twenty years. Stay tuned!

LoL, Sandra

Photos: Courtesy of the Brands and © Sandra Bauknecht

Miranda Kerr: Australia

Miranda Kerr-Australia

Supermodel and beauty entrepreneur MIRANDA KERR shared her travel tips for Australia with us. The country where she was born and raised. Surrounded by farmland and wilderness in the small town of Gunnedah, NSW, her love for nature and organic living became an intrinsic part of her life from a very young age.

Your favourite city?
I love SYDNEY. It has everything, beach, harbor and the convenience of a city. It only takes a 20 minutes drive to get to the beach from the city centre.

Your favourite hotel?
The QUALIA RESORT up north. A remote, private and beautiful place to stay on a private island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Whitsunday Blvd, Hamilton Island QLD 4803, Australia +61 7 4948 9222

Your favourite restaurant?
The BOATHOUSE ON BLACKWATTLE BAY in Sydney, yummy food in good atmosphere.
123 Ferry Rd Glebe NSW, Australia +61 2 9518 9011

Your favourite sightseeing spot?
The BONDI TO BRONTE BEACH WALK – it is a wonderful way to see a litte bit of the coast line and experiencing great energy.

Your favourite park?
WOLSELEY PARK IN GUNNEDAH. The park I used to play in as a kid. It brings back a lot of childhood memories. Gunnedah NSW 2380, Australia

Your favourite beach?
SHELLY BEACH AT MANLY – A lovely sheltered cove and one of Sydney’s best aquatic reserves. It is so beautiful there. You can see the harbour from the beach.
Shelly Beach Drive, Manly, NSW, Australia 2095

Your favourite shop?
NATURAL PROGRESSION – A cute natural health and beauty shop located on Bondi Beach.
81 Gould Street, Bondi Beach, NSW, 2026, Australia +61 2 9130 2080

Your must-have accessory?
A SUN HAT to protect the skin, a must when visiting Australia.

Your favourite song?
LAND DOWN UNDER” by Australian new wave rock group Men at Work. The lyrics are about an Australian traveller circling the globe, proud of his nationality.

Your favorite holiday book?
My favourite book is “SHANTARAM” by Gregory David Roberts, such a captivating story.

Your favourite scent?
JOYFUL BY ESCADA. It encourages positivity and confidence to see the bright part of life and I am happy to be its face.

The smell of Australia?
I think of the SMELL OF FRESH RAIN, the SMELL OF CHRISTMAS, because we have those Christmas beetles that are really strong in the countryside where I grew up.

Thank you, Miranda, for sharing your insider scoop on Australia with us.

LoL, Sandra