New from Kangol for the Spring/Summer 2013 season are two Panama hats with contrast colored brims and vibrant red trim with brass buckle. The fedora is called The Buckle Arnold and has a brim that measures two inches while The Buckle Porkpie is, as the name suggests, a pork pie hat and its brim is even stingier at 1 1/2 inches. Both hats are made in the USA and have the Kangol pin above the ribbon. There's a new hat from Biltmore too. Made in Texas, The Vegas is a sleek stingy brim Panama fedora with an upturned brim, pinch front and grosgrain trim with Biltmore pin. It's finished with a leather sweatband for comfortable wear.

Christys' London also has a new dress hat on offer this season. Called The Snap Brim Fedora and made in the USA, it's an elegant Panama hat with a two-inch snap brim, grosgrain fabric ribbon trim and sweatband. The Broad Brim Safari is a very different style of Panama hat from Christys' and is treated with Weatherall for long-lasting protection from the elements. With a generous brim that measures three inches, this Grade 8 safari hat is a handsome sun shield with a grosgrain band with bow and pin.

One of my favorite dress hats is The Lakewood from Bailey of Hollywood. This Panama hat features a slightly open weave, teardrop crown, 1 1/2 inch contrast colored brim, grosgrain trim with bow and metal studs and grosgrain trim, plus it's made in the USA. Now, that's a great hat! The Brisa Gill is another fine Bailey Panama hat. In fact, a happy customer left this glowing review: "I purchased this hat for my husband's birthday gift. It is absolutely gorgeous! The quality is very clean, no grays, good even color, and quite stylish. The workmanship is obviously top notch. This was well worth the money! The hat is awesome!"

There's a fancy Stetson Shantung straw fedora called The Vented Burnaby that's back by demand this season. It features a stylish contrast weave pattern, 2 1/4 inch brim, grosgrain trim and leather sweatband, and being a Stetson hat, it's made in the USA. For a different look from Stetson, we've got The Tehachapi Loop, a milan braid fedora, also made in Texas. It's an updated style with pinch front, contrast bound edge, snap brim and grosgrain trim with over-stitched contrast. For a Stetson fedora that "is perfect and fits well," try The Rantoul, a luxurious pinch front snap brim fedora made from an exceptional 1x1 Japanese Bu Shantung straw. Tightly woven and incredibly lightweight, this dress hat is fine and light and a delight to wear.