These bowler hats were introduced to Bolivia by mistake. A shipment of hats, produced in England, was sent over to the British rail–workers who were stationed in the region in the mid–1800s. The hats were far too small for the men to wear, but rather than get rid of them, they were offered to Bolivian women who were led to believe these hats were all the rage for women in Europe and North America. They have been a prominent part of Bolivian heritage ever since.
