Up until the 1950′s men were rarely seen out and about without a hat sitting upon their head. Since that time, the wearing of hats has seen a precipitous decline. No one is precisely sure why. Some say the downfall of hats occurred when JFK did not wear a hat to his inauguration, thus forever branding them as uncool. This is an urban myth, however, as Kennedy did indeed don a hat that day. Another theory posits that the shrinking size of cars made wearing a hat while driving prohibitively difficult. Most likely, the demise of hats can simply be traced to changing styles and the ongoing trend towards a more casual look.
Yet hats are due for a full resurgence. Hats are both functional and stylish. They can cover a bad hair day, keep your head warm, and shade your eyes from the sun. They can also be worn to cover a receding hairline, which interestingly enough is why Frank Sinatra, an iconic hat wearer, start wearing one in the first place. They give you touch of class and sophistication, impart personality, and add an interesting and unique accent to your outfits. And hats are a sure-fire way to boost your confidence. A cool hat can quickly become your signature piece and give you extra swagger.
Of course men today still wear hats, but they are most often confined to ratty baseball caps, hippie beanie caps, or the thankfully almost extinct trucker hat. There is nothing wrong with these kinds of headpieces per se, but there are other hat options out there. So mix up your lids with these various options:
The Flat Cap
Photo by Menno Ophelia
The flat cap has a rounded shape, a small brim and a high back. Long associated with working class men in the UK, the flat cap can be a stylish way to add interest to a casual outfit. They can give your tired jeans and t-shirt look some unique style. Choose the more masculine flat cap over the similar, but rounder and puffier newsboy cap. The latter has been almost entirely co-opted by the ladies.
The Fedora
Fedoras were once considered de rigueur for men going out in public and a necessary accessory to formal and business attire. While once mainstream, a man in a fedora is now seen as a trendsetter. Fedoras are soft, usually made of felt, creased lengthwise down the crown, and pinched on both sides. Obviously you cannot pair a fedora with jeans and a polo. They are only an appropriate accent for dressier outfits. But the pay off-loads of style, class, and confidence-make dressing up worth it. Fedoras will make you look manly and a bit mysterious. Worn by Prohibition era gangsters, almost all of the movie stars of the 1940′s, and Old Blue Eyes himself, donning a fedora puts you in touch with a truly luminous and manly heritage.
The Porkpie
Photo from The French Connection
Named for its resemblance to an actual pork pie, this hat is similar to a fedora but with a flat top instead of a pinched crown. The brim is also shorter and turned up. The hat is often associated with the jazz, blues, and ska culture, but was also worn by the likes of Robert Oppenheimer, father of the atom bomb.
The Homburg
Photo from The Godfather
The Homburg is another hat similar to the fedora. The Homburg’s brim lacks the fedora’s pinches, and is turned up all the way around. The hat is accented with a hatband into which a feather may be stuck. Less casual than a top hat, and dressier than a fedora, the Homburg was the go to lid for politicians and diplomats in the 20th century. Favored by the Godfather and resurrected by the likes of Snoop Dogg and Tupac, the Homburg now carries a distinctly gangster flavor.
The Bowler/Derby
Photo by Lainey’s Repertorie
Bowlers are hard, made of felt, and have very short brims. While considered a British icon, the bowler was also part of the urban culture of America in the 19th century. For example, one of the gangs that roamed the mean streets of New York City around this time were the Plug Uglies. The Uglies were never without their bowler hats which they wore both as their signature piece and to protect their heads during their many scuffles with rival gangs.
Wearing a Hat
Cock your hat–angles are attitudes. ~Frank Sinatra
Hats can give you a feeling of effortless cool and manly confidence. Few people loved hats more, or wore them better than Frank Sinatra. He was constantly playing with the idea of angling and tilting his hat to convey different attitudes. Here’s how Frank wore his hat to reflect his mood:
- Wear your hat pushed back to seem more open and accessible
- Tilt your hat over your eyes to seem mysterious and intimidating
- Tilt your hat up 1 inch from completely straight to project an all-business attitude
Hat Etiquette
In adopting the hat as your signature piece, you must also accept the responsibility of hat etiquette. Often ignored, hat etiquette will show that your uniqueness extends not only to you choice of headwear, but to your manners as well.
- Promptly remove your hat upon entering an elevator, restaurant, or someone’s home. Never wear your hat during a meal.
- Touch the brim of your hat lightly when greeting a friend.
- Raise the hat by the crown when meeting a female friend in public.
- Remove your hat during the national anthem and place it over your heart.
Header photo by Edieamber
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I have a federoa I won from my friend. I don’t wear it as often asI’d like to but I still think its one of my best accesories. I recently started wearing it more often because of my interest in Tom Waits, Brett I’d like to ask your opinion on him. you seem to have good taste in music. i’m saying this in regards to all your Sinatra references.
I look ridiculous in baseball caps, beanies, flat caps, etc.
I stepped into Bernie Utz Hats here in Seattle and tried on a few “stingy-brim” fedoras, finding one that looked good. It rains here incessantly, but rarely hard enough to justify an umbrella; even a stingy brim keeps it off my glasses.
I’ve picked up a couple more there, including a Borsalino and a Bailey straw fedora that will hopefully spare me from skin cancer.
“Obviously you cannot pair a fedora with jeans and a polo. They are only an appropriate accent for dressier outfits�
Sombody forgot to tell Indiana Jones.
…or me. A stingy-brim fedora works well enough with jeans and a polo to garner me compliments everywhere I go. Bernie Utz gives you a little crack-bag full of feathers of various colors. It drives women wild when your feather matches the polo. I don’t know why – it just does.
@Tom-I actually would take back that bit of advice now. I’ve started wearing my fedora with jeans and t-shirts and I openly admit it looks great. I might have to try the feather thing too.
Thanks for great article.
We are running on-line hat shop http://www.HatsFromOZ.com.au and were mainly concentrating on ladies fashion hats. Our men’s range is somewhat limited, but we will be working on it.
So many ideas of new “old” styles!
Hope you don’t mind if I place a link to this article on our site.
I’m a young man. At only 21 years old, in college, I’m surrounded perpetually with other young men that don’t even begin to understand the subtleties of men’s fashion and manners. I began wearing a hat a few years back and have gotten nothing but positive feedback about it. I have even began to encourage others to look for hats appropriate for their face shapes.
I absolutely love this site and all of it’s goings-on. Great job.
Thanks for reading. I’m glad you like the site and I’m happy you’re helping bring back the hat.
It’s funny…. some people think hats are terribly outdated, but like you, whenever I wear mine I get nothing but compliments on it.
“Bringing back the Hat” is a great article…. I’m glad I looked back at it, as I just recently joined this Great site. I agree somewhat that hairstyles have something to do with it and I one reason to purchase was to protect my buzzed head (temporary thing). Personally I have never worn a hat, because I never found one that looked right on me. Thanks to Brett I found a wonderful little hat shop in historic downtown Tulsa and I am now the proud owner of a Borsalino Straw Fedora, and I plan to purchase others. I wore it for the 1st time yesterday and got MANY compliments, from both ladies and men. I think the straw can be paired with nice jeans and a nice shirt and it definitely can define your look.. I’m posting a pic/link of me with my new hat.
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii53/greasy_kidstuff/MyNewBorsalinoHatpurchasedon8-21-08.jpg
Men in baseball caps, on backwards, etc. make me nuts. I saw a guy, had to be 35 years old. He was normal looking, if you accept his earrings and his backward baseball cap and stupid short pants (not shorts) and unlaced tennis shoes. He was shopping at Wal-Mart with an attractive looking wife and two boys about 10 years old. He looked stupid and juvenile.
Baseball caps in nice restaurants or the theater; do I have permission to knock that stupid piece of crap off your stupid head?
What about berets? I don’t mean that armoured kangol thing Jamie Hyneman from “Mythbusters” wears, but a simple, soft Basque-style beret..
And you young fellers, unless you’re part of the “Artificial Alopecia is COOL” herd (head shavers) don’t know about how much getting the top of your naturally-occurring “Friar tuck” fried by the sun hurts…
I wear a broad-brimmed cotton duck hat w/a ventilated crown my Friend bought for me at the farm store. Won’t go out on a sunny day without it.
The Fedora is the best hat because of its good look and that it was worn commonly by gangsters. I’m a gangster, so I’d know.
By the way don’t listen to John of Indiana’s advice
Thanks for reading. I’m glad you like the site and I’m happy you’re helping bring back the hat
The Fedora is the best hat because of its good look and that it was worn commonly by gangsters. I’m a gangster, so I’d know.
دردشه
http://www.roo7oman.com
I have worn a fedora with boots, jeans, and a dress shirt. It works. Jeans go just fine with a fedora for a western look.
It’s a cover, not a hat and the real men of the US MARINE CORPS are never without theirs. Your cover completes your outfit men; It keeps the sun out of your eyes too.
Fedoras are awesome. Everyone should wear them. I can’t believe some of the ignorant comments on this page – “real men don’t accessorize” – WTF!?!? It’s a hat, not a matching purse. Christ. I’m sure that’s the kind of person who wears flip-flops to a restaurant.
And yes they work with jeans. But they have to be slim fitting jeans, not baggy or too light-colored. You can wear them with any outfit as long as the outfit is neat and clean.
Hats, I love hats I am a 52 yr old Englishman and my Dad always wore a Trilby and looked so good in it he pulled more women than I ever had. He did base himself on Frank Sinatra and with his blue eyes did actualy look like him. So I bought myself a trilby and I do look good in it much the same as my father, but unlike him in the fifties and sixties I cant wear it day to day in the street because people would think I am wierd, but saying that as you get older you can get away with it.
Bring back HATS. All the best Alan.
( better known as Al the hat)
I’m glad to see hats are making a serious comeback. In my area, historically fedoras weren’t just for businessmen. Many a farmer in my area from before Great Depression up through the 1960′s wore a fedora in his work clothes for the practical reasons of keeping the sun off of his head, out of his eyes, and off his ears and neck.
Because of that, I see nothing wrong with wearing a fedora in jeans, but I do think if you are going to wear one, you do need to at least either lose the T-shirt and go with a button-up shirt, or wear a jacket with the fedora, preferably in a matching color. I think your shoes should match the jacket and fedora in color too, but they don’t necessarily have to be dressy.
So as a college student who wears mostly jeans and t-shirts, what type of hat should I purchase? I’ve been looking to get one with a little more class than a baseball cap, but can’t find a good one.
@Adam
Hat or no, lose the T Shirt! You’re going to be a working professional in a few years, and now is the time to start looking like it. Even for casual days, there are a whole host of easy alternatives that put you on a whole other level than jeans and tshirt: Polos, rugby etc. A step above would a dress shirt plus jeans and decent shoes (athletic shoes are for athletics). It will get you noticed by professors, and (even better) the ladies.
For the hats above, you do really need a coat of some kind, but that doesn’t mean you have to go all pin-stripe and pocket-pocket square. Any of the name brands (from Old Navy to RL Polo) sell casual type jackets for not too much, twill or corduroy, for instance. Jackets go with dress shirts (tie or no), never polos.
As for hats, look online. A modest wool felt hat will cost $35 or so. Don’t buy one that is sized by S M L, buy one sized in fractions of inches. Fur felt will be $100+. For your casual college guy look, consider a cheap panama hat (white woven straw – classy summer hat). Don’t bother committing a fortune for now, figure out what works for you first.
@Alex-
A flat cap or a casual looking trilby work very well with a t-shirt and jeans.
@Adam –
I know someone’s already told you to lose the jeans and t-shirt, but I disagree. Currently, these are legitimate fashion options, although who knows how long that will last. It is especially effective if worn with an interesting and well-chosen belt. Check out the Guess line for reference as to what is currently being worn, and then avoid Guess because it’s pretentious crap.
As for a hat, a flat cap is perfect. The ones pictured above are a product of their era and are hideously oversized by today’s standards. A decent tweed cap worn over short hair, especially if you can pull off sideburns and some five o’clock shadow, is an excellent accessory to upscale casual clothing. I see urban professionals and DJs pull the look off all the time. I can’t usually do it myself, because I wear my hair somewhat long and shaggy, and it sticks out the bottom of a cap in an unbecoming way.
Good luck finding un beau chapeau.
hats seem to go back just a few years…this “trend” is nothing more than
a rehash of the same old thing, which seemed to work. baseball caps are
not hats to be worn by anyone either older than 8 yrs.,or people not playing
baseball. look around at the others wearing baseball caps, and tell me if
you want to look this stupid. As for the rest of the juvenile come-backs in this
amazingly dull blog, 90% of you are obviously completely unaware of the
history of mens’ fashion-a photo of each of you would assuredly prove me right
on that point… long story short-grow up, kids, and dress like a man. Life’s too
short to dress like a slob.
i think hats are a very cool fashion and i think it is a shame that not many people wear them because people look cool when they wear them. i have a trilby at home and i feel cool as when i wear it
I am a woman and I find men that wear hats properly very manly and sexy…I am also young (26). Men really should wear hats if they look good in them.
totally agree, hats are awsome. i have an indiana jones fedora that i love to wear with my outfits, it really is very cool and i could give a crap what other ppl think. btw, i was a model a couple years ago so i am considered attractive by many, which i was blessed with, so i think that i make my hat look good on me, but i agree not everyone today can get away with wearing a hat, you have to have that look.
Hats are cool. Keep your head warm and the sun
out of your eyes too.
thanks from tony
I’ve been wearing a flat cap since 1975 when I visited Chicago and the taxi driver had a nice little dark brown suede one on, and took me to where he bought it. I wear them mostly during the cold months, and have a pretty nice select few. Whether it’s the scottish wool with ear flaps,or the newer Coleman wool and cashmere. I have an old fedora for the rain, as well as beaver felt shortbrim, or porkpie. I have plenty of hair up top, but nothing keeps you warm like a nice hat.
Writing from the north of England. I love hats, and the suit/overcoat/silk scarf/hat look suits me and looks manly. I tend to wear a dark fedora of trilby in colder weather, and a black and white interwoven straw hat in the summer. I’ve always admired Frank Sinatrs’s style, and my Dad, who was the most manly man you’d ever meet had a selection of brimmed type hats, so a few years ago I took the plunge with a dark grey fedora. Now, despite still having a full head of hair, I rarely leave the house without a suitable hat. If you haven’t got one, give it a go.
On the National Anthem:
SALUTING the FLAG in CIVILIAN CLOTHING: Public Law 110-181, Section 594: signed by the President 28 January 2008. SEC. 594. CONDUCT BY MEMBERS OF THE ARMED FORCES AND VETERANS OUT OF UNIFORM DURING HOISTING, LOWERING, OR PASSING OF UNITED STATES FLAG. Section 9 of title 4, United States Code, is amended by striking “all persons present” and all that follows through the end of the section and inserting the following: “all persons present in uniform should render the military salute. Members of the Armed Forces and veterans who are present but not in uniform may render the military salute. All other persons present should face the flag and stand at attention with their right hand over the heart, or if applicable, remove their headdress with their right hand and hold it at the left shoulder, the hand being over the heart. Citizens of other countries present should stand at attention. All such conduct toward the flag in a moving column should be rendered at the moment the flag passes”.
For all of you knuckledraggers that take the piss out of men wearing hats in England, think again, National service is on its way back!!!!!
I just happened to buy a black fedora at a second hand store a few years ago. The hat was identical to one my grandfather left me (and I later lost at college) when he died back in the 60′s.( I was just a child then but always wore Grandpas hat when he put it on the hat rack) This hat is vintage 40′s and looks like it could have come from MGM’s wardrobe dept. I started wearing it for practical purposes ( keeping wind, rain, snow and cold at bay) but starting wearing it more often after all the compliments I received from people. Women love the look with an overcoat and tie and men either compliment me or shoot me a jealous look of disgust because they either do not have the balls or the goods to pull off such a look. BUY A HAT AND WATCH YOUR LUCK WITH THE LADIES GO OFF THE CHARTS!
My man wears hats almost every day, all sorts. I find it very attractive to see him in them, and he carries it off well. Whether he’s in his homburg, fedora, summer straw, his Russian fur in the winter, his irish cap, or his western stetson, he comes of rather debonair…
I have a collection of flat caps that I wear almost every day. I used to get a few looks when I started wearing them about 8 years ago or so, but I noticed that I don’t get many lately. I’ve seen more and more hats about lately, so I guess people are getting used to them again.
In this day and age where ugly rubber clogs with holes in them is a “hot shoe”, people visit the President wearing flip-flops into the Oval Office, and guys wear pants with half of their underwear showing; I don’t see any room for any sort of hat that doesn’t have the logo of some sports team/Nascar person.
Check out this kid’s effort, sponsored by Stetson, to bring the hat back at the prez inauguration and raise money for childrens cancer charity at the same time. HatForObama.com.
I disagree with your assertion that fedoras cannot be worn with jeans and a polo. For years, American men wore fedoras with anything. They even wore them as work hats. I fedora – especially a straw one – could be perfectly fine with jeans and polos. I wear panama-style fedoras with shorts and polos.
My guy wears lots of hats. I also wear lots of hats. It’s fun, it’s stylish, and many times it’s practical. We get tons of compliments. We enjoy it. We don’t care if it’s in fashion or not. We do it because we want to.
Do you think I can pull off a fedora with a button up shirt, rolled up sleeves, nice jeans, and loafers? I understand why I cannot do it with a tshirt or polo shirt, but once you add a button up shirt, it seems more appropriate.
Great Post, hats are the coolest accessory a man can wear.
Here a nice post about Frank’s Hat
http://www.dominichalpin.com/site/Franks_Hat.html
I wear a suit and tie everyday and my wife has suggested I wear a hat (she bought me 3 for Christmas). I wear them to church (removing inside of course) and for social events but have resisted wearing them to work as no one else wears one. She says they complete my outfits and I should wear them every day.
Opinions? By the way they are Hombergs. I also got a bowler from my inlaws.
The only other hat I usually wear is my top hat to go with my white tie.
I appreciate advice on this.
Wow, there’s alot of debate here over this topic.
I don’t always wear a hat, but do sometimes wear baseball caps(never backwards) and last fall acquired a nice, new, black fedora to wear for the winter.
I’ve gotten many comments; all positive. I guess it’s a good look for me. I wear it with just about anything. It makes me feel like Bogart, and I’ve been told I have a classic 1940′s style about myself.
For anyone interested in this hat, it’s a Bailey of Hollywood and the model is the “Carson”. It’s a purchase I don’t regret.
I am dying to know what type of fedora James Edgar Olmos wears in the film American Me. Its a straw styled fedora and is worn in modern films by Latino gang members . Its straw and the brim is down. I can not find one for the life of me. Please help if possible.
I rodeo professional and ranch. As such I wear a cowboy hat. However my hats are often custom made of pure beaver (for winter/cooler months), and high quality panama straw for the s6mmer months. My hats are always neatly shaped (I do it myself this in of itslef seems like a lost art).
I personally find it more than annoying when someone wears a cowboy hat improperly. (Backwards is the worst, the front of the hat is the side with the narrow shape in the brim, the buckle or bow of the hat band should also always be ont he left side of the head).
I also can’t stand the newer fad with cheap causal looking cowboy hats that frat guys/girls seem to love to wear to any sort of outdoor event/ country music concert.
I can stand these types of hats and for people who do wear actual cowboy hats and have a knowledge of them its more than a little insulting when these people seem to associate their hats with yours.
As for etiquette I take my hat off for curch and the national anthem. Thats about it. I really don’t care how “high class” a restaruant is I do not feel like placing a $1,000 custom made hat on the ground or a rack or somewhere else to be stolen or damaged.
Wearing fedoras and such is a fine line. Some people look cool, others come off as douches. Reading some of the comments, I’d say there’s both going on right now.
I got this nice black fedora from my father who no longer wheres it and I simply love it. My fiance doesn’t care much for it but I have gotten nothing but good feedback from others regarding its looks. It is black felt with a checkered black band around it and super comfortable and on top of that it is a nice change from my usual baseball cap. Contrary to what a previous post says, fedoras (while not traditionally) can be worn with a nice pair of jeans and even a t-shirt. I often wear mine this way with a casual black jacket and it looks very nice.
A very thought provoking article. I have been wearing hats since the mid 80s, and have always received compliments from both genders. Clearly, it works wonders if one is wearing a bespoke suit or smart clothes. Two weeks ago I found a homburg in mint condition in a second hand shop, and I cannot wait to see the reaction of my friends.
One interesting fact I have discovered, are the amount of women who will want to put my hat on. Just watch the fashion industry try to make hat wearing for men the “new” thing, especially after the impact of the excellent “Mad Men” series.
Forget about the likes of Zac Effron etc, Don Draper is more likely to have a bigger and longer lasting influence…..
I cannot agree with you hat fans.
I’m 46, and my father wore a beaver hat all his life — but he was born in 1914 and was well into adulthood when Bogart was a box-office mainstay.
But now? I’m sorry, but you guys look ridiculous. It’s an affectation and it screams “Look at me; I’m a nerd.” You might as well go around wearing a Starfleet tunic or speaking Klingon.
If you’re under 70, you’ve got no business wearing any hat other than a baseball cap (but please – never backwards) or a cowboy hat. (And don’t wear the latter unless you’ve got some crops to bring in or some cattle to manage.)
hi great article.
I rock the Jughead beanie and get nothing but positive reactions from both sexes. i also eschew my generation’s (i am 29) habit of wearing the baseball cap practically falling off on the side of the head.
Jughead beanies get you laid…
I wear hats all the time. I have differnt colors and styles for different occasions. I always get great compliments. I think if you are wearing the hat because you like it, then great. But if you’re wearing one trying to be “cool” you’re just going to look stupid.
Women look great in hats too. My wife was always against hats she said he face was to round. However I got her a couple and she started wearing them and getting compliments. Now, she has more hats than I do. Wears them every Sunday and has a hat that matches ever over coat. It looks classy and lady like. I hope our daughter likes hats too.
I can’t stand twats who don’t remove their hat during national anthems. And not just their own. If you’re at a sporting event or somewhere where they play multiple anthems, take your hat off and remain standing for all anthems. It’s a sign of respect.
Great article. Just want to second that Summer-wear for anywhere warm should include a straw Panama hat. Can be worn with anything other than a T-shirt. And why wear a T-shirt in public anyway?
Awesome article!
I spent a year looking for a good fedora – I have a big head, and could never find anything bigger then a medium. Finally, I was a Virgin Records in Hollywood (just before they closed down) and found an amazing black w/white pinstripes fedora made by Quicksilver. It has their logo embroidered (sp?) on the left side, just before the pinch and a smaller silver logo on the band above the brim.
I wear it pretty much everywhere I go – when I’m at work it hangs off the corner of my monitor (which only works if you have some form of flat panel) and looks very slick. At home it hangs off the corner of a chair behind my computer – again, looking very slick. Being in Southern California it’s mostly used to keep the sun out of my eyes, but on the few occasions when it’s actually rained it’s been a life saver.
Every man looks good in some kind of hat, the trick is being confident in what you wear. My first real hat (other than baseball caps) is a black flat cap that I still wear year round in all weather. Now I have a paper/straw fedora for summer and spring. For whatever reason, people respect a man who knows how to wear a hat and wear it well. I see a lot of people today trying to look hip with their “fashion” hats, and end up looking like they are wearing a costume. Probably because they are. After all, function comes first, and style follows naturally. Both of my hats have a purpose, and damn if I don’t look good wearing them because of it.
Opinions? By the way they are Hombergs. I also got a bowler from my inlaws.
The only other hat I usually wear is my top hat to go with my white tie.
I appreciate advice on this.
To Adam above – If you’re looking for an alternative to the baseball cap but still want to stay casual and convenient, I’d recommend the patrol cap (look it up on Wikipedia). It’s a military-infuenced soft hat with a flat top and a short, stiff brim at the front. I’ve got a great brown one with a little plaid in it and I find it extremely versatile for everything up to (but not including) business casual dress. I wouldn’t recommend it for anyone over 40 though. And it should go without saying that you don’t wear it backwards.
If I need to dress it up a little more, then I’ve got a flat cap made from a white/red/black check wool that’s classy, but distinctive. That being said, I’d love to get a nice Trilby or bowler that I could wear with a jacket or even a suit.
Like some other posters, I wonder why you didn’t mention the hats being worn today in the south. I have a Stetson black felt hat which is a necessity for an evening out in the C&W dance club scene, and a nice summer straw hat too.
A friend of mine wears a hat. He chose it for its practicality, as direct light (even from overhead fixtures) in his eyes bothers him. But it has become his signature piece. Reminding my wife who he was, I just had to mention “with the hat”.
Another practical hat around here is the beach hat. A wide brim keeps the sun off my face and neck, and it has a flat top but features a band of mesh around the can sides, for airflow. It’s really the only thing that “goes with” shorts and T-shirt other than a baseball cap which gets hot and doesn’t protect the neck.
I would be interested in reading more about hat etiquite. For example, what about a work situation? I typically wear my hat inside, and remove it when I get to my actual office, but I have no idea if this is correct. Also, there was a post above lamenting about the nuisance of hats, as there is no longer a place to put them. I would hear what people have to say for advice in this situation. I would love to see a follow-up post with more details about wearing a hat properly in this modern era. I feel the complaint about the hat being outdated is only true insomuch as hat etiquite is outdated — but that doesn’t mean we can’t come up with modern hat etiquite!
I understand your argument for dressing a bit higher than necessary, and I could wear a light suit for work, but I’m outside for most of the afternoon (in Houston – 100% humidity and 95+ degrees all summer), and I tend to get a bit dirty, so it’d be a very expensive habit for me. I have company-provided polos, and my jeans wear mild grease stains fairly well, so I feel that’s most appropriate.
What kind of hat would be appropriate for sun protection, while still fitting in a business-casual atmosphere?
I’ve been wearing a hat since the late 80′s. Felt fedora for cold weather, Tilley for outdoor action, floral porkpie to go with my Hawaiian shirts, driving caps, ball caps for yard work and sports, and a succession of disappointing straw hats.
Can anyone recommend how to find a good straw that doesn’t scratch up your forehead? The key is clearly the headband, but they all seem to be disposable, with no staying power.
Hi Tommy Phillips, I have a Columbia Livin Large Straw Hat. It has a really nice band, and works very well, even in mild windy situations. It even looks pretty smart.
I had a Ridgeway Cap (similar to a patrol cap) for years and years until it accidentally went through the wash and was destroyed.
Tommy Phillips,
Some good straw hats for you:
Affordable, very good, I have several – http://www.sunbody.com.
Probably the best anywhere, haven’t got one myself (yet) – http://www.brentblack.com
Regards,
Casey
I follow U.S. Navy rules (4 years enlisted) regarding wear of hats–unless I’m casually dressed and wearing a ball cap. #1: Remove your cover whenever you enter a building. #2: Always wear your cover when outdoors. #3: When wearing civilian clothing, ALWAYS remove your cover for the National Anthem. I am always surprised at how many people do not adhere to #3.
Actually, contrary to what the article says, it is considered acceptable to wear a hat in indoor “public” spaces, such as elevators. I believe this is a practical rule–where are you going to put a hat in an elevator? However, if a lady is present in the elevator, then the hat is doffed.
Also, it is acceptable to wear your hat when eating at the counter of a diner, but it must come off when seated at a proper table or booth.
Hat for black tie: black homburg. Hat for white tie: top hat.
Awhile back I had the idea of selling beanie hats like Goober wore on The Andy Griffith Show. I tried to get a buddy of mine who was the manager of a local Wal-Mart to stock the beanies if I could get them but he refused. I think they would have gone over well.
I just wanted to say thanks for the ‘hat etiquette’ part of this article, I’ve been wearing an Ivy cap (flat cap) for over a year now, and I always take off my hat before I eat, but i never really considered taking it off indoors, but now that you point it out, it is pretty rude, so I won’t do that anymore, also I am definitely going to tip my hat up towards my friend every time I see her!
separates the boys from the men bring back the hat Trilby :::Trilby :::: Trilby
How about a Cowboy hat? Not a floppy dirty busted up straw hat that makes you look like a bum. A sharp beaver stetson or a crisp clean white straw hat.
I wish I could wear a nice hat… All I own are ball caps, and I hate ‘em… always have. My problem is that I wear glasses, and the light refracting off the dust (I’m a carpenter) on them is enough to drive me freakin’ nuts! Hence the cap. I’ve tried a flat cap, and comments like “nice fag hat” were enough to steer me away from that. I was a little insecure about it anyways… worried I looked a little goofy, certainly not main-stream.
My work wardrobe also doesn’t lend itself to a classy hat.
Sometimes being one with the herd really sucks.
I’m going to check into this…. I’m sick of wearing ugly old ball caps.
I disagree with the contention that a fedora is only a dress hat. I wear a fedora with jeans and either a collared shirt of a long sleeve t-shirt all the time. Lots of people do it. In short sleeve weather the hat stays home.
I wear a flat hat made in Ireland. I love it and many men in my area wear similar flat hats. The ones in the photo are larger than those I or other wear today. I think the Fedora is a fancier hat, and I will look into a porkpie as more casual. I think Johnny Depp wore one in Bennie and Joon. I love hats and look for them to come back into fashion for men.
Sirs -
I own two different trilbies (wide brim and stingy brim), an Akubra stockman’s hat, a homburg and a bowler (as well as a random selection of woollen caps).
I’ve worn them all at various times and I’ve discovered that the bowler (“derby”, for you folks across the Atlantic) actually suits me best.
I wear it every day at work (in an office) and I have had less “odd” looks or comments from people than when I wore the trilby (which is a _lot_ more mainstream, you’d think) and far less than when I tried wearing a homburg (comments varied from anti semitic comments to “Is that a top hat?”).
In hot summer weather (yes, we do get that in the UK occasionally!) I wear an Akubra Plainsman stockman’s hat which works just fine at keeping my face cool and in the shade.
I can also wear a hat when driving my car, since its a vintage model with low-backed seats and a high “ceiling”.
I believe the etiquette becomes confused when you consider shopping malls in particular – are they indoors or outdoors? Certainly, they are public places, but it always feels slightly awkward to come out of a shop into the mall areas and put your hat back on…
Cheers,
A.
I’m going to chime in also in favor of the trilby (aka the stingy-brim fedora). It is a very good hat for someone who isn’t used to hats where the brim goes all the way around. If you wear it tilted way back, it makes you look rather confident.
Unlike when I wear, for example, my bowler hat or ushanka, I have never once received a negative comment on my trilby. Plus you get a lot of “nice hat” comments. And it looks totally fine with a t-shirt.
I would never wear a felt hat with a t-shirt – unless it was a very sunny and hot day and I was wearing my stockman’s hat… I also don’t tilt my hats, as that really doesn’t seem to suit me.
The black fur-felt bowler is the only felt hat I’ve worn about which I have never had negative comments; I’m not certain if it is because a bowler now tends toward costume rather than dress, but most comments I have received have been along the lines of “kewl hat!”.
Dont forget the mistakenly named “Panama hat”, actually hand-made in Montecristi, Ecuador, extremely useful in hot weather to keep your head cool and to provide a good shade to your eyes…
Ah yes, but bear in mind the following:
http://thechap.net/content/section_news/?p=131
If Stephen Fry hates Panamas, what is the world coming to?
Cheers!
I just wanted to than k whoever made this website for all the info! =) it really helped me to learn about guys apparel. You see i was doing a research project on the 50s in school and i was writing about men’s apparel. I used all the info. Thank You so much =) If anyone has anymore info please contact me through my email. THANKS!!
i agree with TIM. If you wear a hat be sure to wear it right! Take it off during the national anthem and other anthems. You wanna wear a hat? Wear it right! thnx
There’s no reason to have only one hat for all occasions. I have an Irish wool driving cap for cool weather (great for walking the dog); a waxed canvas “Indiana Jones” style for rainy weather; a straw western hat for outside work in the summer, etc.
And from my grandfather, what seems like reverse logic: if you wear what would be a dress style hat, have two. A cheap felt one for going out to dinner, church, a movie; and an expensive fur felt one for everyday. The fur one will stand up to rough treatment and last forever, but may not look as good after a lot of abuse. The cheap one isn’t worn as much, so it doesn’t have to be so sturdy.
My belief is if you’re wearing a hat-for-fashion, the rest of your get-up has go along with it, otherwise it doesn’t work. Clothes, hair, accessories, shoes. So basically you have to be fashionable overall. Having said that, it’s a lot of time & money!
A lot of people don’t have time & money to spare. Therefore they have less frivolous things. Truly fashionable people nowadays are probably fashionable because of three reasons: A. they work in an industry that requires it, or B. they are rich enough to afford the luxury of extra time & money, C. or they have enough spare time to build their fashion collection, and do it cheaply.
Myself I lean towards practicality overriding fashion, mainly because of time, money and of how physically active I am. I commute by bicycle year round, even in winter blizzards. I play regular soccer matches every week. I work in computers, in an office building, yet I weld in my shop at home on a bi-daily basis. Wearing things like fedoras, nice shirt and pants… out of the question on regular days. They would get wrinkly or damaged way too quickly, and I would have to buy new crap all the time.
Only time I dress up more than a tshirt and ballcap is going out to a club once a month, or a nice date with a lady (which is too rare nowadays). When I do dress up, I turn heads.
I work in an office and wear a three piece suit and a bowler (and overcoat and umbrella, if bad or cold weather) during my working week.
But I don’t own enough slightly less formal clothing to wear that outside the office (and my wife would kill me!) – so during the weekend I wear jeans, shirt and a woolly cap (or stockman’s hat, if hot weather).
I couldn’t agree more with bringing back the hat, although in my opnion The best is probably from the borrowed from the mililtary depending on how macho you want to be??
1. The Scottish ‘Glengarry’
2. Aussie felt slouch hat (Kakadu hat)
3. The stetson.
4. The RCMP hat.
I like the idea, but I also wear a full beard, and I just don’t think a fedora looks as good on a man with facial hair as a clean shaven man. I’m not about to shave my beard just to wear a hat.
These discussions are all great and the consideration of wearing a hat is very personal.
First things first, @Chris, the proper response, IMHO, to the “nice fag cap” comment is a big smile and a “Thanks!”. If the comment doesn’t get your goat, it won’t be fun for him anymore.
I recently joined management, from the union, and now have to wear business casual. It’s nice “sorta” dressing up every day, I like it. I also found out I have no love of polo shirts, go figure.
Now to my point. Where can one find resources to determine which type of hat looks good with a certain head/face size/shape? I have a very round Germanic type face and a larger than average head (hat size 7 7/8 to 8). What styles would look good on me? Where I can go for guidance/info?
Thanks.
Obviously, I wore hats while in the military, but stopped when I retired. Then when I started having problems from an old head injury I was advised by medical personnel to protect my head from further “insults” by wearing headgear. I started wearing the flat “motoring” style and attracted little attention from anyone. Then, on impulse, I bought a felt hat with a fairly wide brim–almost, but not quiet a “cowboy” hat, tucked a short piece of peacock feather in the band and received compliments everywhere I went.
The only problem I’ve found is you can’t get then cleaned like my Dad used to. Dry cleaners just don’t do that any more. I now have a dozen or so hats I can wear only for yard work, and can’t make myself throw away. I would love any practical suggestions.
Oh yes! I also carry a cane–and no one ever laughs at that either. The two sort of go together, at least for me.
Notice every man wearing a hat in the article is also wearing a coat and tie. Hats look rediculous in casual clothes.
Proud owner (and wearer) of four fedoras, two flat caps, one bowler, one top-hat, and one traditional Bavarian hat from Munich!
This is one lady who enjoys seeing a man wearing a real hat. They are so classy and elegant.
Jarhead, a fedora shouldn’t look out of place with a collared shirt and pants. Shorts even, but I think your clothes should be pressed and clean to pull it off. I wear my fedora with a sport coat and whatever shirt underneath and it gets compliments often.
You’re right though, no tshirts and jeans with the fedora.
Old Grouch, you can call me young grouch, but depending on where you live, you should be able to find a hat cleaner. Can’t guarantee they’ll do a decent job, but, in my city there’s a clothing store catering to the Hispanic community and western styles and he said he could clean my hat. For that matter, if you have a western wear store in your area, they should be able to take care of any felt hat. When my wife and I were up visiting a store in a historical district near our city, I happened on a guy who actually makes hats from the felt up. I have a fedora that needs to be stretched out an eighth and he said he could do that without a problem and that he charges $10-$15 for a cleaning.
I never thought to ask if any of our local dry cleaners cleaned hats.
I grew up wearing hats, mostly baseball caps but as I got older I wore numerous different hats. Most notably the cowboy hat or when I was younger an Australian outback style hat. A number of years ago I stopped because I was getting headaches but since then in the last two years I have gone back to a simple, flexible, crushable felt cowboy hat, it has to be the most comfortable hat I have ever owned. I never leave for work without it and in the winter I will often wear a cleaner copy of my work hat out-and-about.
I love my hats!
I am 33, and have aleays been quite idiosyncratic in many ways. For me the main omittance in hat etiquette was this : Always remove your hat and stand still, observing the presence of a funeral procession, most people i know thinks I am weird for doing this, but whatever I am doing is put on hold whether or not I know the person who is about to be inhumed. It might have been your worst enemy for all you know, but a real man shows some respect and decorum for the bereft.
Good article on the whole, and by the way; everone with an interest in such things should try to make their own felt hat, millinery is quite hard work/fun, and sporting a hat you made yourself is damn satisfying..
I buy the majority of my hats from Goorin Bros. We’ll actually I buy them from a local shop called JazzMan but more frequently than not it’s a Goorin. They are well-crafted and offer many modern interpretations on hats & caps. http://www.goorin.com/hats/fedoras
Personally I get more compliments on my wardrobe, including my hats, than criticism. Though once I did get called a “faggot” for wearing a vest…. But I don’t worry about what people think so I wear my clothing with confidence.
Interesting article, but I still think 99.9% of guys trying to wear a fedora end up looking like a Britney Spears backup dancer…
If ever in the area of Wichita Kansas, go to Hat Man Jacks. Best hat shop in the midwest! I have bought a Derby and a Porkpie from Jack, he is a great source of knowledge about hats of all shapes and sizes!
While I used to abstain from head wear completely (I looked terrible in a ballcap, which was the go-to hat for my friends, so I thought I should wear one of those or nothing at all), I began experimenting with different hats in high school. I tried beanies, stingy brim fedoras, and trucker hats, and they were ok for a while. Now that I’m in college and can wear a hat to class, I have more freedom and thus, I can try more hats.
I fell in love with the fashions of the earlier 20th century recently, and have been wearing the hats from that period. So far my most common hat is an Ivy Cap. I have several and they go with just about anything, so they make for a reliable source of shade that also looks good. I also have a fedora that I wear on dressier days (in summer this usually means a short sleeve button-up and jeans, but I also wear it with my blazers) as well as a cowboy hat that I wear almost exclusively when my dad and I go riding.
Bryan, Tom Waits is the coolest man on the globe. I have seen him 2 time in concert. It was wonderful. My only regret is I did not take my then 8 year old son to see him at the Fox Theater here in Atlanta. would have been a perfect first show for the lad… Sonic Youth will have to do as his first show. Hats are great. I rock a felt Kango Dearing the colder months in the ATL.
see these all very good styles of hats but we are missing some panama hat styles which are very poplar. Can any one tell me a good place to find a fino panama hat?
It is not necessary for a man to remove his hat in an elevator (except perhaps if he’s Southern, and even with us it’s optional), or in any other public space, such as a railroad station, building lobby, or post office. Hat honor generally appertains to persons (or to revered entities like the dead, the deity, the law, one’s school, etc.), not to structures.
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