Why does the flat cap seem so ugly? I really dislike the look of that hat, and sadly it's the only one you said could be worn in more casual situations. Guess I won't be wearing a hat very often =/
KRS
· 1 year ago
Sometimes guys look ugly in flat caps. But sometimes they can really pull it off. Brad Pitt is a good example.
Dave
· 1 year ago
Bullet point #1 is incorrect, elevators and corridors are considered 'outdoors' and hats are worn in these locations. Brad Pitt doesn't count, hewould look good in any hat, even a propeller beanie.
Brett
· 1 year ago
@Dave-
"Miss Manners" disagrees. Although other etiquette gurus would agree with you that an elevator is is a public place. Still, even these recommend that gentlemen remove their hat when riding an elevator with a female.
Sarah
· 1 year ago
Great post. Why don't any of the AoM posts show the picture or article title when posting to Facebook?
Aaron Matthew Kaiser
· 1 year ago
Yes! I guess, as the article states, I am a trendsetter and have been wearing a fedora for years. It has become my trademark! (Being in the entertainment industry, I need one.) I actually have a fedora that I can wear with more casual attire (even a t-shirt and jeans), but when I appear in public in my suit and nicer fedora, I tend to turn heads. Here's a recent publicity shot to prove it:
(If the IMG code doesn't work, just go to the URL associated with my name and go to the "About" page to see the photo.)
[ Aaron Matthew Kaiser ] AntiKaiser Productions
P.S. I also try to follow a lot of the "manners" associated, but I don't remove my fedora simply because I have entered a room. As I mentioned, people know me because of my fedora. I do take it off if I'm in someone's home for a while or during a meal. I may be a bit sloppy in regards to these guidelines, but hey -- I'm an artist!
Chris Cree
· 1 year ago
Here in the South guys still wear hats a lot (go to a NASCAR race and see for yourself). But like you said it is mostly the boring ball cap.
Me, I mostly wear a hat in the morning just to cover up my bed head until I get into the shower to knock it down into submission.
For me there's a bit of a vanity angle in not wearing a hat. Sunlight is the only think keeping any blond in my hair. It's darkening up as I get older. Wearing a hat would only speed up the process.
film.geeks.talkshoe
· 1 year ago
What about the trin-corner hat? I'm going to bring those back into style!
Emma J.P
· 1 year ago
I totally agree, they need to have a come back! I'm not talking about the most awful looking bowler, the Charlie Chaplin look is so gross! Although a Frank Sinatra hat has a sexy edge to it and brings culture back into this culture deprived society. If only we could all remain in the good ol' days!
Pete
· 1 year ago
Nice article. I have often wondered why the hat went out of fashioned. I am 40 and grew up before cable when the "big 4" (ABC, NBC, CBS and whatever UHF channel you had access to) would show old movies from the 40's on weekends. I especially liked the old Abbott and Costello comedies (would you believe that they raised something like $4 billion dollars in todays rate for the county during WW2 selling war bonds, incredible). Does anyone remember the old "Susquehanna Hat Company" routine.
I would think that the hat was doomed by the counter culture of the 60's turning everything casual. You would occasionally see hats in movies up until the late 70's early 90's, mostly on police and criminals. The polices officer that investigated Charles Bronson in "Death Wish" comes to mind.
I wear a black fedora with my black suit when I know that I will be outside in the Fall or Winter with a overcoat, just seems to round the outfit out.
I also own and wear a kilt. Also making a comeback.
OKCCowboy
· 1 year ago
Well, also you forget about those of us in the western states and a nice straw western hat in the summer and an even nicer felt or better hat in the winter.
These look great with jeans & t-shirt or a nice hat always looks good with a suite.
Gogobot
· 1 year ago
Well fuck me, I'd better go and buy a hat before I get left behind by the stampede of sheep.
Tokio
· 1 year ago
I, personally, love top hats. I think eventually I'd like to save up some money and buy one, it'd be fun to wear around~
Mad Hatter
· 1 year ago
Yes yes yes. Go buy hats. Buy many many hats. There are big hats and small hats and hats of many colors. No man is complete without a hat. A man without a hat is like a crumpet without tea. The more hats the merrier I say!
Hat!
Hat!
Hat!
Hat!
BUY A HAT NOW.
Mark Rubin
· 1 year ago
Hitler wore a hat too. We all know how that turned out.
Steve
· 1 year ago
"While once mainstream, a man in a fedora is now seen as a trendsetter. "
No a man in a fedora is seen as being out of style. Real men don't accessorize.
Russian Spammer
· 1 year ago
Do women mock your small hat?
Trever
· 1 year ago
Now, if you *really* want to start restoring classical male styles, the next thing to do is bring the pipe back into the mainstream...
Maximus
· 1 year ago
I have a fedora made out of pubic hairs harvested from silverback gorillas.
CS
· 1 year ago
I suppose it depends on the circle and circumstances. A lumberjack is probably not going to wear a fedora. However for many men that work in business or in more casual jobs there is nothing out of style about wearing a hat. I have worn a fedora or a flat cap for some years and im only 31 and any uncomfort in social situations is usually on the part of others. I don't concern myself with minor accessorizing-I have watches for different occasions dress, work, mowing the yard, whatever. I think your 'real men don't accessorize' comment may reflect you, but I would hesitate applying it to an entire demographic.
No Trilby in this list is a bit of a let down, I have one myself & should wear it more often.
Mr Jolie
· 1 year ago
I would guess that hats went out of style at the same time that longer hair on men came into style. All those WWII era buzz cuts disappeared and men no longer needed hats to keep their heads warm. In fact with longer hair styles, hats become more uncomfortable.
Also, never underestimate the influence of Hollywood and the movies on culture and fashion. Hats were definitely an east coast influence and as television and movies sprung largely from the warmer (and largely rainless, snowless) west coast, hats would show up less in movies and fashion would follow suit.
"No a man in a fedora is seen as being out of style. Real men dont accessorize."
It's true. I'm 19 and I wear a fedora alot. Most of my friends just mock me and tell me I'm out of style. But like the article says, I'm trying to be a trend setter. I do get some compliments on it though.
Graham
· 1 year ago
You forgot to mention the Trilby, which I believe is what Sinatra is wearing in the final pic. It's very similar to a Fedora, the notable difference is the narrow brim.
Kris
· 1 year ago
What about the top hat?
I wouldn't mind popping on the bowler for the walk to the bus stop in the morning!
Chris Morrell
· 1 year ago
Hats are just like all other "odd" accessories and haircuts. For about a month I had my hair in a mohawk with trimmed sides and it got a lot of comments, attention, and people blatantly staring. Just like a hat, when something doesn't conform with everyone else's expectations they will stare, express interest, and generally act a fool. I might have to source out a beat up fedora, could be fun to add with my blazer that I wear on colder days. With the mohawk most guys thought it was great, girls were much less interested(though some initiated a conversation just because of the hair), and my employer wasn't a fan as he didn't deem it professional.
One notable omission from the list is the classic Trilby. Though close in style to the Fedora, it is a different shape entirely. It can also be broad in the brim or stylishly narrow.
One item neglected in the article is hat care - very few places provide hat stands nowadays.
Upon reading this, I took time out to view a few classic noir-ish movies noted for the plethora of hat-wearing dudes. In many instances, hat care was poor as the titfers on display were rumpled, ill formed, creased and lumpy in appearanc. This is not good.
Also, no aspiring hat wearer sill look good in the combination of chapeau and jewellery, be it earring, nose stud or ear grommet.
Keith
· 1 year ago
My signature in college was the trucker hat. When I bump into people that I haven't seen since college, they always remind me of those gaudy things. It's interesting to know that some men started to wear hats to cover their receding hairline. I stopped wearing hats almost completely because of my thinning hair. I guess I got tired of taking off my hat to find lots of loose hair on the inside. Now, I only wear visors or beanies (when it's really cold). Good article.
when I wear a hat it's so hot in Texas it makes my hair stink so I don't bother
Boniface
· 1 year ago
The trick is washing your hair.
masterx
· 1 year ago
Hey you forgot to mention Indiana Jones! Wouldn't be the same without his hat.
Scott
· 1 year ago
Um. No.
It'd be great if hats came back, but since most men trounce around in the world in jeans and t-shirts, it's unlikely that anything as stylish and classic as hats (let alone buttoned shirts or slacks) is coming back anytime soon.
James
· 1 year ago
I would suggest that hats went out of fashion for two reasons:
a.) the etiquette requirement that the hat be removed when indoors is nothing short of a pain in the ass. Get rid of that expectation and we'll talk.
b.) men's hair is now in much more complex, long styles. This is semi-related to a.) for me personally. I never could wear hats because my curly hair would always get flattered in a terrible way under the hat--so once I had a hat on, I wanted to wear it the entire time.
Mrblue
· 1 year ago
Yes... Bring back the raver cat in the hat hat ... Or mid 90s ganster look with the skull cap....
Kaitlin Duck Sherwood
· 1 year ago
Shadows and headrests.
It not impossible, but it is difficult to light a TV/movie actor who is wearing a hat. The shadows get in the way. Thus Hollywood stopped showing men wearing hats, which meant that it became uncool. (Note: glasses are also difficult to deal with because of reflections. Glasses became uncool too.)
It is not really possible to wear a hat with a brim in the back in a modern car. The back-brim gets in the way. I believe this is why baseball hats are still popular while no other hats are -- baseball hats have no back brim, hence no trouble wearing them while driving.
Azrael Brown
· 1 year ago
I've worn a fedora since the late 80s, when I was in my teens (yes, I'm an odd one). they're hard to find these days, because there are fewer men's specialty stores than ever before -- nice hats are hard to come by.
She was one of the companies in the Clinton Foundation's Urban Entrepreneur Initiative.
Akin
· 1 year ago
I have worn hats for about 13 years now and I have in my collection a trilby, a fedora, my trusty bowler for windy and cold winter days, an akubra, an a variation on the pork pie which my milliner in Cologne made for me.
I very well agree that hats should return, it might make people dress up better.
Nice article.
Leisureguy
· 1 year ago
You left out: Never put your hat on the bed. (Bad luck, similar to opening an umbrella in the house.)
All that, and not a word on the boonie cap, a true 20th century original.
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· 1 year ago
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Bill Sither
· 1 year ago
Excellent article! Except, of course, for this last bit of nonsense: "Remove your hat during the national anthem and place it over your heart."
For a woman, perhaps. In the name of idolatry? Never.
Caryl Johnston
· 1 year ago
Excellent piece about hats - the same is true for ladies' hats. The decline of hats correlates with the rise of materialism. A hat is an echo - rather like a halo or a crown - of a spiritual realm (in technical terms, the etheric realm) which mediates between the physical and the true spiritual world. When human beings lost their connection with the spirit (even unconsciously) hats went out of style. A person wanting to wear a hat today perhaps feels the need to "protect" or cover his or her etheric body. The protection of "warmth" even symbolically will be important as we attempt to move beyond the zero point of materialism.
Corbett Coburn
· 1 year ago
A hat is a damned nuisance. Suppose you go out to eat wearing a hat. You can't wear the damned thing while you're eating, but there's no place to put it. You can't put it on the table. You can't put it under your chair without getting it crushed. Got to a movie & it's the same thing.
In the 1930's & 40's they had the infrastructure for taking care of hats (i.e., the hatcheck girl). Hatcheck girls have largely disappeared & unless they make a comeback (and they won't), then hats aren't practical.
T. Szurek
· 1 year ago
I disagree that the decline of hat-wearing correlates with the rise of materialism. The decline of hats correlates with the decline of manners.
Caslon
· 1 year ago
Why not bring back the codpiece, while we're at it.
Crow
· 1 year ago
Not a fan of men without hats?
Bert
· 1 year ago
I think you got part of the National Anthem etiquette wrong. As a matter of etiquette, you should remove your hat during the anthem, but neither one's hand nor one's hat should be placed of the heart. That is for the Pledge of Allegiance.
As a matter of principle, I agree with Bill.
john
· 1 year ago
Correlates with the rise in materialism? WTF? So deciding NOT to buy a fancy ass hat to wear with an expensive suit, shows a RISE in materialism, thats some f'd up logic.
Holy Jehosophat
· 1 year ago
I have been wearing hats for about a decade now. However in anticipation of a comeback in fashion I am growing out my hair and thinking of what headwear I can get rid of. We contrarians have to watch the barometer of style just like everyone else.
John Redman
· 1 year ago
I feel (believe) that hats cut circulation to the scalp and shorten hair life (lead to premature baldness). Won't wear one except for bike helmet. I don't seek "style" anyway, so I don't even lose that.
RC
· 1 year ago
Yes, if a lady enters the elevator...the hat should be removed.
T.T.Tomko
· 1 year ago
To All you Hatless Hoi Polloi:
To answer the question: Why don't men wear hats today? They're just too damn expensive. You can't get a decent hat for less than $250. I know the dollar is being debauched by the gang in D.C., but geez, $250?
I've worn hats for decades, both in summer and winter. Wouldn't be caught dead without one. In fact, I wear a different hat every day of the work week. I am the only guy in downtown Denver that wears a hat consistently. People look at me rather strangely; the women look and smile. I have the fedora, the Homberg, two in fact, and a rancher's 4X. As for the hat reappearing, I doubt it. This is the age of informality, immorality and total ignorance about what is really going on in the U.S.A. The mass man uniform is the uniform of the day, blue jeans, white sneakers and a short-sleeved polo shirt. Sic transit gloria!
Harry
· 1 year ago
I'm in my mid-1940s and have worn a fedora or variation for more than 20 years--even before my hair began to recede--in part to look more the part when beginning as a journalist. I flirted with hat wearing in college, too.
Hats add dash, class and distinction, and finish off a "look." I wear mine enough that around my town I am "the guy who wears that hat." And my wife can locate me better in crowds.
I also find that late at night, in some establishments, young women who are sufficiently into their enjoyment, all the sudden find my hat attractive and want to wear it while dancing. I have to watch this; the hat could walk off on somebody else's pretty head. And some women look smashing in brimmed hats.
My wife also inherited a couple of straw trilbys from her Mississippi grandfather that I love, but she is disinclined to let me wear them as they are, well, quite old.
I try to follow the rules about hats in various public spaces, except in crowded galleries and such, or where there isn't a nearby hat hook. I consider corridors and elevators outdoors. Once I get to where I'm going, the hat for the most part goes elsewhere and off my noggin. I don't see the complaints about where to put the hat indoors; I've stowed my hat under my seat in restaurants often enough. Yes, your hair can get messy--this is why the marvelous comb is good to carry.
I've bought of my favorite hats at vintage stores, where some repros cost less than $60. I couldn't spend $250 on a hat.
Film.geeks.tahoe mentioned the three-cornered hat. I wore those, too, when doing living history and had one made, still have it, and wear it for parties and such. My wife painted me wearing it for a recent exhibition. (http://amieoliver.net/)
Brett
· 1 year ago
@Frank-
Thank you for those great links. I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what makes hats so fantastic, but those articles articulated it perfectly. Since we've now covered the "how" of hats, I think I will incorporate those articles into a follow-up post that will explain the "whys" of hat wearing.
KevinK
· 1 year ago
I'm a hat guy. I have a hard time not buying a hat whenever I'm in a hat store or see a hat vendor. Although none are particularly expensive, they are fun to wear. A good place for some interesting head wear is at a Jazz fest. I have a pork pie hat for the Monterey Jazz Fest. Although the topic is hats, what about berets and caps? John Wayne wore a beret (a green one). The baseball cap often is the acceptable headgear for movie directors for some reason.
Mark
· 1 year ago
I've been wearing a flat brim cap, and occaisionally my Stetson (cowboy hat), for a couple years now. I also have a corn cob pipe which I carry with me from time to time, also for about two years. Consider me ahead of the curve!
Rodney
· 1 year ago
I wear a hat all the time. Unfortunately, I don't usually follow hat etiquette because my particular hat leaves a mushroom-like shape to my hair. What I'd like to see is an article about keeping your hair presentable under a hat.
Pete
· 1 year ago
I love my trilby, but I have had so much criticism because I wear a trenchcoat with it. My mrs says she won't go out with me dressed like that and says I get strange looks and I look wierd, someone told me I look homosexual, althugh 2 ppl say I look very smart, others say it looks ridiculous....its a damn shame because I love the dress code of the 50s 60s press/business/private detective style. Maybe I am pushing it a bit for 2008, I would like your honest opinions, I am thick skinned and can take a lot of flak before being offended, so fire away, I need o find a level of acceptance for this dress code/statement.
I love my trilby, but I have had so much criticism because I wear a trenchcoat with it. I have been called a flasher. My mrs says she won't go out with me dressed like that and says I get strange looks and I look wierd, someone told me I look homosexual, although some ppl say I look very smart, others say it looks ridiculous....its a damn shame because I love the dress code of the 50s 60s press/business/private detective style. Maybe I am pushing it a bit for 2008, I would like your honest opinions, I am thick skinned and can take a lot of flak before being offended, so fire away, I need o find a level of acceptance for this dress code/statement.
Speaking as the owner of a wide variety of hats, with a preference for fedoras, I'm happy to see proper headgear getting its deserved nod on this blog of manliness. I do hope it sees a resurgence, I've been saying it'll come back for a couple years now. Though perhaps that's just wishful thinking on my fashion-deprived part.
Mark
· 1 year ago
I wear a beret that I bought in Italy (over 2 years ago) almost every day. I'm an artist, but despite the cliche, no one seems to wear them anymore. But for me, it's comfortable, flexible and has become a signature item.
Dany
· 1 year ago
Keeping the crease: Oh yes ! I've been an advocate for wearing hats, in particular the good old Fedora ever since my teens in the 80's. As you said: it's not only stilish, its first of all especially functional. I've owned a great white Stetson, a Black Gatsby and some others and wore'm all to shreds. After a few sad Fedora-less years (hard to find a good - second hand - hat: key is the exact right size) Many a person has asked me:"How do you keep the characteristic shape so well defined ? We've tried everything from starch and careful only touching the sides to clothespins and what all, but it allways loses the shape in wich it was bought". The answer is so obviously simple: It's also a just plain functional consequence of the proper way to handle it. You said:"Pick it up by the top to lift", this doesn't go for a Fedora. The key is, as I've learned from Bogart long ago (You should also write an article about manly smoking: Humph has the perfect technique which I learned to master) to pick it up from the front, also when handling it putting it on or of (never pick it by the brim, it makes it sloppy): Thumb in one dent, middle finger in the other, index finger in the valley. Presto ! Love the website !
Dany
· 1 year ago
After: ..."a few sad Fedora-less years..." it should have said:"I am now again the proud owner of an amazing green velvet German make.
Matt Nelson
· 1 year ago
The reason the hat will never come back is that we shower daily and wash our hair. Men in the early decades of this century bathed maybe once per week, if that much. It was seen as vain to bath more often. The hair was greased/brylcreem and hats were worn as a type of cover. This has seen a resurgence in the 90's with the gel- combed forward hair cover by ball caps to keep the hair protected. It's a wet look thing unlikely to return
Mens Hats Guru
· 1 year ago
This is music to my ears. Hats are starting to show up everywhere. Guys like Clooney and Pitt are making the traditional Fedora's and Caps look great again!!! It is just ashame that many of the better hat makers have gone away. At least hatmakers like Borsalino, Biltmore and Stetson are still around to see this.
Alex
· 1 year ago
Oh, screw hats - except functionally, for protection from heat or cold. Fashion is for the insecure and brainwashed.
Milo Kappinwood
· 1 year ago
In Regards To the Flat Hat,
I think we should get all our priests wearing those again ala Bing Crosby/Father O'Malley in "Going My Way." Seriously, the black cassock/flathat combo has not yet been surpassed from what I've seen in terms of general classiness, approachability, eccentricity and all around awesomeness.
Tim Worstall
· 1 year ago
Hmm, I would say that what Sinatra is wearing above isa trilby, not a fedora. The distinction is in the size (width) of the brim.
sash
· 1 year ago
I'd have to say that the fedora has risen and died again, thanks to hipsters. it's no longer trend setting, just irritating.
I might have to go with porkpie.
Jay Gatsby
· 1 year ago
One of the most fun hats left out from here is the scally cap. Often worn by the Irish in the years past, you have to have a certain attitude and look to wear it, and if you do it is badass
Pete
· 1 year ago
I would like to see a scally cap, would you by any chance have a pic of one or link? Was this the one that had a pip in the top and looked like a flattened pumpkin?
Pete
· 1 year ago
Found them, but I'm not impressed. They appear to be no different than what old men wear in the country for the toffs.
Pete
· 1 year ago
I thought they would have been more like those big things with pips in the middle that they wore in Chicago in the 20s
Michael Pastukhov
· 1 year ago
Where can I purchase a flat cap like the ones in the picture?
Brett McKay
· 1 year ago
@Michael-
I'm a fan of dadshats.com. Good selection and a wide variety of quality and price.
HETTIE
· 1 year ago
I WOULD LIKE TO MAKE MY OWN HATS
deanna davidson
· 1 year ago
i lik the hats they are very cool
smsoom
· 1 year ago
Sometimes guys look ugly in flat caps. But sometimes they can really pull it off.
Nothing can impart personality except having one. That is the heart of being a man.
Ethan Shuster
· 1 year ago
I think the hats went away when dressing up went away. People used to get dressed up to got out to eat, to go see a movie, to go to a baseball game, going to church. That just doesn't happen anymore. I actually wouldn't mind putting on a suit to go out.
CARSON 44
· 1 year ago
I agree with all that Ethan Shuster has to add. I also recall when the dress-down era started, 1965. We all, as early 20 year olds wore sport coat, or suits, when we went out. I wore a suit to work. But even then hats were not in style for our age group. The era that fought WWII still wore hats, and perhape the transition to the youth culture, is what sounded the death null to this item. As a practical matter for me a hat has been a necessity when the temperature gets below 25. It has always amused me how people will go bareheaded in these cold temperatures to remain true to what they believe is their style.
Max
· 1 year ago
If you have a healthy head of hair, why would you cover it up?
angel
· 1 year ago
I am 30 and have taken to wearing khakis/button shirt/tie/fedora or flat hat to work and, let me tell you...it WORKS. I get compliments constantly. And, to be honest, I get treated differently in public. People say "sir" and things of that nature. You feel as if you have more gravitas. I have always done hats (for about 12 years since college...we had a J. Press that had an excellent hat collection) but the whole ensemble is both easy to pull off, cheap (old navy khakis and some dress shirts from macys), and BOOM...you are distinctive in a crowd.
Doug
· 1 year ago
"Obviously you cannot pair a fedora with jeans and a polo. They are only an appropriate accent for dressier outfits"
Of course men should wear hats! Its what completes the outfit of anyone with style. I'm a lady and I leave house rarely without wearing a hat.
Feng
· 1 year ago
Of all the manly men pictured above, only Gene Hackman and Al Pacino are still alive.
Don't wear a hat ... unless you want to die.
Bryan
· 1 year ago
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.
Tom
· 1 year ago
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.
Tom
· 1 year ago
“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.
Brett McKay
· 1 year ago
@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.
Rudolf
· 1 year ago
Thanks for great article. We are running on-line hat shop 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.
Jared E. Mason
· 1 year ago
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.
Brett
· 1 year ago
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.
Mike
· 1 year ago
"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_...
Lance
· 1 year ago
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?
John of Indiana
· 1 year ago
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.
Baniz
· 1 year ago
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.
Baniz
· 1 year ago
By the way don't listen to John of Indiana's advice
ss
· 1 year ago
Thanks for reading. I’m glad you like the site and I’m happy you’re helping bring back the hat
دردشه
· 1 year ago
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
Kit
· 1 year ago
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.
LT Dan
· 1 year ago
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.
Patrick
· 1 year ago
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.
Alan
· 1 year ago
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)
Noah
· 1 year ago
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.
Adam
· 1 year ago
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.
Christopher
· 1 year ago
@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.
Brett
· 1 year ago
@Alex-
A flat cap or a casual looking trilby work very well with a t-shirt and jeans.
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.
Michael L.
· 1 year ago
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.
anthony
· 1 year ago
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
sassy
· 1 year ago
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.
peter
· 1 year ago
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.
ntopics
· 1 year ago
Hats are cool. Keep your head warm and the sun out of your eyes too.
thanks from tony
dave
· 1 year ago
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.
Nigel
· 1 year ago
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.
Brian
· 1 year ago
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".
Sgt. Major.
· 1 year ago
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!!!!!
Martin
· 11 months ago
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!
Trish
· 11 months ago
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...
Oscar
· 11 months ago
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.
Gregg Bergan
· 11 months ago
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.
Gilgamark
· 11 months ago
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.
Trish
· 11 months ago
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.
Eric
· 11 months ago
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.
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.
Rob Diablo
· 9 months ago
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.
Pat
· 9 months ago
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.
Tate
· 9 months ago
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.
Jack
· 9 months ago
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.
All Comments
Brad Pitt doesn't count, hewould look good in any hat, even a propeller beanie.
"Miss Manners" disagrees. Although other etiquette gurus would agree with you that an elevator is is a public place. Still, even these recommend that gentlemen remove their hat when riding an elevator with a female.
(If the IMG code doesn't work, just go to the URL associated with my name and go to the "About" page to see the photo.)
[ Aaron Matthew Kaiser ]
AntiKaiser Productions
P.S. I also try to follow a lot of the "manners" associated, but I don't remove my fedora simply because I have entered a room. As I mentioned, people know me because of my fedora. I do take it off if I'm in someone's home for a while or during a meal. I may be a bit sloppy in regards to these guidelines, but hey -- I'm an artist!
Me, I mostly wear a hat in the morning just to cover up my bed head until I get into the shower to knock it down into submission.
For me there's a bit of a vanity angle in not wearing a hat. Sunlight is the only think keeping any blond in my hair. It's darkening up as I get older. Wearing a hat would only speed up the process.
I'm not talking about the most awful looking bowler, the Charlie Chaplin look is so gross! Although a Frank Sinatra hat has a sexy edge to it and brings culture back into this culture deprived society. If only we could all remain in the good ol' days!
I would think that the hat was doomed by the counter culture of the 60's turning everything casual. You would occasionally see hats in movies up until the late 70's early 90's, mostly on police and criminals. The polices officer that investigated Charles Bronson in "Death Wish" comes to mind.
I wear a black fedora with my black suit when I know that I will be outside in the Fall or Winter with a overcoat, just seems to round the outfit out.
I also own and wear a kilt. Also making a comeback.
These look great with jeans & t-shirt or a nice hat always looks good with a suite.
Hat!
Hat!
Hat!
Hat!
BUY A HAT NOW.
No a man in a fedora is seen as being out of style. Real men don't accessorize.
"People aren't wearing enough hats." - Monty Python
Also, never underestimate the influence of Hollywood and the movies on culture and fashion. Hats were definitely an east coast influence and as television and movies sprung largely from the warmer (and largely rainless, snowless) west coast, hats would show up less in movies and fashion would follow suit.
http://www.davebrownhats.com/
It's true. I'm 19 and I wear a fedora alot. Most of my friends just mock me and tell me I'm out of style. But like the article says, I'm trying to be a trend setter. I do get some compliments on it though.
I wouldn't mind popping on the bowler for the walk to the bus stop in the morning!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n3rzUi7FytI
Though close in style to the Fedora, it is a different shape entirely.
It can also be broad in the brim or stylishly narrow.
One item neglected in the article is hat care - very few places provide hat stands nowadays.
Upon reading this, I took time out to view a few classic noir-ish movies noted for the plethora of hat-wearing dudes. In many instances, hat care was poor as the titfers on display were rumpled, ill formed, creased and lumpy in appearanc.
This is not good.
Also, no aspiring hat wearer sill look good in the combination of chapeau and jewellery, be it earring, nose stud or ear grommet.
http://userpic.livejournal.com/9731218/975537
It'd be great if hats came back, but since most men trounce around in the world in jeans and t-shirts, it's unlikely that anything as stylish and classic as hats (let alone buttoned shirts or slacks) is coming back anytime soon.
a.) the etiquette requirement that the hat be removed when indoors is nothing short of a pain in the ass. Get rid of that expectation and we'll talk.
b.) men's hair is now in much more complex, long styles. This is semi-related to a.) for me personally. I never could wear hats because my curly hair would always get flattered in a terrible way under the hat--so once I had a hat on, I wanted to wear it the entire time.
It not impossible, but it is difficult to light a TV/movie actor who is wearing a hat. The shadows get in the way. Thus Hollywood stopped showing men wearing hats, which meant that it became uncool. (Note: glasses are also difficult to deal with because of reflections. Glasses became uncool too.)
It is not really possible to wear a hat with a brim in the back in a modern car. The back-brim gets in the way. I believe this is why baseball hats are still popular while no other hats are -- baseball hats have no back brim, hence no trouble wearing them while driving.
http://www.harlemsheaven.com/hats-mens
She was one of the companies in the Clinton Foundation's Urban Entrepreneur Initiative.
I very well agree that hats should return, it might make people dress up better.
Nice article.
I've never heard that one before Leisureguy. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks for sharing the link!
For a woman, perhaps. In the name of idolatry? Never.
In the 1930's & 40's they had the infrastructure for taking care of hats (i.e., the hatcheck girl). Hatcheck girls have largely disappeared & unless they make a comeback (and they won't), then hats aren't practical.
As a matter of principle, I agree with Bill.
To answer the question: Why don't men wear hats today? They're just too damn expensive. You can't get a decent hat for less than $250. I know the dollar is being debauched by the gang in D.C., but geez, $250?
I've worn hats for decades, both in summer and winter. Wouldn't be caught dead without one. In fact, I wear a different hat every day of the work week. I am the only guy in downtown Denver that wears a hat consistently. People look at me rather strangely; the women look and smile. I have the fedora, the Homberg, two in fact, and a rancher's 4X. As for the hat reappearing, I doubt it. This is the age of informality, immorality and total ignorance about what is really going on in the U.S.A. The mass man uniform is the uniform of the day, blue jeans, white sneakers and a short-sleeved polo shirt. Sic transit gloria!
Hats add dash, class and distinction, and finish off a "look." I wear mine enough that around my town I am "the guy who wears that hat." And my wife can locate me better in crowds.
I also find that late at night, in some establishments, young women who are sufficiently into their enjoyment, all the sudden find my hat attractive and want to wear it while dancing. I have to watch this; the hat could walk off on somebody else's pretty head. And some women look smashing in brimmed hats.
My wife also inherited a couple of straw trilbys from her Mississippi grandfather that I love, but she is disinclined to let me wear them as they are, well, quite old.
I try to follow the rules about hats in various public spaces, except in crowded galleries and such, or where there isn't a nearby hat hook. I consider corridors and elevators outdoors. Once I get to where I'm going, the hat for the most part goes elsewhere and off my noggin. I don't see the complaints about where to put the hat indoors; I've stowed my hat under my seat in restaurants often enough. Yes, your hair can get messy--this is why the marvelous comb is good to carry.
I've bought of my favorite hats at vintage stores, where some repros cost less than $60. I couldn't spend $250 on a hat.
Film.geeks.tahoe mentioned the three-cornered hat. I wore those, too, when doing living history and had one made, still have it, and wear it for parties and such. My wife painted me wearing it for a recent exhibition. (http://amieoliver.net/)
Thank you for those great links. I couldn't quite put my finger on exactly what makes hats so fantastic, but those articles articulated it perfectly. Since we've now covered the "how" of hats, I think I will incorporate those articles into a follow-up post that will explain the "whys" of hat wearing.
http://www.telewester.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/imag...
http://www.telewester.pwp.blueyonder.co.uk/imag...
The answer is so obviously simple: It's also a just plain functional consequence of the proper way to handle it. You said:"Pick it up by the top to lift", this doesn't go for a Fedora. The key is, as I've learned from Bogart long ago (You should also write an article about manly smoking: Humph has the perfect technique which I learned to master) to pick it up from the front, also when handling it putting it on or of (never pick it by the brim, it makes it sloppy): Thumb in one dent, middle finger in the other, index finger in the valley. Presto !
Love the website !
I think we should get all our priests wearing those again ala Bing Crosby/Father O'Malley in "Going My Way." Seriously, the black cassock/flathat combo has not yet been surpassed from what I've seen in terms of general classiness, approachability, eccentricity and all around awesomeness.
I might have to go with porkpie.
Often worn by the Irish in the years past, you have to have a certain attitude and look to wear it, and if you do it is badass
I'm a fan of dadshats.com. Good selection and a wide variety of quality and price.
http://www.roo7oman.com/vb
As a practical matter for me a hat has been a necessity when the temperature gets below 25. It has always amused me how people will go bareheaded in these cold temperatures to remain true to what they believe is their style.
Sombody forgot to tell Indiana Jones.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/retro_mark/1934806...
Greetings: Mark Davids
Its what completes the outfit of anyone with style.
I'm a lady and I leave house rarely without wearing a hat.
Don't wear a hat ... unless you want to die.
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.
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.
We are running on-line hat shop 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 absolutely love this site and all of it's goings-on. Great job.
It's funny.... some people think hats are terribly outdated, but like you, whenever I wear mine I get nothing but compliments on it.
http://i261.photobucket.com/albums/ii53/greasy_...
Baseball caps in nice restaurants or the theater; do I have permission to knock that stupid piece of crap off your stupid head?
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.
دردشه
http://www.roo7oman.com
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.
Bring back HATS. All the best Alan.
( better known as Al the hat)
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.
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.
A flat cap or a casual looking trilby work very well with a t-shirt and jeans.
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.
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.
out of your eyes too.
thanks from tony
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".
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.
Here a nice post about Frank's Hat
http://www.dominichalpin.com/site/Franks_Hat.html
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.
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 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.