Why All the Hate for Hats?

Hey all!

I wear hats on a regular basis; so I find it hard to understand the hate they usually get on online communities. I was hoping someone here could explain it to me. Could it be because there are too many "fedora guys" who throw on a a black triliby with a black t shirt and jeans and think that their Sinatra? Or is it due to guys who think they can wear a brown fedora and look like Indiana Jones?

While I do think that guys wearing hats like that look ridiculous, a hat that meets the formality of your outfit and suits your face usually seems to enhance a gents look, rather than detract from it. At least that's my opinion.


What do you all think?

Thanks for your time!

The problem is that it simply isn't a modern look, at all. Whether we like it or not, the men's hat is completely dead, and I doubt it will be making a strong comeback anytime soon.

It's like wearing a 1930's suit with extremely wide trousers, it is simply out of place in current menswear. Rather than looking like someone with a contemporary interpretation of classic style (Something I think most SF members strive for), a hat has the unfortunate tendency to make the wearer look like he's playing dress-up rather than just dressing well.

There are always exceptions, of course, Beppe Modenese for instance looks awesome in a hat. But I haven't seen many people under 75 who can pull off a hat without it looking forced or unnatural.

No hate for hats. Except for the tw*ts who wear trucker/baseball caps whilst eating food that requires cutlery.

Stilig said:

The problem is that it simply isn't a modern look, at all. Whether we like it or not, the men's hat is completely dead, and I doubt it will be making a strong comeback anytime soon.

It's like wearing a 1930's suit with extremely wide trousers, it is simply out of place in current menswear. Rather than looking like someone with a contemporary interpretation of classic style (Something I think most SF members strive for), a hat has the unfortunate tendency to make the wearer look like he's playing dress-up rather than just dressing well.

There are always exceptions, of course, Beppe Modenese for instance looks awesome in a hat. But I haven't seen many people under 75 who can pull off a hat without it looking forced or unnatural.

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You are entitled to your opinion. I, however, will continue to wear my straw hats in summer and my felt hats in winter. And if you think I'm playing dress up, well, I'm all out of f*cks to give.



Stilig said:

The problem is that it simply isn't a modern look, at all. Whether we like it or not, the men's hat is completely dead, and I doubt it will be making a strong comeback anytime soon. 

It's like wearing a 1930's suit with extremely wide trousers, it is simply out of place in current menswear. Rather than looking like someone with a contemporary interpretation of classic style (Something I think most SF members strive for), a hat has the unfortunate tendency to make the wearer look like he's playing dress-up rather than just dressing well. 

There are always exceptions, of course, Beppe Modenese for instance looks awesome in a hat. But I haven't seen many people under 75 who can pull off a hat without it looking forced or unnatural. 

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Bullshit.

Sam Hober said:

I love hats and I wear them outside year round as the weather is hot and sunny in the mountains where I live and work.

I don't wear pith helmets but some times when it is really hot I am tempted... Noi (my wife) looks at me in amazement at me when I suggest a pith helmet.

But I have heard about some websites that sell good quality pith helmets - suggestions gratefully accepted.

And we all know that possession is 9/10s of the law.

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I have a vietnamese-made pith helmet (but I can't remember where I got it). I wear it in the back yard and sometimes on photo excursions. If you use it properly, which is to say soak the helmet in water for 15-30 minutes to let the pith absorb as much water as possible, then it will be an utter revelation. The water evaporating from the pith lowers the temperature of your head by quite a bit. It's like wearing an air conditioner on your head. I know they look peculiar, especially these days, but once you understand how they were actually used, that doesn't matter at all. When it is super hot out, a pith helmet is astonishingly effective.

I see your point, but I do have to disagree with looking natural with a hat. If their wearing a hat for a purpose, young guys can look good with one. For example, protection from the sun, keeping your lid warm in the winter, etc. When worn with a specific purpose in mind, hats are just as timeless as one of Cary Grant's grey suits (in my opinion of course lol ).

Those are good points Mr. Hober.

And Mr. Andy57 - I never realized that Pith helmets had such a purpose - thanks for sharing!

Agreed @Chobochobo lol

"I have a vietnamese-made pith helmet (but I can't remember where I got it). I wear it in the back yard and sometimes on photo excursions. If you use it properly, which is to say soak the helmet in water for 15-30 minutes to let the pith absorb as much water as possible, then it will be an utter revelation. The water evaporating from the pith lowers the temperature of your head by quite a bit. It's like wearing an air conditioner on your head. I know they look peculiar, especially these days, but once you understand how they were actually used, that doesn't matter at all. When it is super hot out, a pith helmet is astonishingly effective."

So that's how the comrades of the Viet Minh were able to sustain the siege of Dien Bien Phu to a successful
conclusion.



AshtonMD said:

Hey all!

I wear hats on a regular basis; so I find it hard to understand the hate they usually get on online communities. I was hoping someone here could explain it to me. Could it be because there are too many "fedora guys" who throw on a a black triliby with a black t shirt and jeans and think that their Sinatra? Or is it due to guys who think they can wear a brown fedora and look like Indiana Jones?

While I do think that guys wearing hats like that look ridiculous, a hat that meets the formality of your outfit and suits your face usually seems to enhance a gents look, rather than detract from it. At least that's my opinion.


What do you all think?

Thanks for your time!

Click to expand...

Under 75 and looking good!!



Andy57 said:

I have a vietnamese-made pith helmet (but I can't remember where I got it). I wear it in the back yard and sometimes on photo excursions. If you use it properly, which is to say soak the helmet in water for 15-30 minutes to let the pith absorb as much water as possible, then it will be an utter revelation. The water evaporating from the pith lowers the temperature of your head by quite a bit. It's like wearing an air conditioner on your head. I know they look peculiar, especially these days, but once you understand how they were actually used, that doesn't matter at all. When it is super hot out, a pith helmet is astonishingly effective.

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Andy57,

You understand me exactly.

Pith helmets are very practical.

And I think it was pith helmets made in Vietnam were the most recent selection that I have heard of. I will do a Google search.

The styles differ so a choice has to be made.

I don't like the British empire style I do like Safari styles.

An interesting video:
[VIDEO]]

I'm not sure how anyone could claim that men's hats are dead with the explosion of styles that are available today. If I had to make a personal judgment on the state of headgear among men who care about clothing I'd say they are going through a renaissance. A man's hat doesn't have to be a 1930s style felt fedora. I wear mostly straw in the summer and wool flat caps in the winter. In fact, the only season I don't wear a hat is in those rare months where the weather is too perfect to care.

Hats are more popular now than they have been in more than 50 years. I conceive timeless more with mathematical elegance than to a styles popularity during a certain time. All Golden Ages are golden due to their innovation, elevation, and refinement of the cultural contributions. The style fedora I routinely wear is only 0.0037 away from the Golden Ratio of Beauty. That to me is timeless in of itself.