"Detectives Guide to Wearing Fedoras on the Case"

[The Good]

Excellent stuff. I enjoyed that a lot. Thanks for sharing!

Yeah, all of these tidbits on the Hat Squad are definitely fascinating! While I don't recall ever seeing that many detectives (at least knowingly) out in public, I don't think I can recall seeing a single one wearing a fedora. Usually just a suit, and sometimes not even that.

 

[Mr. 'H']

In honor of this thread, a little shot I took today with some "detective" friends....

You know the scene,

"Is he awake?
Yeah, he's awake.
We gotta tell ya something - your wife's been killed and you're under arrest for murder."

 

[ScionPI2005]

In honor of this thread, a little shot I took today with some "detective" friends....

You know the scene,

"Is he awake?
Yeah, he's awake.
We gotta tell ya something - your wife's been killed and you're under arrest for murder."

Very nice! I'd definitely be worried if I saw those three "mugs" looking down at me like that.

 

[Mr. 'H']

Very nice! I'd definitely be worried if I saw those three "mugs" looking down at me like that.

Haha! I thought you'd like this shot, being a PI 'n all!

Here's the scene I was trying to channel - when YOU look like this:

and THEY look like this:

 

[Atterbury Dodd]

Detectives guide: I wouldn't take the advice to buy a hat a half size small--It will not stay on your head better.

 

[ScionPI2005]

Those photos remind me of a few lines of dialogue from Richard Diamond, Private Detective: "A blunt object cracked the back of my skull and I went down like an express elevator..."

Or how about that black pool that keeps opening up at Phil Marlowe's feet in Murder My Sweet.

I tell you, working in criminology can be hazardous to one's head...

 

[Yeps]

"When he was done, an all-percussion symphony was playing in my head, and the acoustics were incredible. The orchestra went on a ten-city tour of my brain, and I had a season pass with front row seats."

 

[ScionPI2005]

"When he was done, an all-percussion symphony was playing in my head, and the acoustics were incredible. The orchestra went on a ten-city tour of my brain, and I had a season pass with front row seats."

Nice imagery!

"when I finally came to, it was like trying to walk through an acre of beach balls. I spit out some blood and knew it would be a while before my head returned to a normal circumference."

 

[Mr. 'H']

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

Ha! Those quotes are great!

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I live in Wichita KS, and our detectives dress for golf. Polo shirts with embroidered badge on it. Glocks hanging off belted Khaki pants. They may as well have just worn the full uniform. I ate lunch at the table next to three or four captains dress that way. I would have assumed they were mall cops, but they dress like our state police...

The last time I met the Decatur AL detectives, they at least looked the part (1992). One was wearing bad polyester and a brown leather overcoat.

Later

 

[cmalbrecht]

I ran across an old mail order detective school course once, and it recommended that while doing surveillance, an operative should wear a dark hat and suit to blend in with the crowd.
Ah, the good old days...!
An advantage to detectives wearing hats is the "signal". When you place your hat in the rear window of your vehicle, other officers know you're on stakeout or something where you don't want to be recognized, so they won't blow your cover. This would be particularly handy if you were interviewing a good-looking woman in her apartment.lol

 

[theinterchange]

Well, I'm not a police detective, but as a private investigator, I seldom ever wear one while working. That's because generally, I'm trying to blend in, and let's face it: fedoras don't help you blend in.

A very valid and real point.

I'm [sporadically] writing a collection of modern detective stories revolving around a single character, and one of the things he grapples with is his loss of individuality due to said chosen profession.

Randy

 

[Fletch]

It's particularly hard for police to blend in. Their training and culture today is more insular, bordering on the paramilitary. It affects their hair length, stance, body language, even body type, in a way that says "cop" very plainly.

 

[cmalbrecht]

Hi Randy, I wrote three novels with one police detective at the hub, but I think I'm pretty well burnt out on that one. By now I can't think of much else I could write about him as a person.
You're right in that in stories, detectives share so much in common that sometimes they're interchangeable. But the guy could have an unusual hobby, maybe he's an antique car buff, or has an idiosyncracy in speech, says "merely" a lot or something. One of mine flips houses as a part time job. I had another who's a French chef and talks like Hercule Poirot. Hey, maybe the guy could be in a wheelchair or something. He could walk with a cane, be very old or very young, even gay if you're into that.
Maybe a flamboyant dresser or the opposite. Very reculsive or the opposite.
Whatever. Just make sure the detective doesn't forget to wear his/her fedora or at least a trilby!

 

[scottyrocks]

Sorry to derail, but I love your avatar, cmalbrecht. Whered it come from?

 

[cmalbrecht]

I snapped it up on the Internet someplace. Don't remember where. I can send one to you if you want.

 

[Rat Pack]

That's such a great tradition!

And for those of who served to protect, I thank you for your service. (this is where I wish I had an icon of raising my glass to you all!).

 

[scottyrocks]

I snapped it up on the Internet someplace. Don't remember where. I can send one to you if you want.

Yes, thanks very much.

 

[ScionPI2005]

I snapped it up on the Internet someplace. Don't remember where. I can send one to you if you want.

That is a cool one. I may have to use that one for something sometime.

 

[rlandrews3rd]

My first couple of years as a detective I was in slacks and a tie, and could have worn a fedora if I'd wanted but was not into hats at that time. We had one detective that wore a porkpie all the time and looked pretty cool. I then went to a more plainclothes unit and spent a lot of time in and under stolen vehicles, so a hat was out of the equation. I'm now a patrol sergeant and in uniform all the time at work. If I go back to a plainclothes detail I'll wear one of my fedoras all the time!