Haters gotta hate. Or is it hatters?

[Wally in Cincy]

Maybe she had bad a experience in Philly or New York with a guy in a cheap stingy.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Maybe this is simply a manifestation of the old "Fedora = Pimp, or member of organized crime" syndrome ?
And it seems the writer assumes that everyone perceives fedora wearers in the same way.

 

[Fletch]

I suspect that the writer is making the common mistake of equating their own experience (the writer may have encountered a sleazy loon in a fedora) with a generally accepted "normal" experience.

This used to be a common mistake. In the internet age, I am afraid, it is not a mistake, but a strategy. After all, when anyone can express hi/r opinion, no one's opinion counts but the most outspoken.

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Somebody remind me why I should give a damn........

 

[danofarlington]

That's the one.



I suspect that the writer is making the common mistake of equating their own experience (the writer may have encountered a sleazy loon in a fedora) with a generally accepted "normal" experience.

In social science methodology, I believe this is called "the fallacy of composition."

 

[alanfgag]

The weakness of the piece and the inaptness of her metaphor and the fact that it is a strong message coming from a woman's voice notwithstanding, I am a little surprised that there is not more support of her point. But then I did spend a lot of time riding the L train at one point in time.

Last night I was out at our local market with my wife. I was wearing a 1930s Stetson that I thought was just the bomb. The only one to comment on it was an odd drunk fellow wearing a leather cowboy hat who wanted to know where I got mine.

Unfortunately, very few women post in the hat forum. I would be interested to hear their take on the this.

 

[rlk]

The piece does make sense and has a point but the use of the Fedora is pretty pointless and misplaced. Trying to be hip and clever perhaps but doing nothing for the message or style. As for the Chicago L, those that wear Fedoras are generally far better dressed and behaved than average.

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

Inmho its similar to blondes in pictures in negative story regarding.......insert negative stereotype here.

 

[SHOWSOMECLASS]

The classy stingy has its place. But most of the mall kiosk style stingy's are worn by people as shown in the piece.
Typically I see these people at the shopping mall. They most often smell like body odor and cigarrettes

 

[danofarlington]

We all need a thicker skin IMHO.

 

[Wally in Cincy]

The classy stingy has its place. But most of the mall kiosk style stingy's are worn by people as shown in the piece.
Typically I see these people at the shopping mall. They most often smell like body odor and cigarrettes

In Manhattan they sell those on every street corner. Perhaps our writer was the victim of a "street-corner stingy" dude

 

[newturnofphrase]

Most of you are older and don't follow internet trends. For some context, here's an article helps explain the online fedora backlash: http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/why-the-fedora-grosses-out-gee.html

 

[bowlerman]

I think I've seen three articles bashing people who wear fedoras, as if the authors have gotten to know all of them. I may be getting older, but not sure I can see an internet trend here.

Pardon my French, but the hat does not make the douchebag. The douchebag makes himself.

 

[Mulceber]

[sigh] I'd forgotten how ugly the internet can be.

 

[Fletch]

Part of what's getting under our sweats here is that the stereotypes are widely influential and the reality is anything but. We Loungers are essentially invisible.

 

[danofarlington]

Most of you are older and don't follow internet trends. For some context, here's an article helps explain the online fedora backlash: http://boingboing.net/2012/10/02/why-the-fedora-grosses-out-gee.html

Hey, bring it on. I fully support people who have strong opinions to blog them--why not? They think it, they can write it, it's a valid opinion. You're gonna have blowback with any style, especially hats, the most conspicuous article of clothing you could select. That's why it takes nerve to wear them.

 

[Walt]

Being hesitant to say anymore about this topic because it isn't clear if anything good can come from it I'll cautiously offer one final observation.

It seems most of the anti-hat backlash is geared to the under forty crowd by others under 40. Those of us over that age either are ignored or if not and in the unlikely event someone should try to give us crap about wearing a hat we just don't give a damn. I know I don't. Hell, I can cover up my bald spot any damn way I want! Though I would likely be wearing hats even without the bald spot--skin cancer avoidance namely. It doesn't bother me any regardless. ;-)

Sure, people are entitled to their opinions whether good or bad. Unfortunately at times the net is any easy way for biased or nonsense opinions to be propagated. No doubt there is also some legitimate criticisms about some of the under 40 crowd who happen to be wearing hats but it really isn't about the hat and more about the person wearing the hat and their behavior other than just the presence of a hat though these opinions often seem to have an anti-hat bias.

To the young fellows on this forum who are really who most of these "expert" articles are addressed to--say the ages of teens through thirties--I say wear your hats proudly and know that you are hat ambassadors. Keeping the tradition alive and representing it to others while showing to those who for whatever reason don't like it that it is not something to be feared, avoided or hated. BTW, if those people that don't like hats have no problem with other such common to see these days things like body piercings and numerous tattoos, etc why should they be bothered by a hat....but then maybe they are bothered by the other things and that's a whole different topic I don't want to join in on.

I am of course speaking as an American living in the USA as I have no first-hand knowledge of outside the USA and hat attitudes. I believe that is the source of these articles cited here.

Enough said. I hope to hear more from you lads wearing your hats in the other threads!

Wear them with pride and dress well!