Hats or Shades

[rcfko]

I am questioning whether it is alright to wear sunglasses while wearing a hat such as an Ivy, Newsboy, or Fedora type brimmed headgear. Do you think that sunglasses defeat the purpose of hats because hats are designed to help protect us from the weather, whether sun, wind, snow, or rain.

 

[rcfko]

Personally I believe that unless you are wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and hats should remain separated and never be seen on the same head at the same time.

 

[Big_e]

I vote both. A hat will keep the sun, rain, wind and cold off your head. Sunglasses protect from the sunglare and windborne debris. I always wear both when needed.
Ernest

 

[HeyMoe]

Hats (any brimmed type) will keep the sun out of my eyes but do little for road glare. Also my eyes are pretty sensitive to bright light so I wear shades as a comfort item.

 

[DAJE]

Hats and sunglasses do different things. They protect you in different ways. In an environment of harsh sunlight and very high UV, like Australia, you'd be a fool not to wear both a hat and sunglasses on sunny days.

So, on a practical level, both at once is best. I'm assuming the question is meant to be about aesthetics rather than practical benefits. In matters of taste, there are no absolutes: these sorts of questions seem to be raised here on the FL on a regular basis, and the only worthwhile answer is that if you like the look, fine. If you don't, also fine.

There are no rules to wearing clothes, only guidelines. Do what works for you and don't give a moment's thought to the sort of people who wish to dictate what other people are "allowed" to wear.

 

[Tomasso]

Personally I believe that unless you are wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and hats should remain separated and never be seen on the same head at the same time.

Why?

 

[rcfko]

Mainly aesthetics. I don't believe there are many vintage movies or movies about the golden era showing men wearing a hat and sunglasses at the same time so I think it looks a little funny. I dislike the look on my own head. Sunglasses works very well for me when I drive as the glare from the snow and ice on the road gets pretty bad. But when I leave my car, usually just my fedora stays with me and the sunglasses stay in the car.

I can see sunglasses with driving cap, but have a harder time picturing it with a wide brim fedora.
I started this poll to see what other's opinions are. =)

 

[Tomasso]

I don't believe there are many vintage movies or movies about the golden era showing men wearing a hat and sunglasses at the same time so I think it looks a little funny.

Well, actors rarely wear sunglasses in the cinema because an actor's eyes are one of their most important tools. Funnily enough, it was Golden Era movie stars who popularized sunglasses back in the day (when hats were also worn) as they used them to hide from the attention of their adoring fans. I think it's a mistake to look at old movies (or publicity photos) as being an accurate portayal of real life; there was a good bit of licence taken.

 

[Widebrim]

I usually wear both at the same time when needed (just did today). Hey, I live in southern California...

 

[Zombie_61]

My eyes are sensitive to bright light as well, so sunglasses are worn almost daily whether I'm hatted or not. Besides, I also live in southern California; with all the gang-bangers, wanna-be gangstas, wanna-be athletes, wanna-be pimps, wanna-be rock stars, goths, punk rockers, college students, milfs, gilfs, Tex-Mex devotees, etc., nobody really cares what anyone else is or isn't wearing.

 

[rcfko]

Well, I'm asking because here in Calgary, I think I get enough funny look just wearing a long coat and fedora as it is. It's a cowboy city stuck in the mid 90's. Couldn't find a fedora anywhere except for the cheap $20 ones from department store and the punk rocker store with the horrible designs on them. The first hat store that carries men's hats opened in a shopping mall about two months ago. All my hats are from hat shops from Vancouver. Cowboys hats are everywhere though. I even considered learning how to convert western hats into fedoras.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Definitely both. Florida is at least as bright as So-Cal, I can assure you. And I sneeze violently if sunlight gets to my unprotected peepers.

 

[rcfko]

ha, try having the sun hanging at a 30 degree angle all day to the south when the road is covered in snow and ice. can't even see out the windshield without a pair of polarized lenses.

 

[Chasseur]

Similar to other posters, I live in Hawaii so wearing both is quite helpful when the sun is out.

 

[Pompidou]

I like the look of hats and sunglasses together. It's what I always do, as my avatar image should allude.

 

[scottyrocks]

I find that wear sunglasses a lot less, like just about not at all, when I wear a fedora, except during the brightest days of summer, and even then I dont always need them. The hat's brim blocks out the sky which is where I find most of the offending light comes from. :eusa_doh:

I find that when I was riding bikes is when I absolutely needed eye protection from both the sun and windblast.

Aesthetically, I prefer no sunglasses with a fedora. But on the rare occasion I need both, I'll wear them.

 

[dwebber18]

I agree that sunglasses and hats perform similar purposes but do so in their own unique way. I wear both a hat and sunglasses the the situation calls for it. However now that I've started wearing hats more frequently I go for my glasses less, but in the summer I'll wear a panama and glasses and in winter I'll wear a hat and glasses if its bright, or there is snow out causing a glare. My eyes are also sensitive to bright light so I wear sunglasses frequently.

 

[Lou]

I have no problem with wearing both.

 

[Viper Man]

Personally I believe that unless you are wearing a baseball cap, sunglasses and hats should remain separated and never be seen on the same head at the same time.

Wardell Gray disapproves...

 

[JimWagner]

Sunglasses protect your eyes against UV radiation. Hats don't. Unless you wear one covering your face Too much exposure to UV over time can contribute to cataracts.

Same with pilots. Less atmosphere to shield against UV at flight altitudes.

A hat will help protect your skin from UV and potentially skin cancer. Sunglasses will help prevent cataracts caused by UV damage. There are other factors than UV damage that can contribute cataracts, but everything you can do to help prevent the damage helps.

Hollywood actors originally started wearing sunglasses because their eyes were getting damaged by the lighting in use - high UV levels in arc lights. Think welder's flash. Of course, once the public associated sunglasses with film actors then it became "cool" and the practical reasons for actors wearing them have become lost in time.

For me, it's hats AND sunglasses. I need the protection. Already have had some skin cancers and cataracts are forming. Too late for prevention, but not too late to prevent further damage. Even if I didn't think the look works, which it does to me. Maybe if I'd started wearing both when I was younger I wouldn't have those problems now.