How do folks react to your hat wearing?

[tommyK]

Had a new one recently.

A local landscaper I'm friendly with saw me in the back yard and came over to chat. He said he thought I was Freddy Kruger from Nightmare on Elm Street. I think I know my Halloween costume this year!

 

[Socially Distorted]

I've only been wearing a fedora for a short time although I've always worn flat caps (being from Yorkshire that's a given!). I've not really had much of a reaction on the street as it were excepting plenty of stares which is fine. I've actually actively been skewing my dress towards a more 1930's/40's American look and feel for a few different reasons, one of which being that over in the UK the punk rock "scene" and aesthetic is being rapidly subsumed by the mainstream and looking different is now increasingly difficult! It is kind of ironic that I now dress in what would, I imagine, have been considered quite a conservertive way in the past but it's a look which simply dosn't exist in Northern England as a day to day style in any great number and there's something I like about that, regardless of positive or negative reaction!

 

[Glenville86]

Got a funny comment when ordering breakfast from our military base concessionaires. They are Italian. Picked up my take-out and someone had written 4-eggs and toast for Indiana Jones on the container. Was wearing a brown polo leather jacket and an Adventurebilt Henry fedora. Jacket is not really an Indy jacket but close enough I guess.

 

[V.C. Brunswick]

Yes and it started earlier than the 30s.

I believe that the decline of hat wearing coincided with the advent of the automobile. Before when few people had cars a hat was useful, as well as necessary, when people mostly walked or rode the streetcar. As cars became more widespread there was less need for a hat to protect the wearer from the sun and as cars became more and more compact getting in and out with a hat was thought of by many as a hindrance.

 

[viclip]

I believe that the decline of hat wearing coincided with the advent of the automobile. Before when few people had cars a hat was useful, as well as necessary, when people mostly walked or rode the streetcar. As cars became more widespread there was less need for a hat to protect the wearer from the sun and as cars became more and more compact getting in and out with a hat was thought of by many as a hindrance.

For what it's worth, here's my story. After I began wearing proper hats I asked my mother (born 1932) whether she still had any of my father's good hats (1924-1995). During the course of the conversation she offered up her unsolicited opinion (as mothers are wont to do) that men largely stopped wearing hats with the spread of car ownership.

This makes sense to me. Personal motor vehicle ownership commenced circa 1900 and gradually spread. By the late 1950s many men still couldn't afford a car, I recall my father walking to the bus stop to & from work, one of my uncles bombed around on a bicycle to the amusement of all. However as the post-WWII boom continued all & sundry were able to afford personal motor vehicles. Today practically every household boasts several of them. I own 5 vehicles myself ("more money than brains" I'm told).

Thus we see a decline in dress hats commencing early in the 20th century which decline by circa 1970 was practically universal.

 

[Lotsahats]

I wonder if there was no particular factor that ended hat wearing. As a fashion item, hats had a great run, but nothing lasts forever, so it's natural that hat wearing would come to a natural end as a required sartorial element.

A

 

[GregNYC]

I notice that I haven't gotten any comments on my newsboy and flat caps. Only on fedoras...


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[WesternHatWearer]

There are not many individuals wearing western hats in public within the area I live, however, when I wear my hat in public it is rather well received. Women seem to converse differently with me when I am wearing a western hat out in public. In general, both men and women, it seems are more polite and courteous when I interact with them.
I am tall enough to get just about anything off the top shelf at most places, and I am often asked. When I wear a baseball cap the request are mostly, "Excuse me, can you hand me that?" When I wear one my western hats the request are similar to, "Sir, may I ask your assistance? Would you please help me get an item from the top shelf?"
I know that I am a stranger in a foreign land by wearing western hats in the current social/fashion time, but that is nothing new.
I encourage hat wearers to wear your hat(s) and enjoy them. Perhaps if we cross each others paths we can chat about what our respective hats have in common and their differences.

 

[Lt.hats]

Western, now that you mention it, I do notice that I seem to get a little more respect, for lack of a better word, when I am wearing my hats. Great point and another reason to keep wearing hats!

 

[wcbrown]

well i only have a Coliqo Last Man Standing replica......so far.
i wore it to a wedding reception last Saturday night and got this;
1. "are you a musician? because you have that musician look"
2. " i like your hat, you look like a gangster"

 

[GregNYC]

Lt, Western, I was going to say the same thing. More respect. Wait-staff and service staff don't ignore me as they may otherwise do. And people listen more closely, being more observant, less dismissive in their replies.

 

[Zombie_61]

There are not many individuals wearing western hats in public within the area I live, however, when I wear my hat in public it is rather well received. Women seem to converse differently with me when I am wearing a western hat out in public. In general, both men and women, it seems are more polite and courteous when I interact with them.
I am tall enough to get just about anything off the top shelf at most places, and I am often asked. When I wear a baseball cap the request are mostly, "Excuse me, can you hand me that?" When I wear one my western hats the request are similar to, "Sir, may I ask your assistance? Would you please help me get an item from the top shelf?"...

Western, now that you mention it, I do notice that I seem to get a little more respect, for lack of a better word, when I am wearing my hats...

Lt, Western, I was going to say the same thing. More respect. Wait-staff and service staff don't ignore me as they may otherwise do. And people listen more closely, being more observant, less dismissive in their replies.

As I mentioned way back in post #445...

Something I've noticed in recent months is that people I don't know seem to be more willing to strike up a casual conversation with me and seem to be more relaxed around me when I'm wearing one of my fedoras or flat caps. Because of my general appearance (shoulder length hair, beard, visible tattoos) and the way I normally dress (dark colored tee shirts and jeans), in the past a lot of people have made the assumption I was a "biker" and often approached me cautiously if they approached me at all. I even had a good friend once tell me that I sometimes have a "way" about me that says "keep your distance" (which I found laughable--unless I have a good reason to dislike someone, I'm about as dangerous as a happy puppy). But put a fedora on my head, and suddenly people are gregarious and treat me like an old friend. [huh]

...this has been my experience as well. I'm 6'1", weigh a little over 200 lbs., have visible tattoos, and...well, look at my avatar. Would you buy a used car from that guy? But you put a fedora on my head, and suddenly people have no qualms about striking up a conversation with me, asking me a question, asking for assistance, and generally being friendlier than when I'm hatless.

 

[tropicalbob]

Absolutely right. There's something secure and trustworthy about a man in a hat. Conmen take heed!

 

[icecycle]

Hello though I mostly lurk, I thought of an encounter last year. My wife and I were returning from Las Vegas, our first trip there, after I had presented a paper at a conference. We arrived late back into Ottawa, and queued up in a long line, though we were somewhat near the front. As we approached the elevated glass customs booth, the young male agent cheerily observed, "I like your hat man." We handed him our passports, but it was clear that he was much more interested in discussing hats than reviewing our documents. I explained that I had found the hat, a brown Dunton fedora with a "Mirekel edge" and "velo nap" on ebay. We then began discussing the merits of different brands of fedoras, materials, and the best places to find them. At one point, he reached over to his computer screen, turned it toward us, and began typing in the name of his favourite store, and began exclaiming about their reliability and prices, and urged that I should "check them out". I was getting just a wee bit anxious as there was long line of others behind us, waiting to clear customs. I mentioned that to him, and he responded, "don't worry, there are lots of other agents on tonight", and then returned to discussing hats. After at least five minutes, the conversation wound down, and my wife and I were clear to re-enter Canada. Funny how wearing a hat can be a great conversation starter. Indeed, over the past year I have noticed that a several 'hipster' young men, comment on my fedoras and then proceed to launch into conversation about how 'cool' hats are.

So indeed, there is something associated with hats that speaks to the trustworthy and honest character of the wearer.

 

[oak1971]

I either get no reaction or a very positive one. Lots of folks are too busy to notice, but those who do seem to respond positively to something the hat is telling them.

 

[DesertDan]

I've had several compliments recently, one just today as a matter of fact.

 

[Lotsahats]

I've made some friends with the shelf-stockers at the local grocery; we talk hats every time I come through. One of 'em told me today that I'm inspiring a hat-wearing revolution, that he and a couple of the other guys have started wearing old hand-me-down hats and caps. Didn't think of myself as a sartorial role-model.

A

 

[Landman]

...there is something associated with hats that speaks to the trustworthy and honest character of the wearer.

Last week I was stopped at a red light when a young lady hit me from behind. She wasn't going very fast but she did hit me hard enough to ruin the rear bumper on my truck and do quite a bit of damage to the front of her car. We pulled over into a parking lot and called the police.

When the officer arrived the first thing he asked was if anybody was hurt and we told him that nobody had been injured. The next thing he said was "I really like your hat, Sir". I was wearing an old 1950's Stetson Open. He then asked for our driver's licenses and insurance cards. Since I had a pistol in my truck I also handed him my concealed handgun license and told him I had a pistol in the truck. Without even looking at the handgun license he immediately handed it back and said "I don't need that. Thanks for letting me know".

After we finished all the paperwork and the young lady left we sat in his patrol car for awhile and discussed hats. I don't know whether it was the hat or not but he seemed to find me trustworthy.

 

[Lotsahats]

Interesting, Mike. Wonder if there was something about you that made him just kinda know you had a piece and a permit--a profile, if you will. Great story!

A

 

[Hat Dandy]

I do get a number of compliments on wearing hats. A number people at work have given me a positive comment. In fact, the only negative comments I received is from my parents. They dislike them for some oddball reason.