Poseurs and Bandwagoners

[Mr. Sable]

In a two page fluff piece spread in a national Canadian trying-way-too-hard-to-be-hip daily newspaper for those with no attention span (owned by Southam), it was announced that 'the fedora is making a big comback this summer'. It alluded to every durn type of fedora from teh stingy brim to the Indy one. It was VERY poorly researched, as they asked just one guy wearing a fed, and there wasn't even a photo, but a large poorly drawn illustration.

It declared that it doesn't matter what you wear a fedora with, be it shorts and a Metallica t-shirt, as long as you wear "this summer's hottest new trend".

Watch out for halfwitted bandwagoners, but I hope at least some find they way to COW and the Fedora Lounge for real enlightenment.

 

[Strider]

Great avatar. It's funny how you got more responses over at COW than you did here. I really thought this thread would see more action here. Go fig .

Regards,
Strider

 

[Matt Deckard]

I think the hat is less of a bandwagon trend and more of a here to stay until we have a biosphere over the city type of thing. So far i am noticing hats popping up all over for blocking the sun and less for fad.

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Been wearing one for years. Wearing an eight panel now 'cause there are too many fedoras around. Just wate till Cinderella Man, I predict that hats and caps will come on strong for awhile, then of course diminish.

 

[scotrace]

Out On The Front

Thanks for sharing this Mr. Sable. I don't see many in the rather retentive area where I live, but when they catch on, it'll be good to say, "yeah. Copycats."

 

[BellyTank]

I think that the general recent fashion hat fad will pick up a few interested types- for the hat not the fashion- for sure.........
B
T

 

[Feraud]

The folks who wear it as a fashion accessory are a bit annoying. They are the type of people who would normally poke fun at hat wearers when it is not in 'season'.
I do not think the fedora will ever hold the prominence in society it once held. It will probably maintain itself as a 'niche' item. That could be looked at as good or bad depending on the availablity of quality hats. Overall, I do not mind that every Joe walking down the street does not wear a fedora.
It makes me that much more special..

 

[jamespowers]

I do not think the fedora will ever hold the prominence in society it once held. It will probably maintain itself as a 'niche' item. That could be looked at as good or bad depending on the availablity of quality hats. Overall, I do not mind that every Joe walking down the street does not wear a fedora.
It makes me that much more special..

My thoughts exactly. I can only add that it is unfortunate what the average Joe off the street has to deal with when buying a hat. If they ever come back full force, the industry just could not support the demand for GOOD hats. I can see the scene now with a bunch of fools wearing wool hats.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Victor]

It being summer I have seen alot of vented straw hats around lately. While they may not be very high quality they do look cooler than even teh best Panamas. Also alot of Tilleys being worn.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

In the last few months here in San Diego, I have noticed lots more caps -- golfing caps and such. The hats I have seen have been mostly Aussie hats. Also, lots of Tilley hats.

As for fur felts, they are mostly cowboy hats, but, they are straw instead of fur felt.

There are more hats/caps than in the past; I still feel out of the mainstream, but more special wearing my fedoras.

I think people will wear more hats as the ozone layer gets worse and hats become more stylish.

karol

 

[The Wolf]

the trend followers

I used to wear perscription Wayfarer dark glasses and many people at junior college decreed them ugly. I didn't care,they were cheap and I liked them. After "Risky Business" came out many of the scoffers were now calling them "cool" and paying a lot for them.
There was a time I would eschew something that became trendy even if I liked it originally. Realizing that was snobby, I hang on and wait for the trend to pass, picking up the left-overs.
I never in my life thought that wolves would become popular. Luckily, I've gotten some good photos and calendars because of the trend.
To get back on track; we like fedoras for our reasons and we don't anyone's approval for it.

The Wolf
P.S. As a footnote, my Raybans were stolen and I can only imagine a "cool" person didn't notice the slight perscription. After wearing them and looking cool they probably warped their eyeballs and now near corrective lenses. "The weed of crime bears bitter fruit"

 

[gcollins]

Don't get too upset if what you like, what you choose to wear or do--perhaps as a statement of individuality--becomes popular or trendy. It's not like any of us are so forward thinking for digging on hat styles that are 50 years old. Afterall, if you think it's cool, maybe it's only a matter of time before others figure out what you knew all along. Hats ARE, among all the practical purposes the mainstream imbecile doesn't fathom anymore, fashion accessories, for better or worse--they are the first thing anyone would notice upon seeing you.

You may be different or retro or cool today, but later find yourself in the middle of the..don't say it...mainstream. If you still want to be different, looks like there are plenty stingy brims around so one can exert his defiance of the establishment once again. Or perhaps bring back the beaver top hat. Wasn't that the point in the late 50s and 60s with those brims anyway? To be different, younger, cooler?

History seems to repeat itself once again. Here's a license to rail on me: anyone wearing a vintage fedora is a poser if he does not feel confident wearing it. I, like many of the fellas here, just love a nice brim. Others can follow, copy or do as they will--I can't control that. But a nice brim is eternally cool and very practical and fashionable.

Enjoy your passions and don't worry that others will popularize what you love and make bundles of money doing it! Hey, we should be the ones making the bundles of money!

Regards,
G

 

[Strider]

I don't suppose I really like the term "fashion trend" when applied to a fedora, as the word trend implies that it is something that will eventually fade out. Fedoras will always look good no matter what time of year, no matter what century, if you ask me.

Though, a fair person would have to concede that Fedoras have always been "fashionable", as they were an essential part of menswear in the golden era times of the 30's and 40's. Even today, a Fedora can be used as a fashion statement, amongst women just as much as men. The wonders that working in a hat shop will do for your mind! So, I don't think it's too gauche to see Fedoras making their way into fashion columns, or other related mecca.

Beauty is in the eye of the beholder, my friend. It all depends on the wearer, really. What is fashionable to someone else may not be fashionable to you, and vice versa. That doesn't mean they shouldn't wear a fedora if they think they look good in it.

Regards,
Strider