Practical uses for hats

[FedoraFan112390]

What I'm thinking is--If the hat can be advertised as something which is both "cool" looking and ALSO as something that has a lot of practical value--and it's marketed in a way that's aimed at the younger generation (My generation, the say 18-25 year olds), perhaps more of my generation will embrace hats as not only are they "cool" but practical, too. Perhaps market the hat less as a fashion accessory and more as something that's useful. Maybe get Johnny Depp, who is a BIG TIME hat wearer and beloved by women of all ages, to participate in these sort of ads for Fedoras and the like. Women from their teens to their forties swoon over him; he is a pretty big star and if he's used well enough and marketed as a "man with a hat", perhaps it will start with women wanting their boyfriends/husbands to buy a hat to look like Johnny Depp. Men might be swayed by the practical value of it in that it can do all of the things mentioned in this thread.

I'm not a marketing guy, but I think the basic idea here has some merit; it would need to be tweaked of course. Perhaps with that kind of marketing, hats could see a (gradual) revival, a reversal of their gradual decline. My generation (I'm 20) is still young enough to embrace new things and some have embraced hats of their own accord already. The older generations--No disrespect--are more set in their ways and they aren't hat wearers now, they likely won't be in the future unless the hat became HUGE in popularity again. But the young can be swayed if the marketing is good. We've got a major Hollywood star being a major hat wearer; the Hat Industry should try to get some use of him.

 

[Inusuit]

No facts to back this up, but I am sure some place in history a small hand pistol no and again, found it's way to be hidden in a hat, and maybe other items that no one wanted to be "in sight", were hidden away.

In the 1960s there was a Western TV show named for the main character, Paladin. He kept a derringer clipped to the inside of his hat.

I also cannot leave the house without a hat, usually my Open Road 25, although my 7X OR is starting to get some use as the 25 is showing signs of constant wear in hard conditions. First weekend in October, my son and I fished five different rivers in SW Colorado in rain, hail, snow, sleet. Busting through willows, sliding under down timber, close contact with river boulders contributed to a nice patina.

 

[T Rick]

No facts to back this up, but I am sure some place in history a small hand pistol no and again, found it's way to be hidden in a hat, and maybe other items that no one wanted to be "in sight", were hidden away.

In the 1960s there was a Western TV show named for the main character, Paladin. He kept a derringer clipped to the inside of his hat.

I also seem to recall a (Western) movie where a Star kept a derringer in his hat. Was it Dean Martin? I think so... also think Frank Sinatra was in it. Was it 4 for Texas? I am not sure.

 

[El Sid]

To keep your smokes dry while you're fly fishing like Brad Pitt in "A River Runs Through It."

 

[DudeInBlack]

- Conceal a small weapon when you're moving in for the 'hit'
- Protect your hand when you need to punch out a window
- Something to tip when taking a bow or meeting a pretty girl :yo:
- A good place to hide some extra cash for emergencies
- Performing tricks to impress girls
- A good way to hide your face if you don't want to be recognized. :spy:

And of course...
- When you're "on a mission from God".

 

[mflemming]

I also cannot leave the house without a hat, usually my Open Road 25, although my 7X OR is starting to get some use as the 25 is showing signs of constant wear in hard conditions.

That's what the Campdraft is for.... In the first place it is nearly indestructible and in the second place it is replaceable should a tragedy befall.

 

[Woodfluter]

In the 1960s there was a Western TV show named for the main character, Paladin. He kept a derringer clipped to the inside of his hat..

Howdy Insuit -

Nope, I believe you're thinking of Richard Boone's character, Paladin, in "Have Gun, Will Travel", 1957-63.
He kept a two-barrel Remington .41 derringer behind a large belt buckle as backup.

Nice series though. As I recall, it usually started with him in his San Francisco hotel lobby, nattily dressed in a light grey suit and receiving correspondence about his services; alternatively reading a newspaper article and calling over the Chinese bellhop to mail his business card to a prospect. Later, all in black with customized weaponry. (Get the chessman reference?) A well-educated, cultured hired gun with principles who occasionally double-crossed a client technically so he'd get paid but see that the right thing got done.

But I digress. I also have a Stetson 25 OR and they are nice hats indeed, although mine has a substandard sweatband.

- Bill

 

[rue]

Anyone think of some other practical uses for a hat?

So that women will fawn all over you..... I suppose that's not practical though

 

[Tomasso]

In the 1960s there was a Western TV show named for the main character, Paladin. He kept a derringer clipped to the inside of his hat.

The gent who kept a derringer in his lid was Yancy Derringer.

 

[jwalls]

Jock Mahoney as 'Yancy Derringer'. The actor was Sally Fields stepfather I believe.
The weapon was a 4 barrel .22 Sharps.

 

[El Sid]

We can't forget Oddjob and his deadly bowler...

 

[Duper]

Besides the excellent reasons given above:

- To frighten apprehensive canines who aren't used to seeing men in hats.
- To elicit somewhat better treatment from salespeople (seems true for some reason).
- For holding the content of one's pockets when undressing away from home.
- To make my wife ask "is that another new hat?"when I don one I haven't worn in a month.

Cheers y'all,
- Bill

These four particularly caught my eye.
I am often in an offleash dog park and I do get the occassional wary look from some of the dogs.
I have had some very nice commnets and smiles from salespeople,,but then again they do want my credit card or cash.
The "catch all" for the contents of my pockets, pagers, cellphones, sunglasses, pocket knife etc. I think is a real bonus.
And my lovely wife does sometimes wonder whether some old hat is some new hat.