The Social Meaning of Hats and T-Shirts

[Pat_H]

An article mentioned elsewhere which I thought may be of interest here:

http://www.press.uchicago.edu/Misc/Chicago/117987.html

 

[Lancealot]

Rather interesting read. Thanks for the link.

 

[Smyat]

Really fascinating treatment. And it hits me as I'm adding hats and "grownup" shirts to my daily wear and ridding my wardrobe of t-shirts as the all-'round upper topper. I never thought of the t-shirt as a replacement for the hat in defining social position and status, but I think the author of this piece has got something.

 

[Pat_H]

Really fascinating treatment. And it hits me as I'm adding hats and "grownup" shirts to my daily wear and ridding my wardrobe of t-shirts as the all-'round upper topper. I never thought of the t-shirt as a replacement for the hat in defining social position and status, but I think the author of this piece has got something.

I wouldn't have thought of the t-shirt hat connection either. And I also tend to wear t-shirts a lot less than I used to, and definitely shy away from the message t-shirts so common now.

Another interesting aspect, to an extent, is that ball caps started to expand in use a bit with the introduction of some military use by the Navy in WWII, and t-shirts with printing were introduced in WWII as well. The late 40s would start to see the decline in universal use of hats by men. All that probably isn't related, but it's an interesting coincidence.

 

[Fast]

It does, however, neglect the tie. The regimental tie told much aout it's wearer, and in some circles might yet. The school tie even today holds some significance albiet less than it used to. Yale and harverd and . . . well the list goes on, all had their ties. The club tie remains in ever shrinking circles a notice of fraternalism. The tie was, and still in some smaller circles, as telling or more telling about ones social position, serfvice, education and subtle affiliations than the scottish tartan was of bloodline.

A fellow named Molloy studied, then wrote about the influence of attire from a very practical point of view. His argument for the traditional primacy of the tie was more than a little compelling.

You're dead on about rethinking the t-shirt. There are conversations people in what used to be an undergarment will have that a man in a jacket and tie never will.

Carpe Diem
Fast

 

[Smyat]

No argument that ties carry a lot of weight in this regard, but they are restricted to a narrower subset of fashion and society than t-shirts. At least in the last, oh, forty years or so.

 

[surely]

It appears to me that every visible article of clothing, however put together, can symbolically convey a message as to a persons social status or aspirations. Its not so much which item is more important than another, but how each contributes to the overall impression. The book, which tries to isolate the impact of certain articles of dress, apparently does not mention other changes. Footwear for eg: wearing runners with a sport coat.

This is getting a bit heavy, my dog just came in and indicated I should stop,

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Excellent point, Surely.

It appears to me that every visible article of clothing, however put together, can symbolically convey a message as to a persons social status or aspirations. Its not so much which item is more important than another, but how each contributes to the overall impression. The book, which tries to isolate the impact of certain articles of dress, apparently does not mention other changes. Footwear for eg: wearing runners with a sport coat.

Excellent point, Surely. I would extend this beyond clothing to say that virtually every aspect of one's appearance has social meaning beyond its practical function. Every aspect of your body that is capable of being altered, viz.: your hairstyle, facial hair style, the shape of the glasses you wear, the condition of your fingernails and teeth, even the extent of your body fat and muscle; all these have social meaning.

Social meaning becomes social injustice when it is attached to things one cannot alter, e.g., race, gender, disability, sexual preference, religion, age, etc.

I apologize for the 'heavy' digression, friends. Perhaps the FL is not a place for social commentary. But as Diane Crane has demonstrated in her book, Fashion and Its Social Agendas, these two are very closely connected.

 

[Fast]

No argument that ties carry a lot of weight in this regard, but they are restricted to a narrower subset of fashion and society than t-shirts. At least in the last, oh, forty years or so.

The point I'm trying to make is that that subset is the one that gets to run stuff. Nobody ever was or is asking the guys in t-shirts to take charge. Knowing what to wear has little, if anything at all to do with fashion.

Carpe Diem
Fast

 

[surely]

Wolfmanjack, your extention is exactly where I was headed.
I really liked the way you stated the issue of social justice.
It seems to me that many, many of the discussions on this forum are at least implicitly, if not explicitly, social commentary. What is especially nice here is that it is done politely, intelligently, and often with humor.

 

[surely]

The point I'm trying to make is that that subset is the one that gets to run stuff. Nobody ever was or is asking the guys in t-shirts to take charge. Knowing what to wear has little, if anything at all to do with fashion.

Do you mean that knowing what to wear relates to knowing the appropriate look for one's position in the political and economic power hierarchy?

 

[Fast]

No. It's a shoes in restaurants thing.

Carpe Diem
Fast

 

[surely]

Like no shirt no service.

 

[Fast]

Kinda.

Carpe Diem
Fast

 

[surely]

mmmm, very eliptical Fast

 

[Fast]

I don't really know where to start here, so let's go from the beginning or most obvious. A few sillies:

Don't change your oil in a tux. Avoid hiking in the hand make patent leathers. If you're wearing your flip flops to a catholic church wedding, it ain't mine. The Hawaiian shirt is great in Hawaii, or in tropical sunny southern ca, but leave it behind on the ski trip. Don't bring a flask to an AA meeting.

More subtle:
Go to the place where you're interviewing for a job. Look at how the people who currently work there dress as they enter and exit as well as work (avoids the uniform issues). When you go to the interview the next day, wear what you have that looks like what they wear, or close to it in form and function. That way you look like you are already going along with the program.

Shave off the goatee when facing a jury. Shave it off, lose the moustache and the sideburns, cover the tattoos, dump the bling, and get a suit and a tie.

Classical:
(Hamlet/ polonius to laertes)
Costly thy habit as thy purse can buy,
But not express’d in fancy; rich, not gaudy;
For the apparel oft proclaims the man,..."

Hygienic: "no shirt, no shoes, no service"

Safe: "helmets to be worn here at all times"

Believable: Are you really gonna stop and identify yourself to some guy who says he's a policeman, but all you can tell is he reeks and his clothes became his skin a week ago in a thunderbird/ skin/ rotting polyester process you never want to understand?

Molloy did it a whole lot better. He put a guy in a suit and a guy in jeans and a t-shirt in a subway station. Both had the same story about why they needed to have a little spare change. The guy in the suit collected an impressively larger amount of money, and I think he had the guys switch roles.

He had guys in different ties ask secretaries in offices they were visiting for copies or something, and the guys in one sort of tie, let's for the sake of absurdity say the blinking grass skirt, didn't make out as well as the guy in the little teenie polka dot tie most presidents wear for half their speeches.

I hope this fills in the gaps.

Carpe Diem
Fast

 

[John in Covina]

I am not sure I gather that T-shirts are completely indicative of social level or status. If we are speaking of those with words or images of some sort, I would say that the majority of the time it would be a band concert T or some sort of branded item maker t-shirt. THose i really tend to believe are to say: "Hey, i like this Band or i really like this product maker!" as an invitation to others with similar likes to acknowledge their agreement and or open a conversation. While, I don't think that is as much an upper, upper crusty thing but solidly middle class and under class behavior.

 

[Undertow]

Although an excellent article, I must admit, the following made me cringe: "but in the nineteenth century, some form of head covering was often worn indoors. For example, Englishmen wore hats all day in their offices "

I had to revisit this sentence a few times and try to picture the necessity, or the mindset, one would have to wear a hat indoors while working. I guess I picture a London banker sitting at a desk writing away in a ledger with a homburg attached firmly to his noggin. Oh...the horror...

 

[surely]

now now, perhaps it was cold in the 1800s without central heating

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Indeed it was cold.

now now, perhaps it was cold in the 1800s without central heating

Indeed it was cold very cold in those old Victorian offices and parlours. Here is an easily believable image:

Consider Dickens' A Christmas Carol. This was likely the attire worn in Scrooge's office: