The Social Meaning of Hats and T-Shirts

[Undertow]

Yes, but even in Scrooge's case, there was a coal burning stove used to heat the room (if you recall, Cratchet was allowed one piece of coal a day).

Surely the English had a means of warming their offices. Vendors, service men, laborers, etc may have worn hats all day indoors, but office men with fireplaces and stoves?

Can someone give me a brief history lesson if I'm incorrect in my heated assumption?

 

[surely]

Yes, but even in Scrooge's case, there was a coal burning stove used to heat the room (if you recall, Cratchet was allowed one piece of coal a day).

Surely the English had a means of warming their offices. Vendors, service men, laborers, etc may have worn hats all day indoors, but office men with fireplaces and stoves?

Can someone give me a brief history lesson if I'm incorrect in my heated assumption?

hmmm, stoves and fireplaces at best heat the area immediately around them. the rest of the room is just less cold, not warm. and what is one piece of coal going to do!
just cool down my friend and keep your lid on. surely, surely knows..:icon_smil

 

[Pat_H]

On t-shirts and baseball caps, it strikes that one of the most significant clothing developments since WWII is the spread of clothing with written messages on it. Hats and t-shirts. Prior to WWII, probably only athletic teams featured such clothing.

One of the earliest photos I've seen of a t-shirt with a message was of a young son of a soldier wearing one in WWII, noting something military. Clearly it had been purchased at the PX. I wonder to what extent, if any at all, the military had a role in spreading the popularity of t-shirts.

On heating, there really is something to the claim that a change in heating, and cooling, impacted clothing in the 20th Century. While buildings were heated, it wasn't until better central heating in the 20th Century that office buildings weren't somewhat cool in the winter, in the best of circumstances. The wool suit that men wore indoors, with jacket, wasn't worn for looks alone. In less well heated buildings, a large central cast iron stove only inefficiently heated the interior of a room.

Even after boilers came in, office buildings could be a little cool, if large, well in to the mid 20th Century. I have some experience with working in a poorly heated 1917 vintage office building, and in the winter the resort to a tweed sports coat can be a necessity.

Of course, the opposite is true in summer, but mainly because the windows have been replaced with better newer ones, that will not open. This was to aid the air conditioning, but if it isn't working, it is sweltering.

 

[nulty]

My Grandad born in 1904 wore a fedora inside all the time...

said it was for his sinuses....

Grandma used to wretch at him to take it off but he'd never do it......

 

[nulty]

fashion as commentary

I think possibly some of what is being said here goes back to the roots of our socialization. Why does a guy in conservative type tie get treated differently than a guy in a lampshade on the head type tie? Why do people who carry more pound than others get treated differently than those who have magazine cover abs?

Images are deeply planted in our minds from an early age and its a complicated process as to how we associate those images with what we see on the street. Usually the reactions are very quick and made unconsciously.

I like Fasts commentary about the "uniforms" worn by a class of folks who for no other reason feel they need to wear this stuff to belong. The point of the separation of class created by those uniforms is well taken ...

In the 1960's it was indicative of which "side" you were on by the shirt and tie as opposed to the tie dye shirt and long hair. It was a black and whit issue. What I always thought was funny about that was that in the 60's everything was Peace Love and Acceptance but Man if you walked into a head shop wearing a shirt, tie and fedora you'd be laughed out into the street....

 

[surely]

In the 1960's it was indicative of which "side" you were on by the shirt and tie as opposed to the tie dye shirt and long hair. It was a black and whit issue. What I always thought was funny about that was that in the 60's everything was Peace Love and Acceptance but Man if you walked into a head shop wearing a shirt, tie and fedora you'd be laughed out into the street....

Just a friendly correction nulty. If someone walked in dress like that they would be spotted for a cop. Otherwise the headshops I knew would be extra nice to straights and try and turn them on. To the good old days...:icon_smil

 

[nulty]

We were more paranoid down here Surely....