Which Presidents Wore Hats>?

[Mobile Vulgus]

The reality of Kennedy may not have killed the hat, but the image of him may have mortally wounded it.

Now, wasn't Kennedy that last one to wear a Topper during his inauguration? But I think you are right. We generally have a picture in our minds of Jack with that great hair flowing. No hats seem to be associated with him in the popular view. LBJ and Reagan are commonly thought of with their rancher hats. Truman his fedora. FDR, too. But few people remember Jack Kennedy with a lid.

 

[Gromulus]

Childhood memories

I was also around during both presidencies (I remember being let out of school early when Kennedy was assasinated).

Anyhow, I always seem remember Kennedy without a hat and Johnson always seem to have one on (when outdoors). Everytime I see an Open Road I think of either Johnson or the Texas lawman leading Oswald out of the Dallas PD headquarters when Jack Ruby shot him (that hat did look like an OR):

http://www.spartacus.schoolnet.co.uk/LHO9.htm

 

[Lefty]

Jim Leavelle is the star of that photo.

 

[scotrace]

The Bartenders are the best judges of what is political content.

Having done that, this has been heavily edited. We'll trust you to stay off politics here on out.

 

[Gromulus]

Jim Leavelle is the star of that photo.

Thanks!

 

[4spurs]

grateful to the hat killers

Whoever killed the hat gets my thanks. When the hat died it meant that a lot of great hats got put up on shelves and in closets years ago, and if it weren't for that there would not be so many vintage hats available for me to wear today. Thank you great fashion gods of years gone by, you left your legacy intact for me to enjoy today.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Having done that, this has been heavily edited. We'll trust you to stay off politics here on out.

Wow are YOU biased, sir. You leave in the comment praising particular presidents and take out the one dissing him? Not too biased, there, eh? I have no problem with editing out the politics, but at least PRETEND you are doing so even handedly!

 

[frussell]

Ruby Rock Band

Whenever I see the Oswald/Ruby photo, all I can see is the parody somebody posted on the net of them all playing instruments which have been Photoshopped into their hands, with the facial expressions remaining the same. I love the way the law back then wore their hats. Frank

 

[Lefty]

cha cha cha

 

[frussell]

thanks Lefty

I'm away from Photobucket for the moment. Always gives me a chuckle.

 

[hag]

strat

Picked up a Royal Stetson stratoliner at our local "trade day" today. Perfect fit and only 5 bucks

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

OK, I'm game... what is a "trade day"?

 

[Chinaski]

I'm away from Photobucket for the moment. Always gives me a chuckle.

It gave me a chuckle for the first time. I hadn't seen that one before!

 

[zetwal]

 

[alanfgag]

What a great picture. Thanks for posting.

a.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

I think the main question is overbroad. There are photos of every president since the 1860s in a hat of one kind or another. Presidents before that were in eras when hats were ubiquitous but were also in an era when photos of them out-of-doors and in casual situations couldn't exist -- simply because photography didn't get invented until the mid 1830s. The earliest president famous for his hat is, of course, Lincoln and there are a very few of them with him wearing his famous stovepipe topper. There are several of Grant in his topper, too. But it isn't until we get newspaper photographers in the late 1800s that we begin to get a lot of photos of presidents and VPs in hats because news coverage of the politicians out of the White House became more common. Many of the early presidents were in the military, so we have images of them in their military gear. Washington, Monroe, Jackson, Harrison (the first one), Grant... these guys were all in the army and we have paintings or photos of them in their military headgear..

But even Clinton and W have shots of them in ball caps, at least. So, do you mean a ball cap? Reagan is famous for his western styled casual hats. LBJ his Open Road style western creased fedora. Truman had his crumpled fedora. Wilson a homburg. Same with Hoover and Harding (homburgs).

Now, I've never seen Clinton, W or Obama in fedoras, though. I have seen every president between McKinley and Nixon in fedoras. Not sure about Carter (though he is in many photos with his Naval headgear). I am sure there is a photo of a young Carter in a fedora somewhere. After all, he grew up during the WWII generation.

So, what exactly is the question, here? Are we asking what presidents commonly wore any hat? A fedora? A topper? A homburg? A ballcap?

 

[panamaJess]

Interesting article about presidents and Panama hats:

http://www.panamahatfacts.com/news/hat-fit-for-a-king-or-a-president

 

[DanielJones]

Of course he has been immortalized as always tipping his hat to people.

Coolidge did have a penchant for the wide brim and tall crown, didn't he?

Cheers!

Dan

 

[1961MJS]

I get the distinct impression from those pictures, that Calvin Coolidge thought he was Tom Mix.

??

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

I get the distinct impression from those pictures, that Calvin Coolidge thought he was Tom Mix.

??

Maybe Tom Mix thought he was Calvin Coolidge!