why I like fedoras now

[HatsEnough]

Actually, HE, I think I understand the point he is trying to make. A hat with eyes piercing one from beneath the brim can be imposing. Envision the County Sheriff glaring at you from beneath the brim of his hat after pulling you over. He makes an interesting point, in that, a great many authority figures sport a hat; cops, drill instructors, pilots, umpires, even conductors and train engineers in the past if not today. Perhaps it is a learned response in our society that a man in a hat is generally accorded some measure of respect.

Except that hats were so ubiquitous in the days he's talking about that hats were not much paid attention to. No one would consider a hat particularly "imposing" because everyone wore hats. They were so rote as to be unconscious. Everyone had one. They were every where.

I just don't buy the whole claim. It sounds trumped up. It sounds like someone is trying too hard to "see" things where they do not exist.

Here, let me try some similar overreach...

"The sky is oppressive. It sits above us all, holding us down, always looking over us. That sky is glaring at us, I tell you."

Is it silly to say the sky is oppressive? Yes, of course it is. But I employed all those ominous terms and ascribed it to the sky because I was trying to be artful about it. That is what I think of this silly "hats are negative" claim. It's just nonsense.

 

[monbla256]

Except that hats were so ubiquitous in the days he's talking about that hats were not much paid attention to. No one would consider a hat particularly "imposing" because everyone wore hats. They were so rote as to be unconscious. Everyone had one. They were every where.

I just don't buy the whole claim. It sounds trumped up. It sounds like someone is trying too hard to "see" things where they do not exist.

Here, let me try some similar overreach...

"The sky is oppressive. It sits above us all, holding us down, always looking over us. That sky is glaring at us, I tell you."

Is it silly to say the sky is oppressive? Yes, of course it is. But I employed all those ominous terms and ascribed it to the sky because I was trying to be artful about it. That is what I think of this silly "hats are negative" claim. It's just nonsense.

I would have to concur 100%

 

[Lefty]

Spats are oppressive.


Oh, wait. I meant funny. Spats are funny.

 

[C-dot]

A hat with eyes piercing one from beneath the brim can be imposing.

In context, yes...

But in real life, especially if you would see them every day?

Sorry for poking my nose in fellas!

 

[rue]

Sorry for poking my nose in fellas!

You're not the only one, I just haven't said anything shhhhhhhh

By the way, the piercing eye thing from under a hat is sexy

 

[C-dot]

You're not the only one, I just haven't said anything shhhhhhhh

By the way, the piercing eye thing from under a hat is sexy

My goodness, yes - Knees-becoming-jelly type sexy

 

[zetwal]

Spats are oppressive.

Yes, when pressed forcefully against the nape of your neck.

 

[HatsEnough]

Spats are oppressive.


Oh, wait. I meant funny. Spats are funny.

I like saying spats. Spats. Spats.

They are funny.

 

[Tango Yankee]

drill sergeants and Montana peak hats

Sorry, but that is the most ridiculous thing I've ever heard.

Then you've never been on the receiving end of a TI or DI's hat! They do use the hat to intimidate, and do so very effectively most of the time. It was another tool in their kit to use. I did see one exception when it backfired, though. A TI from another flight was screaming at our flight leader, and while doing so pressed the brim of his hat against the top of the bill of the fatigue cap our flight leader was wearing in an attempt to push it down. The fatigue cap was a hair too small, though, and very tight--it didn't budge, but the TI's hat started getting pushed back on his head before he realized what was happening and eased off.

Generally, though, it's the attitude of the person under the hat that's intimidating, but no doubt many did or do use the hat as part of the intimidation persona.

Cheers,
Tom

 

[hatophile]

You're not the only one, I just haven't said anything shhhhhhhh

By the way, the piercing eye thing from under a hat is sexy

I'll have to remember that!

 

[job]

I started out wanting to protect my head because I shave my head and after years of doing this I am getting some sun damage to the top of my head. I did not want to wear baseball caps so I went looking for something different. My first felt hat was a Akubra Down under. It is in the gambler style. My wife told me I looked like Willy Wonka in it so I had the brim cut down some and I steamed it and shaped it into a teardrop crown. That was way better. I found a type of hat that I feel looks good on me and a whole new style of dress followed. What I like about hats is that I get a variety in hats and dress. My old look was boring. Now I have style. My own style.

 

[Aureliano]

I always liked them, I just didn't have money to buy anything decent until I turned 28!

 

[Sam Craig]

You're not the only one, I just haven't said anything shhhhhhhh

By the way, the piercing eye thing from under a hat is sexy

Now that look that Rue uses in her avatar ... THAT is intimidating ... but in a very GOOOOOD way!

There's an old saying that suggests you never hire a man who wears a straw hat or smokes a pipe because he will forever be chasing his hat or loading his pipe.

When I started at the newspaper over 30 years ago, I did both ... wore the hat, not chased it. I don't lose hats!
I heard the psych suggestion many times that hats are off putting, especially to women who find them intimidating.

I noticed that the people who said such things did not wear hats.

I'm pretty sure that they don't know what they are talking about.

Over 30 years later and the pipe is gone, sadly, but the hats are still here. AT this point in my life, if it is my fedora that is off putting, with all the rest of the flaws I've developed, then imagine how easy it is for me to doff my flaw!

 

[Sam Craig]

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot ...

I'm trying to practice piercing my eye under my hat, but I can't seem to do that and type at the same time.

Maybe Rue can give some pointers!

Sam

 

[rue]

I'll have to remember that!

Now that look that Rue uses in her avatar ... THAT is intimidating ... but in a very GOOOOOD way!

Oh, yeah, I almost forgot ...

I'm trying to practice piercing my eye under my hat, but I can't seem to do that and type at the same time.

Maybe Rue can give some pointers!

Sam

Thank you

It takes lots of practice

 

[Justin B]

...then imagine how easy it is for me to doff my flaw!

I didn't think you were allowed to do that in public! :eeek:

(Yes, I will be stealing that line.)

 

[alanfgag]

Over 30 years later and the pipe is gone, sadly, but the hats are still here. AT this point in my life, if it is my fedora that is off putting, with all the rest of the flaws I've developed, then imagine how easy it is for me to doff my flaw!

This is my favorite quote of the week so far.

... I'm trying to practice piercing my eye under my hat...

This should not be attempted... it can be both messy and painful.

 

[T Rick]

You're not the only one, I just haven't said anything shhhhhhhh

By the way, the piercing eye thing from under a hat is sexy

My goodness, yes - Knees-becoming-jelly type sexy

Thank you for that Ladies . I'm sure hat wearing will increase even here on The Lounge now. In fact I doubt I'll appear in public without one for several months now. . (Off to the mirror, to practice that piercing eye thing...).

 

[Justin B]

Eye piercings...what will they think of next, tongue tattoos?

And to paraphrase a quote from Sinatra, It's all in how you wear your hat. Tip it back, you're open and friendly, tipped down forward menacing...angles are attitude, use 'em.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

I like wearing my fedora while smoking a big Churchill cigar. It's hard to tell which takes them off guard more, the hat or the cigar. At the cigar lounge that I belong to here in town I'm known as "Terry The Hat." Kinda Mafia sounding but everyone gets a kick out of it. All the members have a nickname. I also wear a hat everyday at Home Depot where I work now and my Apron has "Terry The Hat" on it. I'm know as "The Hat Guy" there and it seems to work for me. If customers don't remember my name they remember my hat. Ya gotta have that "Niche!" I don't feel "intimidating" while wearing my hat. I just feel that it makes me stand out a little in a crowd. Makes me a little different than all the rest. I'd love to live back in the day when all men wore hats.