Why?

[riccardo]

Hi to all,
just a question:
I've read a lot,here, about fedora.
I've found,here, a lot of fedora lovers, hat wearers.
I have never found, in Italy, guys like you that loves fedora.
My question: why?
What's in American history keep you in this hats deep love( you love hat very much).
What's in your tradition?
Isn't easy for me to explain it...hope you could understand my worst English.

Best regards.
Riccardo.

 

[Mulceber]

Good question. I think in a time where fashion is fleeting, many admire the Golden Era, when style was constant, and (almost) always in good taste. Many also seek to emulate their on-screen heroes (Indiana Jones, Sam Spade, Rick Blaine, etc.), similar to how many of the younger generation today wear baseball/soccer/football jerseys with their favorite player's name and number on it.

But ultimately, I think it just comes down to style, and an age where nations weren't as divided as they are today over race, politics and culture. That's what I see in it, anyway. Another question worth asking is what do you see in it, riccardo? -Mulceber

 

[riccardo]

Good question. I think in a time where fashion is fleeting, many admire the Golden Era, when style was constant, and (almost) always in good taste. Many also seek to emulate their on-screen heroes (Indiana Jones, Sam Spade, Rick Blaine, etc.), similar to how many of the younger generation today wear baseball/soccer/football jerseys with their favorite player's name and number on it.

But ultimately, I think it just comes down to style, and an age where nations weren't as divided as they are today over race, politics and culture. That's what I see in it, anyway. Another question worth asking is what do you see in it, riccardo? -Mulceber

...mmmm if I've right understand the question...
I'll study the answer.

Riccardo.

 

[MK]

.

The golden era (1930-1949) was the peak of style in America. Everything looked good: clothes, cars, aircraft, furniture, architecture, movies, music and hats. It even made a war look stylish. It has never been the same.

The fedora symbolizes that time.

 

[Mulceber]

Its all a matter of taste. I'm not sure I'd say the cars were very good. In fact, I don't like the cars of that era. Give me a 50's-70's sports car anyday. I've never gotten into Jazz either. As for architecture, give me Grecco-Roman revival anyday. Ultimately, I think it comes down to taste, and not everyone is going to agree on all the different facets of that era. But most do seem to agree on Fedoras, so I guess they do symbolize the time. -Mulceber

 

[riccardo]

Golden Era.

The golden era (1930-1949) was the peak of style in America. Everything looked good: clothes, cars, aircraft, furniture, architecture, movies, music and hats. It even made a war look stylish. It has never been the same.

The fedora symbolizes that time.

...so...
Golden Era was an happy age for USA, have I understand?
In italy it could be the '60..the "boom economics era"...so we have the "600 Fiat" ( do you know it?) a car that was an icon for the modernism, it was the first "everybody" car. Quite everybody could buy this little car. (with banks credit).
(...why don't you speak italian...why don't I speak english better...)
Regards.
Riccardo

 

[Feraud]

Why a fedora and/or Golden Era clothes? We all need to wear something and nothing, I mean NOTHING has or ever will look better than this:

 

[BellyTank]

America has a HUGE population- any special interest group is bound to be large and also further the cause and spread interest at a steady rate.
But the popularity of Indy, Hollywood, Film Noir and also the constant availability of, and general interest in hats surely helps.

Hats are quite popular here in DK among certain types.

B
T

 

[Doh!]

For me, I wear a fedora for practical purposes: keeps the head warm in the winter (ski caps screw with the hair, what with all the static they create), keeps the rain off of my head (a lot easier to cart around than an umbrella) and in the summer, a panama keeps the sun off of my ears (baseball caps are good for the front of your face only).

Other than the hat, I'm not into the vintage look but man, it sure does look sharp! Maybe it's as simple as that: people like to look sharp.

(well, SOME people, anyway)

 

[jay_b]

To me the fedora represents an era of class. I was born in the early 80's so naturally I don't have first hand experiance with the 1920-60's eras but over my life I have become a huge fan of the old black and white films, especially those that Bogart stared in. And I am a huge fan of swing, rockabilly and jazz and well good music in general. It just seems that all of that comes from that sort of time period. I especially love the cars from those eras and just the way people seemed to have more class than they do today. I realize that it is probably romanticised by most if not all of us but it works for me.

Cheers!

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

Hey, it wouldn't be any fun if we couldn't romanticize the past.

 

[johnnycanuck]

Good Day Riccardo
I don't know about anyone else but my personal interest in Fedoras started with movie culture. When I was a child I used to watch a TV show called "Night Court" the judge was a old movie buff and a lot of the jokes were based on old movies. So I never got any of them. My parents decided to introduce me to "Movie culture" so I could get the jokes. So over one winter my sister and I got introduced to Alfred Hitchcock, Humphrey Bogart, Bob and Bing, Cary Grant.. ect. All the classics and greats.
Where does the hat fit in? I was an outdoor kid. Summer hit I was never in the house. So I always had a hat on my head. It wasn't until I went to Mexico for a Rover Moot (international Scout camp) and saw Portugal scouts with felt scout hats on. They looked a lot better then me in my beat up Tilley so I asked a few questions and when I returned to Canada started looking for a decent "felt hat". Several shrunken Wool hats later, and some interesting conversations threw e-mail with Australian Scouts I came to Akubra. A extensive internet search and lots of readings I got relayed from indygear to Hatsdirect. "I can get a Indiana Jones hat just like in the movie - sold" ......... did I go off topic there?
For myself I just want sun protection, and look good doing it. Anyway that's my story.
Johnny

 

[jamespowers]

To put it simple---grandparents. My grandfather always had a hat on his head when he was outside. I can still see him in my mind's eye wearing that bluish milan he always wore. My grandmother always used to tell him to wear one of his better hats but he always liked the milan. He had a few in other colors as well.
My other grandfather had a affinity for the dressier hats. I still have a Stetson Whippet from him. Considering that both of them would be 113 and 103 respectively if they were still alive, I suppose they lived in a very different time and it stayed with them. They also had a sense of style that made them look good all the time.
So it is there is a draw from the golden era but more so with family and the Golden Era together.

Regards,

J

 

[The Wolf]

My own reason for wearing a fedora

Riccardo, your English is fine. I understand your questions.
I needed a hat to protect my head. I'm a fan of 1930s and 1940s movies so a fedora looks like a perfect man's hat to me.
After going through a few hats I started finding which styles I like best.

Sincerely,
The Wolf

 

[John in Covina]

Why, Indeed!

For me, I am Hat lover, always have, been always will be. I liked to wear a hat, sailor cap, ball caps, Greek Fisherman's cap, newsboy cap and finally Fedoras. I am of the age where I remember the last gasp of fedora wearing. I also grew up on NYC tv with the 50's repeats of Superman and seeing a lot of old classic (Million Dollar) movies and here the fedora was often featured. So it shaped part of my IDEA of the IDEAL American Man and the sense of style. About 8-9 years ago I got to view a Movie with Nick Nolte called "Mulholland Falls" which had some major manly men wearing ferdoras and I went to the Hats Mart in Pasadena with in a few days to get my Stetson Sovriegn in grey. I wore it a bit, but always hope to pair it with a good grey suit, (Still haven't gotten my grey suit but soon, I am sure.)

Indy movies gnawed at me and several other things brought me to getting my dad's Borsalino refurbished and thats a cool hat. Got an off white Dobbs Westward (Open Road style) that needs an ivory linen suit. An I hope to continue to add to the bunch. I'd like a medium brown fedora like the Howard Hughes lucky hat sometime, when I am back in the money and can talk to Art. Straw Boater, Seabiscuit hat and a few others are on the list.

But what it does when I wear a fedora or see one, it reminds me of my Dad, of Superman's Clark Kent, of the World War II generation, of gangsters, movie stars and millionaires, of city folk and farmers and just regular Joes from all over the Golden Era. And I seem to know that is a good thing to aspire to these days.

Warmest regards,