When did the non-athletic hat die?

[Tim]

It seems like American men wore short- and long-brimmed hats almost consistently until the late 50s or early 60s, then pretty much stopped. The ballcap got bigger then, and has remained popular until now. The short-brimmed hat is really popular in Japan right now (although I don't know if it's just "right now," or if it's been popular for a long time), but doesn't seem to be growing beyond a niche in the U.S. Why is that? What would it take for people in the U.S. to move back to wearing more non-athletic hats? What about wearing suits every day?

[wuapinmon]

It seems like American men wore short- and long-brimmed hats almost consistently until the late 50s or early 60s, then pretty much stopped. The ballcap got bigger then, and has remained popular until now. The short-brimmed hat is really popular in Japan right now (although I don't know if it's just "right now," or if it's been popular for a long time), but doesn't seem to be growing beyond a niche in the U.S. Why is that? What would it take for people in the U.S. to move back to wearing more non-athletic hats? What about wearing suits every day?

I've wondered this same thing too....I think it's a generational thing....the hats that the Depression-era kids wore differed from their fathers, and so on back. The fedora has that classic Hollywood look, but I can't imagine anyone other than some lithe and tan open-front-linen-shirt-clad cubanoamericano pulling it off these days.

As far as the return to wearing a suit everyday, I don't think I want to see that day. Suits have their place....my body isn't one of them.

[falafel]

It seems like American men wore short- and long-brimmed hats almost consistently until the late 50s or early 60s, then pretty much stopped. The ballcap got bigger then, and has remained popular until now. The short-brimmed hat is really popular in Japan right now (although I don't know if it's just "right now," or if it's been popular for a long time), but doesn't seem to be growing beyond a niche in the U.S. Why is that? What would it take for people in the U.S. to move back to wearing more non-athletic hats? What about wearing suits every day?

Can you give us an example of this short-brimmed hat that's all the rage in Japan? I'm having a hard time visualizing it.

[I.J. Reilly]

I appreciate a good suit and tie, along with a quality hat. I also appreciate that I don't have to wear one every day. I can't imagine living some places in the US and being required to wear a suit and tie (and strongly suggested on the hat) every day. It would be unbearable at times.

The classic look of Mad Men is one of the greatest parts about that show.

[Pheidippides]

I am waiting for the fedora to come back in style. I would love to wear one on a regular basis.

[Hazzard]

It seems like American men wore short- and long-brimmed hats almost consistently until the late 50s or early 60s, then pretty much stopped. The ballcap got bigger then, and has remained popular until now. The short-brimmed hat is really popular in Japan right now (although I don't know if it's just "right now," or if it's been popular for a long time), but doesn't seem to be growing beyond a niche in the U.S. Why is that? What would it take for people in the U.S. to move back to wearing more non-athletic hats? What about wearing suits every day?

Wearing a suit every day wouldn't be too bad, as long as you could take the coat off in the heat. But wearing a tie is what baffles me. The whole idea of a tie is incredibly outdated. It has no practical value and serves as nothing more than fashion accessory. I would love to see ties go the way of the fedora (i.e. be forever limited to gay singers and, apparently, Japanese fashionistas).

[Tim]

Can you give us an example of this short-brimmed hat that's all the rage in Japan? I'm having a hard time visualizing it.

I guess most people would call them fedoras, but they're technically not fedoras. Think of an Indiana Jones hat with a shorter brim, and with the back part folded up. Like a President Hinckley hat.

http://www.bleudame.com/images/8711_on_lg.jpg

http://media.nowpublic.net/images//ed/1/ed12987a5bbe3ba90887b7058e70bb28.jpg

http://images.marketplaceadvisor.channeladvisor.com/hi/56/55713/ss_ja7802blue2_nwm.jpg

[Tim]

I am waiting for the fedora to come back in style. I would love to wear one on a regular basis.

I work for Red Hat, and our logo is a man wearing a red fedora, so the whole red fedora thing is a big part of our image. We even sponsor an open-source operating system called Fedora. Everybody who works for the company is given a red fedora on their first day. I still have mine and cherish it, even though I obviously never wear it.

Here's our former CEO wearing one:



Here's some of our people with the president of Brazil:

[Commando]

if K-Fed couldn't bring it back, I don't know who could.

[falafel]

Here's some of our people with the president of Brazil:

This man does not know how to wear a hat.

[wuapinmon]

Here's some of our people with the president of Brazil:

What a terribly awesome photo of Lula da Silva. It just makes me laugh at him. If everyone else had them on it'd be one thing, but with just him.....lol.

[il Padrino Ute]

This man does not know how to wear a hat.

Are you saying that you don't pull the hat down to your eyebrows?

[falafel]

Are you saying that you don't pull the hat down to your eyebrows?

Well I guess I shouldn't knock it until I try it. But I will knock on how stupid it looks

[il Padrino Ute]

Well I guess I shouldn't knock it until I try it. But I will knock on how stupid it looks

Mock away. He looks like Otis Campbell - which is actually a good thing. (But Otis know how to wear a hat.)

[BoylenOver]

The only people that wear fedoras these days seem to have forearm tattoos, Ed Hardy shirts, and a Monster energy drink.

I agree, the "Mad Men" aesthetic is stunning, and it's definitely plausible for some of those fashions to make a comeback in the U.S., but I accept that the days of non-athletic hats is gone. Mostly because I love my ball caps.