Going Civilian: The Hat-Part One

     Long has it been since men wore hats regularly, but there was such a time when it would be very odd to see a man out and about without one upon his head. It was kind of a  faux pas, such a a faux pas that even during The Great Depression, lines of unemployed men, some of whom didn't have full suits or ties, all still wore hats. Going outside or in a public place without a hat was considered improper, for both men and women, although some of the rules for each sex regarding hats are different(men remove their hats in church while women are supposed to keep them on, traditionally, for example).

     There are certain rules to hats, like tipping your hat to a woman, an elder or someone of respect, taking it off if in prolonged conversation with a woman, not setting it on a bed(which is more for it not getting sat on than bad luck), and many others. Perhaps I'll go into more detail sometime, but for now I think this is good enough, as I am going to focus on some of the types of hats themselves. A site that does offer some great hat etiquette advice is The Art of Manliness. They have several articles on the topic of hats, and sections in the book they sell, aptly named, "The Art of Manliness."

      One other thing that hasn't traditionally been a rule, but one that seems necessary to say, is that hats should be in plain colors. No patterns. Hats have traditionally been worn in black, brown, grey, tan off-white or some other plain color or shade variation. It isn't until the modern age that hats with patterns have gained popularity. It is best to stay away from a hat with a pattern. A hat should remain understated in some ways and attention grabbing in others. This excludes caps of course however, as they are not made to be elegant or mood invoking the same ways  a fedora, a bowler, trilby, or homburg are. These hats with patterns or ridiculous colors just don't evoke the same mood as the way they were meant to, which is a more conservative and elegant mood, which while being understated, is also attention grabbing and eye catching.

The Fedora

Adolphe Menjou

   

     The fedora is arguably the most well known of hats. It's iconic and was probably the most worn hat of its day. That's not to say that other hats were not worn by many, but the fedora seems to be the most common. There are different kinds, with different sizes for both brim and crown(the part that goes up to put it simply)and some different styles as well. Tear-drop tops or straight are the choices for the top shape. The difference being that the tear-drop looks like a tear-drop and the other is more of a straight groove.
     For all practical purposes, the wider brimmed ones are better, as they'll offer more protection from sun and bad weather. They're generally flexible, some even crushable. The fedora that is most common and simply looks best with a suit or more casual clothing, is the 1920s-1950s type of fedora, which has a taller crown and a wider brim. Brim width reached its peak in the 1940s, going from 2 1/4 to 3 inches in width. It isn't until the late 1950s and throughout the 1960s that the smaller brimmed, the stingy brim, is introduced as a norm. It seems we still haven't recovered quite fully as the most common fedora being sold today is the stingy brim, in all sorts of patterns and colors now too.
     Fedoras work well with most any suit, period and even modern, although period suits tends to look better, both with and without the hat than do modern suits.
     A fedora should be both reliable and good looking. They are meant to be functional hats that are elegant and even ad a bit of mystery. They have a certain mystique about them that other hats do not. Some of the best, if not the best, were made by Stetson. I have one made in the 1930s or 1940s, and it is excellent, even after 70 years or so. If you can find one in good condition, get it; unless it's ridiculously expensive. They are good hats that should last you a lifetime if you treat them well. They are weather resistant and wear well, each having a slightly unique shape to the wearer after decent use. The other nice thing is that the fedora can go with just about anyone, whether you're very elegant like the photo above, or sort of like the average Joe, like the photo below.

Gene Kelly

     Everyone should have at least one fedora in their wardrobe, if not two. The colors that go with most everything are grey and brown. If you just want one, grey goes with most anything. Black should be avoided, since it's typically more formal and reserved for more formal hats; it isn't very often a black fedora is seen being donned by people of the past, although it was not completely unheard of. Cream, off-white and even white are a bit more elegant and give a much less casual vibe than a grey(unless it's light grey)or brown fedora. 

     The fedora is a classic hat that is able to be worn with much variety in one's wardrobe. The only clothes it isn't supposed to be worn with are formal clothes, but other than that, it can be worn with most anything and look good. This is probably the first hat you should get, unless your impression specifically calls for another hat, especially if it is pre-fedora. 

The Trilby

William Powell

      The trilby is a variation of the fedora. It's technically what the newer, 1960s-on stingy brims are. It doesn't have to be though, as pictured above. It can have a wider brim and taller crown, yet look different from the standard fedora. Although it is a fedora(and the British call fedoras trilbys), it has its own look and definitely stands out. It's very sharp and to the point. If you can find a good trilby in your size, I recommend getting one, unless doesn't go with your head or face shape. Trilbys are are also good hats for even the bad weather, although you may still want to use your fedora more often for this, since the brim will probably be wider.

The Pork Pie

Gene Hackman in The French Connection 1971

     One hat that has all but disappeared is the pork pie. There was a time when it wouldn't have been uncommon to see a man in one of these hats, but ever since the late 1960s, they have heavily fallen out of popularity. This may be because most men have a hard time pulling off wearing one or they think it just looks silly. And in a way it kind of does. I personally wouldn't recommend it to just any man, and I myself don't wear them. If you can get it right though, go ahead, the hat is in need of a revival. They're usually flat on the top, but not always, and typically have brims on the shorter side.

Buster Keaton

Note that the modern Pork Pie isn't very different from its predecessors.

The Homburg

     Most people seem to know this hat from The Godfather, so much so, that the homburg is also called a godfather hat. Homburgs have been around for a while, longer than the fedora, since the late 19th Century. Although the fedora started showing up on a small scale around that time, the homburg was in much more use. Another difference between the homburg and other more common hats is that it is more formal. It can be worn with a sharp suit or a tuxedo, so wearing one in light grey, grey or black is appropriate. There are many more colors though, and both the ribbon on the hat and around the edges is sometimes colored. They are a dressier option if one wants to wear something more than a fedora or trilby, and are definitely something that will catch people's eye. Most men just don't wear these much anymore, but they're not too hard to find. Sites like eBay sells many of them, although I'd opt for an original for quality at less cost. They're very nice hats that give a statement of elegance and refinement like few can.

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        There is a long overdue revival of hat regular hat wearing in general, but for many of these, they deserve to be worn again and taken out of the closets of yesteryear. One hat in particular, the bowler, or derby, definitely deserves some attention, along with the boater and many others. There may be variations on these hats, but the originals seem to be the peak of their elegance. Be sure stay tuned for more on hats, and if you have any questions or suggestions, please feel free to comment here or on facebook!