When it comes to men's style wearing hats used to be the norm. When you look at old photos for the 20's, 30's and 40's every man was wearing a hat. Even in the American Great Depression you can find pictures of people lining up for food at a soup kitchen and yet they all had hats on. After WWII this trend mostly disappeared as people had more labour intensive jobs indoors where it was easier to work without one. Everyday clothing in general become more stripped down and utilitarian but with more attention being paid to men's fashion these days hats are making a comeback. Still, it's important to know which ones to wear and when.
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| Soup kitchen line during the great depression in Chicago |
Currently in Style
Panama Hat
The Panama Hat is a wide brimmed hat that when first developed was made of straw. It can be made now of any material but is still a woven fabric designed for breatheability in sunny , hot climates. Panama hats are traditionally white but can also be found in off-white colours such as beige, grey and light brown. The hat-band can come in different colours as well. The panama hat is best worn in sunny or hot weather but can be worn any-time with a suit, blazer or other formal wear. It is best worn however in hot weather with a white collared shirt.
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| Classic Panama hat |
Panama hats could be considered the casual alternative to a fedora where the outfit doesn't have to be as formal. Hot weather doesn't lend itself to layered suits and overcoats so wearing a white collared shirt would be not only match but also make sense in terms of taking the weather into account.
The Flat Cap
The flat cap used to be associated with and worn exclusively by older men but is now being accepted as fashionable men of all ages. The flat cap is also sometimes called a golf cap, cabbie cap or driver cap. It's most commonly made of tweed or wool and is lined on the inside. This hat was made for colder weather having gotten its roots from Northern England. Since it has become more fashionable consumers can now buy hats made of more breathable fabrics such as cotton and linen.
The flat cap these days is worn by many people dressed in many different outfits. For some people it has become their everyday hat that they wear with anything. The flat cap is probably the most casual hat out of the three highlighted in this article but that doesn't mean you cant put some thought into the outfit you are wearing underneath it.
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| Justin Timberlake wearing Flat cap with vest while golfing |
Accesoriseing with this hat is best done in colder weather with a suit or overcoat of similar fabric such as tweed or wool. Wearing one with a light coloured shirt and a vest is also a good choice. It used to be common to see old pictures of golfers wearing the hat, hence the name golf cap but they have all since switched to baseball hats. Some golfers still wear them.
The Fedora
A Fedora typically refers to a wide brimmed hat of felt that has a pinch down the centre and a pinch for the wearers hand in the front. Classic fedoras are tear drop shaped with the hat and brim sloping towards the front and upturned at the back. Although many hats are referred to as fedoras which now come in a very wide variety of styles and cuts. The classic black fedora is not as in fashion as it once was and people are turning to different styles instead.
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| Classic Fedora |
Fedoras gained popularity in the 1920's and were made famous by organized crime members who commonly wore them. After prohibition ended the popularity of the fedora waned. Some people started wearing other variations as well such as the Homburg or the Trilby. Fedoras and Trilbies were also worn by a lot of women. Women's hats of the style were commonly found in red or pink as well as the classic black.
Men looking to accesorise with a fedora should think about getting one that is not like the classic design. Look instead for a fuller brim that circles the hat and where the top is more rounded and not sloping. Two other styles may include the Stetson type fedora or the Capone Gangster Fedora.
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| James Spader wearing a Stetson style fedora from The Blacklist |
Final Words
If you are a man and want to wear a hat, the one's above shouldn't be treated like baseball hats that some men wear from the time they get up until they go to bed at night. Think of the outfit you are wearing and where and when you are going to wear your hat. Simply wearing a hat as a fashion statement with no consideration given to anything else you are wearing will end up giving your hat the opposite effect you are looking for. Instead of adding to a an outfit it will distract people and look out of place and you don't want that to happen.
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