Up until the 1960’s, most men, women, and children wore hats as a regular part of their lives. Photos from the earliest part of that century show men in their fedoras, women with their head garments of velvet and lace, and tykes with beanies and ball caps.
All that changed with the election of President John Kennedy. His inauguration was in the dead of winter with cold air and snow about but, he wore no hat and the First Lady, Jacqueline Kennedy, did likewise. Suddenly, a new era began.
Taking a cue from President Kennedy, government officials and business people alike ceased wearing chapeaus. Sure, straw hats for casual wear, for both men and women, still existed. But, times were changing.
Several decades passed before someone with great business sense created new a method of advertising, more specifically, on a ball cap. These caps were made of nylon mesh with the fronts resembling small billboards. Emblazoned thereon were names, phone numbers, and logos of businesses that people sported nearly everywhere.
America was dotted with this cheesy headwear but, it was stylish for its time, much as mullets and bell bottoms were. Movie characters wore these hats, television stars donned these, and even politicians seized this opportunity to wear them as an extra method by which to advertise for little money.
This activity created a norm allowing other folks from other walks of life to demonstrate their affiliations. Yachters, golfers, and other elite suddenly discovered a “new” way to ‘advertise’ their wealthy status to those otherwise unaware or unconcerned. With this up-scaling of clientele also came better fabrics. Away went the silk screening and in came the embroidery. Nylon hats were officially deceased.
The 1980’s ushered in a genre of “music” called rap. In short it was talentless people reading poetry to a drum beat. Yes, it is as annoying as it sounds. These rappers with their new-found fame needed an avenue by which to tout their affluence and social status. Enter the ball cap, this time around adorned with sequins and glitter. This tried and true method of advertising found new patrons in the tin-eared followers of this aural garbage, and the style of wearing ones cap – with the bill pointed sideways – actually became fashionable. Although this new statement makes the wearer look both urban and retarded, it caught on by storm. Nothing amazes me anymore.
It was around the turn of the new millennium that ‘the kids’ discovered fedoras. Once again, music-related individuals spurred this fashion fad. Magazines were covered with people wearing fedoras and, by people, I mean both men and women. Sure, those stupid urban ball caps are still around and they still look, well…
I must confess I wear hats of varying varieties to include ball caps, cowboy hats, and crushers. I actually own a pork pie hat and I wear them all with regularity. I use the brimmed hats when exposed to the sun, as I am conscious of skin damage and cancer. For me though, hats never went out of style and likely never will. My sainted wife refers to me as The Renaissance Man because I’m usually ahead of my time. For once, she’s right.
Others regularly laugh at me – yes, I’m the one they’re pointing at. But, my ball cap brim is pointed toward the front and my ears are shaded from the sun.
