Professional cutler practicing his trade in NYC, circa 1890

[soc_monki]

Hats suck, long hair rules. Cool photos and memorabilia.

 

[afishhunter]

Interesting that everyone was wearing hats back in those days.


Like in this photo taken around the turn of the century in Titusville Ironworks, all wore hats and looks like they wanted to get that photo done so they can get to lunch
G2

Also vests and jackets to be propoerly attired, regardless of occupation.
Farmers wore a hat, vest, coat, and sometimes a bowtie or string/bolo tie while plowing the field, same as those that worked the line in manufaturing.
A man wearing just a shirt was considered the same as being in public in his underwear, in the 1800's and first decade of the 1900's.

 

[Gary W. Graley]

that sounds about right, from the little digging I did, some people lay the blame of the hat demise at the foot of the automobile.

And I was in the UK at a few glass factories and it's mighty hot and dirty in the area where the glass containers are being formed but I could see the workers wearing a coat and tie and couldn't believe it, but, when you got up close you could tell they had been wearing it for quite a while and reeked, from a distance they looked prim and proper

G2

 

[Stahlmann]

Interesting comments about hats. As others have said, they have been a staple forever. They're very logical, particuarly in both hot and cold settings. I suspect the biggest reason for their demise is that people spend less and less time outside, working, walking, ridings subways, etc. Maybe the tune-in/turn-on/drop-out/long haired culture played a part too? I don't buy the JFK excuse however.

While the styles have definitely changed (about all one sees now are trucker's caps, ball caps and a smattering of flat caps/paperboy caps), head coverings have certainly made a recovery over the past 20-30 years.

Fascinating to see in the US how hats have transitioned from bowlers (as in the photo) to trilbys/fedoras and now to ball caps.

 

[K.O.D.]

Until the 1960's a hat was expected to be part of a man's daily wardrobe. The long hair and hippies pretty much killed that.

Let's bring it back! Then again I will have to reallocate funds from my other hobbies to purchase hats...

 

[Stahlmann]

Let's bring it back! Then again I will have to reallocate funds from my other hobbies to purchase hats...

Hats and caps have been back for a while now... Just a matter of wearing something other than a ball cap, a trucker's cap, a flat cap or a beanie.

In my world, Hanna Irish walking hats, karakuls (both for the winter), Stetson (actually Acubra) Open Roads, various Tilleys and western straw hats take the place of caps.

 

[cheesemaster]

Until the 1960's a hat was expected to be part of a man's daily wardrobe. The long hair and hippies pretty much killed that.

I've read that an increase in showering frequency played a big part too.

 

[Twindog]

That trade still exists in other parts of the world, Italy, Mexico, etc.

He's grinding a very acute edge on that blade. You can see how thick the bevel is, too.

So when he's done, does he take off the stone's drive belt and ride off?

 

[brownshoe]

Until the 1960's a hat was expected to be part of a man's daily wardrobe. The long hair and hippies pretty much killed that.

Some say it was WWII. Many men back in civilian life did not want to wear hats since they were forced to in the sevice. Also as cars became more available, men didn’t need a hat for the long walk from the bus to home.

 

[Stahlmann]

Some say it was WWII. Many men back in civilian life did not want to wear hats since they were forced to in the sevice. Also as cars became more available, men didn’t need a hat for the long walk from the bus to home.

An even bigger part when it comes to automobiles is headroom. Most can wear a hat in a Ford Model A. Most cannot wear one (except for beanies and such) in a 2021 Ford Escape. Cutting headroom was a topic of huge discussion among the Big 3 back in the day.

I grew up and have lived most of my life in a very moderate-temp part of California. I don't know how people went without hats in many parts of the US during the summer and winter months?

 

[ferider]

He's grinding a very acute edge on that blade. You can see how thick the bevel is, too.

So when he's done, does he take off the stone's drive belt and ride off?

I guess. I love the way he has hard mounted the pump.

 

[Henry Beige]

Until the 1960's a hat was expected to be part of a man's daily wardrobe. The long hair and hippies pretty much killed that.

JFK killed that.