Hat Styles LIFE Oct. 10. 1938

[rlk]

 

[fashion frank]

Man that is so cool !
Do you notice how a lot of the blocking on the hats are named after ivy league schools, I wonder what was the thinking
behind that ?
All the Best ,Fashion Frank

 

[danofarlington]

I think it's because people were really into aristocracy in the 1930s. A lot of 30s movies revolve around dignitaries and noblemen either in England or coming to America from England. They were just fascinated with status and hierarchy. Even actors seemed to cop an English accent in many movies to sound suave, knowledgeable or sophisticated. And a large number of movies focused on rich people. So I think they were going for status, cheaply purchased for the price of a hat.

 

[Mulceber]

Man I'd love that Older Businessmen hat... (minus the hole in the pinch, of course).

 

[alanfgag]

That's the Harvard hole hat.

A riot... thanks for sharing, RLK.

 

[150719541]

Great pic, congratulation friends for share ¡¡¡

 

[Walt]

Thanks for sharing it though I seen it before. There's a lot of other great hat stories in those old Life's and also the Saturday Evening Post and many others to be found from the golden age. There's one about the "hat check" backlash that was used in the Hatless Jack book that's a good read as well. I guess I should find the link to it and post it if no one else has.

What about this from the story:

A crisis faced the hat industry in 1933 when hatlessness vogue cut sales 50%. The hatmakers saved the day for themselves by calling the bare-headed men sissies, bullied them back into buying hats.

Gotta love that tidbit!

 

[Mr Badger]

That's amazing, thanks for sharing it, rik!

I think it's because people were really into aristocracy in the 1930s. A lot of 30s movies revolve around dignitaries and noblemen either in England or coming to America from England. They were just fascinated with status and hierarchy. Even actors seemed to cop an English accent in many movies to sound suave, knowledgeable or sophisticated. And a large number of movies focused on rich people. So I think they were going for status, cheaply purchased for the price of a hat.

Very perceptive observation, and what's more, if you look at the architecture of those educational establishments, that even echoes the likes of Oxford and Cambridge universities...

 

[Sprinkles]

I like the top hats! "Fold it into a handy pancake" mmmm!

 

[mayserwegener]

That's amazing, thanks for sharing it, rik!



Very perceptive observation, and what's more, if you look at the architecture of those educational establishments, that even echoes the likes of Oxford and Cambridge universities...

But they are wearing Tyrolean hats!

 

[Johnny J]

Thanks RLK for sharing that with us. Love those caps too!

 

[Chepstow]

Thanks RLK for sharing that with us. Love those caps too!

+1
Thanks Robert!!