Hat Theory... Night wearing? Car life?

[JeffOYB]

Hi all... Before I get to my questions... Last year my plans to travel to Hollywood fell through. THIS TIME it's all systems go for 4/29>5/4. : ) Dang, I look forward to checking out some swell hangouts and maybe running into some of you! (I'll catch up on The Lounge and see if anything is scheduled while I'm in town.)

Anyway, I'd like to travel with a good hat. I'm thinking that an Optimo-type straw Panama might be neat.

But this idea brought up a couple Hat Theory questions...

(First: Are Optimos really safe to roll up for travel? I posted about this in a separate thread.)

Second: What about wearing brimmed and/or straw hats at NIGHT? In nice weather? I mean, straws are kinda for the sun. As regards other brimmed hats, at night when it's not cold or rainy and you don't need the hat for weatherproofing, I'm starting to sometimes question this fashion. Sometimes a tiny desire for functionality creeps into my hat-wearing...

Now a third question rears up: What about wearing brimmed hats IN CARS? For the past few years I've worn brimmed hats in cars as part of an attempt to rescue car fashion in addition to day-wear fashion. Fashion today is often an "in and out of cars" reality. But is it perhaps more sensible to TAKE OFF a fedora when in the car? I mean, put it on if the sunshine is begging for a brim, but otherwise, what's a wrap-around brim doing inside a car other than getting in the way? The crown hits the ceiling...the brims hits the headrest and window... I confess that I've started to feel a little lost.

(BTW, this trip starts in the Bay Area. I plan to take the Pacific Starlight train south to Union Station in LA. A classic and scenic train, I've heard! I also heard it can be slow but I'll have along reading material and my un-classic laptop... OK, I'll keep catching up The Lounge! It's nice to be back!)

 

[Lon Goval]

Just Wear It!

That's my philosophy. I can't help with question #1 but for #2 & #3 I would wear what I want when I want. I know others here have rules of what to wear and when, but then sometimes rules are meant to be broken (at least by me).

I generally wear my best hats when dressing up, but my dressing up comes nowhere near others on this forum. They have some sharp looking outfits. My version of dressing up is when the shirt buttons and is tucked into the pants, and the pants are long!

The only time I don't wear my hat in a car is if there isn't room, and I'll try to slouch in my seat if I have to. Going without a hat I feel naked!

Hats are for wearing. Just my opinion.

 

[Tomasso]

straw hats at NIGHT? In nice weather? I mean, straws are kinda for the sun.

I wear my straws day and night in warm weather.[huh]

 

[Senator Jack]

Does this answer your question? It's all attitude.

 

[JeffOYB]

"I'm wearin' my sunglasses at night / so I can / so I can

[had to google the rest]

watch you weave then breathe your story lines." (Huh?)

Yeah, it all LOOKS good... : )

I like it and all, but sometimes the *why* comes creeping up on me... Back! Back!

 

[Dinerman]

Does this answer your question? It's all attitude.

Sunglasses after dark- Looks so sharp.

 

[Pilgrim]

I often wear a hat while driving.

My vote: do it if it moves 'ya.

 

[silvershadow]

hats in cars

That's why I purposely drive a 1960s English car - lots of headroom for the crown (can wear a top hat whilst driving, or being driven in the back!) and there are no such things as headrests to get in the way of the brim!

It's a different story when I drive my g/f's new Mini...have to wear a stingy brim in that car!

 

[Stoney]

Headroom for the hat is a prerequisite for any car that I purchase.

 

[Retro Rob]

I've got a 60's British Car, and no headroom for a hat.

 

[Doh!]

Retro, that's a sweet ride!

I'd wear hats in my car if I could, but I prefer a wide-ish brim and they always hit the headrest so off they come.

Straw at night? Sure!

 

[Tomasso]

I've got a 60's British Car, and no headroom for a hat.

ooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo

 

[silvershadow]

I've got a 60's British Car, and no headroom for a hat.

What a great car Retro Rob - I love the E-type! But I don't drive anything as sporty! My car has a more vice-regal feel to it.

Other 60s cars that I've owned, including Humber Super Snipes and Hawks, also had plenty of hat wearing room.

 

[Stan]

Hi,

Well, I've had a lot of cars from the 1940's thru a new 2008 and have yet to find one, sportscars excluded, where I coundn't wear a fedora while driving them.

Now, sportscars are different, of course. Sometimes they don't even have room for your head, much less a hat. I've been in many a sportsracer where we had to cut a hole in the roof and then weld in a dome to allow clearance for a helmet, including Jag E-Types! [huh]

My current, and longest owned, sportscar is a Lotus 7 TwinCam, and it has plenty of room for a hat - no roof! Or, doors for that matter! But, there's NO way you'd ever keep a hat on with all that wind! :eusa_doh:

I drive that one with a Bell helmet on, though, as the wind buffeting at any speed over 30 MPH is hellacious. Helmets are great driving hats. They keep the wind away, stay on (thanks to those nice straps), keep the bugs out of your face, and actually offer wonderful protection in the event of a shunt.

Later!

Stan

 

[Socrets]

When it comes to wearing hats in cars, I'd throw myself in the boat as Doh!. So I just keep a cheap flat cap in the car and my fedora on the seat beside me or the dashboard. That way I don't feel naked when I'm in the car.

As for straws at night, whatever floats your boat I guess. Depending on the weather I either go hatless or just put on my stylemaster. Then again, I don't own that many straw hats to begin with...

 

[ScionPI2005]

I currently drive a Scion tC coupe, and have always managed to wear a hat while I am driving; regardless of it being a fedora or a cap.

In regards to the earlier subject of this topic, and wearing hats, I generally wear one whenever I want. As a high schooler wearing a fedora, I never did so for the purpose of blocking the sun from my head or protecting myself from inclement weather. I wore my fedora more out of expression and an extension of my personality. I wear my hat whenever I want, and remove it simply for what I've determined to be proper hat etiquette (when eating, in court, National Anthem, etc).

 

[ideaguy]

that E-Type...absolutely one of the best designs ever to come into production-and I'm not limiting it to cars, I mean anything. Period.
Absolutely stunning. And there's room for a proper Fedora. I drove one,
had on a beater of a fedora & some old blue jeans; If I had the chance now, I'd
certainly dress just for the drive; and wear my favorite Borsalino, of course.

WATTA CAR !!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[J.T.Marcus]

I'd wear hats in my car if I could, but I prefer a wide-ish brim and they always hit the headrest so off they come.

Try leaning the seat back another notch, or two. I can wear anything, except a really big brim cowboy hat, in both my 2003 Nissan Frontier and in my wife's 1995 Camaro!

 

[Beowulf67]

Speaking of wearing a hat at night, I was watching an old movie the other night and they had several scenes outside at night in a suburban neighborhood and I noticed the men wearing their hats. I assume they were walking home from work.

 

[GreyHat]

I'll wear a hat at night.
Given room, why not wear one driving too? (Unless in a car sans roof where the hat would likely become a casualty)
Is there any proper protocol for these situations?