Helmets didn't end hats, right?

[LTDAVIS]

I personally don't believe this but I have heard that since soldiers had to wear helmets in ww2, they didn't like to wear headgear thus a factor in the death of hats. I don't believe this one for several reasons. The amount of hatted people in the 40s and 50s, WW1 didn't end hats, and then of course veterans of the war (James Stewart, Sterling Hayden). What do the experts think? Also it would be super cool if anyone has pics of ww2 vets in fedoras or servicemen during the war wearing them (some people in the military are allowed to wear civilian clothing such as intelligence personnel or special agents part of investigative units)

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It sounds like something that would be hard to prove on way or the other.

I think there were a lot of factors that led to the demise of hat wearing. There are several threads here on this topic.

 

[LTDAVIS]

It sounds like something that would be hard to prove on way or the other.

I think there were a lot of factors that led to the demise of hat wearing. There are several threads here on this topic.

I more so asked cause I've only heard once so it seems the least likely plus I was hoping people would use this opportunity to post cool photos.

 

[Edward]

I'm sure there were men who came back from the war eschewing anything that reminded them of uniform, but it was by no means an identifiable norm. There were as likely as many more came back and wore a hat out of habit because they'd become so used to having something on their head. I'm pretty sure one of the big reasons I'm so comfortable in a suit / collar and tie myself is because I wore a uniform with a tie to school every day for fourteen years, a blazer for the latter seven of those.

On this other side of the Atlantic, fashionable young men in the big cities were already eschewing the hat in the 1930s, though that really took root in the 50s. I lean to the view that it was as much the simple vagaries of fashion as did it than anything else. Maybe also the spread of the car here in the UK (the 'affordable motor car for the working man' being a thing really by 1960) meaning that younger people in particular felt hats less necessary. Maybe the post-war austerity years (rationing continued in Britain until July 1954, for example) had an impact if it was possible to save money by eschewing hats. Maybe. Combination of a lot of things, most likely - similar to the way jeans have become such a norm since the 60s.

 

[Frunobulax]

I'm sure there were men who came back from the war eschewing anything that reminded them of uniform, but it was by no means an identifiable norm. There were as likely as many more came back and wore a hat out of habit because they'd become so used to having something on their head. I'm pretty sure one of the big reasons I'm so comfortable in a suit / collar and tie myself is because I wore a uniform with a tie to school every day for fourteen years, a blazer for the latter seven of those.

On this other side of the Atlantic, fashionable young men in the big cities were already eschewing the hat in the 1930s, though that really took root in the 50s. I lean to the view that it was as much the simple vagaries of fashion as did it than anything else. Maybe also the spread of the car here in the UK (the 'affordable motor car for the working man' being a thing really by 1960) meaning that younger people in particular felt hats less necessary. Maybe the post-war austerity years (rationing continued in Britain until July 1954, for example) had an impact if it was possible to save money by eschewing hats. Maybe. Combination of a lot of things, most likely - similar to the way jeans have become such a norm since the 60s.

While anecdotes don't equal data, I've heard from many ex-military that they were sick of "covers" when they came home. Enough that it's probably good for a few percentage points. However, I think hats fell out of favor for many reasons in a confluence of events that resulted in their decline.

Cars
Hairstyles and later, hair gels
General fashion sense
A focus on less formal everything

Then everything went to hell when we went off the gold standard.

 

[Edward]

While anecdotes don't equal data, I've heard from many ex-military that they were sick of "covers" when they came home. Enough that it's probably good for a few percentage points. However, I think hats fell out of favor for many reasons in a confluence of events that resulted in their decline.

Cars
Hairstyles and later, hair gels
General fashion sense
A focus on less formal everything

Then everything went to hell when we went off the gold standard.

Agreed. I've often suspected the 'bigger' hairstyles of the late 40s and the 50s were partially responsible for hats being eschewed as they wouldn't fit. But so many different things will have contributed.

On the rockabilly scene here, you don't see so many of the younger guys wearing hats, cause of the quiffs. Then they get older, the hair starts to go, and out come the hats!

 

[LTDAVIS]

While anecdotes don't equal data, I've heard from many ex-military that they were sick of "covers" when they came home. Enough that it's probably good for a few percentage points. However, I think hats fell out of favor for many reasons in a confluence of events that resulted in their decline.

Cars
Hairstyles and later, hair gels
General fashion sense
A focus on less formal everything

Then everything went to hell when we went off the gold standard.

Forgive me, but what hair products were men using?

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Heck…i just blamed it on people talking s**t…then saying “or i’ll eat my hat”.
Made perfect sense to me.
(burp, stomach growl)
B

 

[LTDAVIS]

Some cool photos of air force OSI special agents wearing hats.

 

[Frunobulax]

Forgive me, but what hair products were men using?

Late 40s and 50s saw the rise of pomades and men's hairstyles that hat hat would ruin if worn. Similarly, although hat manufacturers started to use oilskin and plastic liner tips about that time, the pomades could ruin the hat, as well.

One other contributing factor is that life started to be conducted more indoors during this time. Urbanization, centralized heat (then air conditioning) meant folks spent less time outside. Go out to the western US (or really any rural area) and hats are still plentiful because folks work and live outside and hats still make sense.

 

[LTDAVIS]

Late 40s and 50s saw the rise of pomades and men's hairstyles that hat hat would ruin if worn. Similarly, although hat manufacturers started to use oilskin and plastic liner tips about that time, the pomades could ruin the hat, as well.

One other contributing factor is that life started to be conducted more indoors during this time. Urbanization, centralized heat (then air conditioning) meant folks spent less time outside. Go out to the western US (or really any rural area) and hats are still plentiful because folks work and live outside and hats still make sense.

Oof that's what I use and I wear hats

 

[GHT]

Agreed. I've often suspected the 'bigger' hairstyles of the late 40s and the 50s were partially responsible for hats being eschewed as they wouldn't fit. But so many different things will have contributed.

This is how to balance a forage cap without ruining "the image" and without losing the cap.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Late 40s and 50s saw the rise of pomades and men's hairstyles that hat hat would ruin if worn. Similarly, although hat manufacturers started to use oilskin and plastic liner tips about that time, the pomades could ruin the hat, as well.

One other contributing factor is that life started to be conducted more indoors during this time. Urbanization, centralized heat (then air conditioning) meant folks spent less time outside. Go out to the western US (or really any rural area) and hats are still plentiful because folks work and live outside and hats still make sense.

I agree that there were many factors, but this makes the most sense to be. Hats are outside accessories and for many this amounts to 2 ½ minutes a day. Sometimes I forgo wearing a hat because the trouble of storing or holding it just doesn’t make sense if I’m only wearing it 45 seconds between my car and my office/store/restaurant/etc. The practical value went away for many so we should expect its usage to decline.

When I open my private detective agency above the delicatessen, and spend hours standing in shadows in the rain waiting for a mysterious dame to arrive then I’ll get to put my fedoras to good use.

Honestly, my embracing of westerns had to do with lifestyle rather than a fashion choice. On those days that I’m outdoors for hours I want move coverage than a fedora offers. Just don’t ask me to explain the taco brim westerns that don’t offer coverage of the sides of the head including the vulnerable ears. This just doesn’t make any sense at all to me: complete style/form over function…and I personally think it looks terrible too.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Darn those protective helmets, look at the unintended consequences.

Smart alec Eric -

 

[T Jones]

Bill Haley did it. He's the one who brought the end to hat wearing! People's hats kept falling off when they were dancing to his Rock & Roll music! It's all Bill Haley's fault!

 

[Edward]

View attachment 546970
This is how to balance a forage cap without ruining "the image" and without losing the cap.

I wonder if he's got a hair clip helping to hold it in place? If I tried that angle, I'd need toupee tape!

I agree that there were many factors, but this makes the most sense to be. Hats are outside accessories and for many this amounts to 2 ½ minutes a day. Sometimes I forgo wearing a hat because the trouble of storing or holding it just doesn’t make sense if I’m only wearing it 45 seconds between my car and my office/store/restaurant/etc. The practical value went away for many so we should expect its usage to decline.

Those are the times I reach for a cap. I remember I even once wore a black beret with white tie because the venue didn't have a secure cloakroom...

Bill Haley did it. He's the one who brought the end to hat wearing! People's hats kept falling off when they were dancing to his Rock & Roll music! It's all Bill Haley's fault!

That's sometimes the first sign that a photo has been taken at a retro club and not a period shot - all the boys are wearing hats Because Olden Days! - even though in reality, they'd be hanging in the cloakroom shortly after arrival!

 

[GHT]

I wonder if he's got a hair clip helping to hold it in place? If I tried that angle, I'd need toupee tape!

Possibly, but I wouldn't dare ask. That's my father aged 21. He was about to go off to fight in WW2.

 

[jkingrph]

My father was born in 1916 and apparently started wearing hats as a very young man and always wore one until his death in 1999. I wore a cap/hat constantly for a little over ten years as a USAF officer and occasionally a straw western when off duty, and finally got back to wearing one of the Tilly fabric hats back in the mid 90's. For a while I thought people would think I was silly looking wearing one, but quickly graduated to felt and straw Fedoras and some westerns. Now it is a rare day that I go outside without a hat of some kind. When attending some local veterans meetings/luncheons I wear a USAF ball cap.

 

[Edward]

Possibly, but I wouldn't dare ask. That's my father aged 21. He was about to go off to fight in WW2.

Going by these sorts of portrait photos having seen a fair few of them, a rakish angle like that does seem to have been popular. An element of stylistic self-expression within the confines of uniform, maybe?

My father was born in 1916 and apparently started wearing hats as a very young man and always wore one until his death in 1999. I wore a cap/hat constantly for a little over ten years as a USAF officer and occasionally a straw western when off duty, and finally got back to wearing one of the Tilly fabric hats back in the mid 90's. For a while I thought people would think I was silly looking wearing one, but quickly graduated to felt and straw Fedoras and some westerns. Now it is a rare day that I go outside without a hat of some kind. When attending some local veterans meetings/luncheons I wear a USAF ball cap.

You know, your post reminds me of a psychological experiment I read about some thirty odd years ago. In an academic study on the notion of self-consciousness and whether other people really notice the things that make us nervous, academics picked a group of students to walk through an art gallery and then discuss how they felt about it. They made some of the students wear Barry Manilow t-shirts - he being deeply uncool at the time and his being the days before hipsterist ironic dressing. All these students expressed how mortified they were to be seen wearing these garments, and how everyone was staring at them. When those other people in the gallery were interviewed, they expressed bemusement about it - very few of them had actually noticed the shirts at all.

I often remind myself of that when I go out in something that might draw attention. It doesn't happen all that often now; the final frontier for me, hats wise, was probably the Caubeen (along with the saffron kilt), but I don't think anyone really noticed on the bus. Certainly noone seemed to give it a second glance. As ever, I think wearing it confidently is what matters - if you're not comfortable, it feels like everyone is staring...

 

[LTDAVIS]

Well I found this. See the agents in hats in the back?

Counter Intelligence Corps arrests Axis Sally, 14 March 1946. (U.S. Army photo)