Wearing trilbies etc. too far back on the head?

[Van De Laak]

Hi all,

I don't like seeing guys wearing trilbies and other hats (too) far back on the hat. Yet, in most professionally shot model shoots of guys wearing these hats, it seems to be the norm. Or pseudo fashionable? ... http://resources.shopstyle.co.uk/si...er-island-asos-hats-gray-straw-trilby-hat.jpg

Wearing a hat like this can't be fun as it will fall off constantly. I personally wear my porkpie for example, only like 2 to 3 finger widths above my eyebrows, tilting backwards at a modest angle. You might agree or not agree, but I am curious how you guys wear your (trilby or other narrow brimmed) hat?

[edit for content]

 

[Brent Hutto]

It's a look. Not one I'd wear but it definitely gives a certain impression. I guess the folks that wear little hats perched on the back of their head would feel the same about having one down over your eyes. Everybody's got a look in mind when they wear a hat.

Heck some people think ball caps look cool!:eeek:

 

[Cliffnopus]

Maybe it's a yalmukadora.

Cliff

 

[dnjan]

I associate it with IQ. The further back, the lower the IQ

 

[DavidJ]

dnjan, I completely agree with you. I have to admit, I do it on occasion, when I leave cross country. A little sweat is okay, but not the sweat that comes from running 8 miles. Other than that, I wear it a reasonable tilt.

 

[fmw]

How about the new trend of extending the backward baseball cap to the fedora? Some wear their trilbies reversed and snapped down only in the back.

 

[VitaminG]

I think it's just trying to appropriate a particular image. I can see an on-set photograph of Steve McQueen or James Dean or some other icon briefly tipping their hat back to scratch their head and someone saying "that's IT. That's the look I'm after". And deciding to ONLY wear their hat like that.

Capture a fleeting moment in time and then base your whole image around it. Like wearing bedhair to the office. It might look sexy/cute/alluring, that mussed up 'do when you first alight from your bed. But seriously? That's the look you want to rock in a suit at the big conference?

 

[Nick D]

Jimmy Stewart wore a fedora that far back frequently. I think the thing here is that the hat is too small to begin with, which throws everything off.

A while ago I saw a teen-aged kid with a 'fashionable' hat like that tipped so far to one side it was more like sideways, it even covered his ear. I couldn't figure out how he kept it on, then I noticed the bobby-pins on the brim.

 

[Shangas]

Maybe it's a yalmukadora.

Cliff

LOL!!

I associate it with IQ. The further back, the lower the IQ

I have NOTHING to base this on, but somehow, I agree with this assessment!

I too have noticed this trend with 'fashion models' and I don't understand its significance or necessity. Personally I reckon it looks damn weird. I would never push my hat that far back. For one, I have no need to do so, for two, I like to keep my hat on my head, I don't wanna chase after it when the wind starts playing tricks.

With that thought, it occurs to me that people who wear hats like that have probably never worn them outside of doors...which makes me wonder why they're modelling something they'd never wear...

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Models wear hats far back on the head to avoid shadowing the face, and to frame the face for the photograph. Even though they're probably marketing clothing, you must be able to see the model's eyes for the marketing to be effective.

K. Costner did this through the Untouchables to frame his face - his most marketable asset at the time.

With that thought, it occurs to me that people who wear hats like that have probably never worn them outside of doors...which makes me wonder why they're modelling something they'd never wear...

To be honest, an awful lot of FLounge self-portraits with new hats give me just this impression.

bk

 

[hubbit]

I think environment also has a bit to do with it. I live in an orthodox Jewish community where "hat culture" never really went away, and in many cases hat position is situational. On the Sabbath the hat will be worn in the expected position with the brim snapped down, but during the rest of the week the brim will be turned up and the hat cocked further back on the head. These are higher-crown fedoras, most commonly seen with a center crease and side dents of varying depth but almost never an Indy pinch. All basic black.

 

[Edward]

I associate it with IQ. The further back, the lower the IQ

Heh. I wear my hat over my face - I must be a super-genius! I keep tripping, though.... lol

How about the new trend of extending the backward baseball cap to the fedora? Some wear their trilbies reversed and snapped down only in the back.

Not a look for which I care, though I don't think it's anything new. I've seen photos of particularly old jazz and blues musicians from the Fifties and earlier doing this.

I think it's just trying to appropriate a particular image. I can see an on-set photograph of Steve McQueen or James Dean or some other icon briefly tipping their hat back to scratch their head and someone saying "that's IT. That's the look I'm after". And deciding to ONLY wear their hat like that.

Capture a fleeting moment in time and then base your whole image around it. Like wearing bedhair to the office. It might look sexy/cute/alluring, that mussed up 'do when you first alight from your bed. But seriously? That's the look you want to rock in a suit at the big conference?

" I got you in my camera, got you in my camera, a second of your life, ruined for life."

Sex Pistols, I wanna be me



It's true, though. My favoured tight and narrow pinch is wholly influenced by the idol grab sequence in Raiders, just one of many, many looks Indy's hats went through.

As to wearing position, I tend to wear mine relatively forward, and cocked to the side - not to an extreme degree, but noticeably so. You can tell I'm not a natural shooter, though: I typically wear it lower on my left hand side, which, being a southpaw, would be down over my shooting eye.

 

[carldelo]

Glenn Ford wore his hat tipped back quite a bit, looked good on him:

Sometimes I tip my hat back off my forehead to let it cool off for a bit.

 

[jlee562]

Well, I guess I'm the heretic who wears hats back on my head.

 

[scottyrocks]

It's not just the back-tilt in the OP's photo. It's the whole 'small hat/big hair/tank top/I don't know if I'm a boy or a girl' look. They choose male models with specific facial structures for specific 'fashions.' Definitely not my thing.

 

[EggHead]

I make sure my hats don't fly off during a sudden gust of wind. So if it's really hot and I am sitting in some windless area, then I slightly loosen hats grip on my skull.

 

[Edward]

It's not just the back-tilt in the OP's photo. It's the whole 'small hat/big hair/tank top/I don't know if I'm a boy or a girl' look. They choose male models with specific facial structures for specific 'fashions.' Definitely not my thing.

The catwalk world over the past decade has really prized androgynous looks. Swings and roundabouts, I suppose - I'm sure it'll come back round soon. Course, if you're looking for "manly" models, a vintage and a contemporary perception thereof could be a whole nother can o' worms....

 

[Nobert]

As intimated by others, what bothers me about the photo posted by the O.P. is not so much the hat tilted back as doing it with bangs.

I frequently tilt my hats back, especially on warm days, to give my forehead more evaporation surface. And with my hairline, I've got plenty of forehead to work with.

 

[Michaelshane]

If you wear a hat a lot,you wear it all over your head,back,forward,on the side,etc.
Just wear your hat,don't be a poser.

 

[hatophile]

If you wear a hat a lot,you wear it all over your head,back,forward,on the side,etc.
Just wear your hat,don't be a poser.

Amen!