Work Hats

[Sewings]

Hats in time past were often just part of of our work attire... before heating and air conditioning they kept us warm or cool and protected us from the elements. Nowadays we work in heated or aircon environments and our hats are simply something we like... they look great!

Some 37 years ago hats were an essential part of my life... Living under a hat took its toll on the hat and they generally lasted 12-18 months before a new one was needed. For those of us in this zone we all know how hard it is to part with the old and adopt a new They become part of us, our signature and persona. At 18 years old and working on our sheep/cattle station (read ranch for US friends) the pic here shows the only black hat I have ever owned!

Today hats are often fashion statements but for many they also keep us connected to the origins of head-wear.

I'd love to hear from people who still wear hats in everyday life for work...

 

[Frunobulax]

As a desk jockey these days, I hang my hat on a hook when I get to the office. On those occasions where I do field work, which usually consists of standing around watching techs do the dirty work, I'll often wear my hat.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I tried to wear my hat at work but the boss said no.
Anyway, most of the time is inconvenient to wear one.

 

[1mach1]

Great thread idea. I wear a fur felt everyday at work. Not some of my older ones, since I am a building contractor.

 

[1mach1]

I tried to wear my hat at work but the boss said no.
Anyway, most of the time is inconvenient to wear one.

The boss says no? Sounds like you need a new boss.

 

[shrek]

I wear a fedora to and from work but my job requires a hard hat. Sorry not smart enough to post a pic.

 

[Bushman]

Depending on the weather, and what mood I'm in, I'll wear either a fur/felt hat or a flat cap.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

The boss says no? Sounds like you need a new boss.

I'm starting to think the same but for different reasons.

 

[Sewings]

Joao- you look great in a hat so another job where who can you be who you are sounds like a good move, although appreciate our work is only a portion (in my case 95%) of our lives
Shrek- you have it nailed! Wear what you want to and from work and play by the rules at work!
Frunobulax - Same.. I'm wedded to a desk these days and rarely get out in the field, but when I do its is with hat of my choice
1mach1 - You are your own boss by the sound of it so will wear what you want, unless on-site.

 

[tropicalbob]

It's funny how this works. When I first started wearing hats (mostly straws because I live in Miami), I wore them maybe once a week and would always take them off before I walked into the classroom or a meeting (I teach at a college). Now, I wear a hat every day; in fact, I wear one every time I go out, think nothing of wearing it into the class, and sometimes forget to take it off. Hat-wearing really is very addictive.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

Joao- you look great in a hat so another job where who can you be who you are sounds like a good move, although appreciate our work is only a portion (in my case 95%) of our lives

Thank you!!
Problem is that this people here is very very prejudiced about employing someone. They only look at the package not whats inside. Appearing at them with a hat at a job interview would make me loose it at first sight.
I'm currently busting my back and my pay being cut. I'm not the one to be impaired by the kind of work they get. That is their problem not mine.

 

[Thumper15]

My dad has worn the same hat 7 days a week for the last ten years. He works on the farm everyday, and up until he retired in 2013 he worked as a heavy equipment operator at the County Highway Department. He still works there a couple days a week.




And I wear a hat every where but work. The only reason I don't at work is I work in an automotive casting facility. I'm a floater for 6 machining lines and I'm constantly in and out of large CNC mills changing tools, cleaning things, etc. It would be covered in coolant and alminum after a couple hours and would constantly get knocked off. So it stays in the truck when I come in and goes back on my head when I leave. Any thing else like farm work, hunting, blacksmithing or going out to eat, etc I'm wearing the hat.



Sent from behind the anvil

 

[Sewings]

Love the image of your father and battered hat, this is a real work hat.. but must admit I'm drawn to the horse! must be 18 - 20 hands can't see it eyes which is the soul to us all and a gauge how he (not being sexist but this must be a gelding) is feeling . What a picture! Head down an drawing on the trace... I can see your dad has a great relationship with this horse... a mate and true friend. Having 20 odd working horses on our property I know how their personalities become part of us... hats and horses might become another thread.


Sent from behind the anvil[/QUOTE]

 

[Thumper15]

Love the image of your father and battered hat, this is a real work hat.. but must admit I'm drawn to the horse! must be 18 - 20 hands can't see it eyes which is the soul to us all and a gauge how he (not being sexist but this must be a gelding) is feeling . What a picture! Head down an drawing on the trace... I can see your dad has a great relationship with this horse... a mate and true friend. Having 20 odd working horses on our property I know how their personalities become part of us... hats and horses might become another thread.


Sent from behind the anvil

[/QUOTE]
They do become a part of you. He is 1" under 18 hands, and weighs in somewhere close to 2200-2300 lbs. He is a gelding and is 12 years old. Our last draft was a Percheron. My dad bought him at 2 yrs old and worked him constantly. His name was Joe. He died at age 31 in the stable, with his head in my dad's lap. It was the second time I'd ever seen my dad cry in my 27 years on this earth, the first being his mother's death.

Here are some more pictures of some hats and horses









Joe a year before he died, when I was home on leave the first time in 2007







Sent from behind the anvil

 

[stratcat]

They do become a part of you. He is 1" under 18 hands, and weighs in somewhere close to 2200-2300 lbs. He is a gelding and is 12 years old. Our last draft was a Percheron. My dad bought him at 2 yrs old and worked him constantly. His name was Joe. He died at age 31 in the stable, with his head in my dad's lap. It was the second time I'd ever seen my dad cry in my 27 years on this earth, the first being his mother's death.

Sent from behind the anvil[/QUOTE]
What a great set of pictures and a beautifully moving story, thank you for sharing.

I always wear a hat to and from work, actually any time I go out of the house a hat goes on my head. As I work in schools it would seem a bit rude to keep the hat on, not to mention that in many places it would be too hot to keep the hat on. So many of the schools I go into bang on about how environmentally friendly they are, yet they have the heating on so high everyone is going around in short sleeves! Turn the heating down and put a jumper/jacket on!!

If I was playing a gig I'd keep my hat on.

 

[Sewings]

Thumper... a great and wonderful insight with a pics into your life of family, horses and hats! I have very few images of our early outback life but many memories.
Pic attached is from my 3 years working at Uluru National Park (Ayers Rock) in the

centre of Australia, another Akubra Cattleman.

 

[Lt.hats]

I wore my uniform hat every day when I was in uniform, I started out with a awesome looking campaign hat, then the department switched to the more traditional "bus driver" police hat. When I got out of uniform and started wearing suits, I started wearing fedoras. Luckily for me, hats are considered part of well dressed police officer in my department. I've always thought that police officers look more professional when they wear a uniform hat, (non-baseball cap). They aren't always feasible, but overall I think it improves the image.


Sent from my iPad using Tapatalk

 

[Preacher Man]

Sewings, well said sir, hats do become a part of us, they help define us and become part of what we are. I've been told by several people they didn't recognize me without my hat! I'm a minister here in central Kentucky USA, wear dress fedoras all the time, but when I'm out working, hiking in the woods, mowing, gardening, hunting, I'm wearing my faithful Akubra Cattleman! I really like my Cattleman. I see that The Hattery has it in Sand now, may have to get one of those!

Thumper, I appreciate the pic of your dad! I know he's a special man and special to you. That little lad on the Belgian horse is cute, looks like he's enjoying his ride! Is he your son? I hope in years to come, he'll pick up from you and your dad and wear hats too! My avatar is a pic made in 1939, the man on the left is my dad, the man on the right looking toward him is his dad, my grandfather, both life long hat wearers! That one of you working on your forge is a good one too! What kind of blade are forging there?

Great thread and pics!

 

[shrek]

Love from and for a creature like a horse dog etc. Is so incredible the animal is so intuitive. If only more humans could be on the same page as them. My dog and I have an incredible bond. Animals are so intelligent. Draft horses blacksmiths great stuff not to mention dad in his hat!

 

[Sewings]

This is an Akubra, Bogart in Carbon Grey... sort of a work hat as off to work Christmas party as DCI in a murder mystery night.