How do folks react to your hat wearing?

blazerbud · Oct 13, 2013

Liquesence said:
I've always gotten positive remarks, or looks.

"Why do you want to wear that, people don't wear those these days." Of course, she's a firm believer in being a follower.

I love the fact that most people don't wear hats. That's why I love doing it. I think everyone else is stupid for not wearing hats, and for the most part they are. Just like they can wear hideous dumb looking clothes and listen to really bad music and consume whatever advertisers target at them. SHEEP.

Sorry, I had to rant a little.

Now about The self conscious thing. The number one most important thing that causes you to look good with a lid on is when you have confidence that you look good in it, you just have to wear it like it was meant for you.

Lando · Oct 13, 2013

I started wearing hats when I was in my second year of college. I bought a very generic wool Bailey cowboy hat and ended up rolling the brim. I wore it endlessly, with everything all the time. At first people gave me crap and weird looks. But I just kept wearing it because it felt right. Hats add something to a wardrobe, to the expression of a person, that communicate mood and attitude. I just kept wearing my hat all the time. Eventually it became a part of my appearance as common place as any article of clothing, so thoroughly that people began retroactively adding a hat to my history. One of my oldest college friends swears that when she met me my first day on campus, I was wearing a big rolled brown cowboy hat, even though it was a year before I ever owned it lol. I wore my hat till I owned it, till it was so me that when people looked at me it seemed awkward for me not to have a hat.

It's a common part of my appearance now, and honestly, I don't really get comments. I walk in, and I'm confident and polite, and swing a big personality around with little unease. I've been told I just seem like the kind of person who would wear a big hat lol. And when I've gotten comments, few and very far between, they're generally good. No one mistakes me for Indiana Jones, no one makes fun, and people mostly remember me pretty well. I would say, folk react well to me wearing hats lol. If you're going to do anything in life, best to own it completely I say.

celestial · Oct 13, 2013

I got complimented yesterday for my Akubra Capricorn. It was my first time wearing it in public (finally good weather for it). I think I also got heckled, but I'm not sure. Either way, who cares what "shouters" think about anything?

KingAndrew · Oct 13, 2013

Walking home from work a couple of nights ago, a waiter in a sidewalk cafe looked up and called to me "Nice hat!" I was wearing my oxblood Optimo fedora.
Then yesterday I got compliments everywhere. My boss told me I looked great, a diner at another cafe said "I love your style," the waitress when I took my wife to dinner said, "I really like your look." I was wearing patchwork madras trousers, a pink shirt and bow tie, and a panama hat. It's nice to know someone else appreciates my "look."

TheDane · Oct 13, 2013

blazerbud said:
I love the fact that most people don't wear hats. That's why I love doing it. I think everyone else is stupid for not wearing hats, and for the most part they are. Just like they can wear hideous dumb looking clothes and listen to really bad music and consume whatever advertisers target at them. SHEEP.

- but a lot of them are very well raised and educated people - with enough social insight to respect the society surrounding them and speak in decent ways about it's inhabitants. Unfortunately competences like that won't come tugged in under the sweatband of a hat, Sir.

To my knowledge, words like "self conciousness" and "self confidence" have never been pseudonyms for "condescension" or "arrogance" - and the two latter never made a hat look good on any head. I'm not sure, you're parsing the minds or reactions from your surroundings in a correct way. But of course one could hope, it's all just due to trouble explaining your feelings.

Liquesence · Oct 14, 2013

blazerbud said:
I love the fact that most people don't wear hats. That's why I love doing it. I think everyone else is stupid for not wearing hats, and for the most part they are. Just like they can wear hideous dumb looking clothes and listen to really bad music and consume whatever advertisers target at them. SHEEP.

Sorry, I had to rant a little.

Now about The self conscious thing. The number one most important thing that causes you to look good with a lid on is when you have confidence that you look good in it, you just have to wear it like it was meant for you.

Agreed. For the simple fact that few people wear fedoras, it definitely makes one stand out.

And I completely agree about the confidence in wearing it—and how you wear it—knowing it was meant for you, which I think also goes back to confidence PLUS style. Just as anyone can put on a suit, not everyone can wear a suit. Same with a hat. Anyone can put on a fedora, but not everyone can wear one. I've had several gentlemen comment, "Nice hat! You know how to wear it, too!"

Going back to the OP, yesterday I wore my brand new Cuenca Panama. The ladies were in awe. One gorgeous little blond just couldn't keep her eyes off me, and made it a point to walk near and brush against me. This is a reason to wear nice hats and wear them well.

Matt Crunk · Oct 14, 2013

blazerbud said:
I love the fact that most people don't wear hats. That's why I love doing it. I think everyone else is stupid for not wearing hats, and for the most part they are. Just like they can wear hideous dumb looking clothes and listen to really bad music and consume whatever advertisers target at them. SHEEP.

Sorry, I had to rant a little.

Now about The self conscious thing. The number one most important thing that causes you to look good with a lid on is when you have confidence that you look good in it, you just have to wear it like it was meant for you.

I really like your way of thinking, Sir.

scottyrocks · Oct 14, 2013

Many years ago, my wife, her friend, and I went out to dinner, and then into the restaurant's attached club, which turned out to be a meat market. I was wearing a 3" brimmed western style hat with a pinched front, as well as a jacket, tie, boots, and overcoat.

My wife and her friend were standing at the bar while I was a few steps away in the walkway area, as there was no room at the bar. Two complete babes walked up to me, smiled, and asked me what was under my hat.

There wasn't much I could do or say, so I smiled and said something like, 'Just my head.' I was not going to pursue it any further, so we all smiled at each other, and they walked away.

If I had been single (and not just by myself), it may have turned out differently. My hat was a conversation starter in probably the best possible way for a single guy out for the evening, which I was not.

HeyMoe · Oct 14, 2013

Driving through the capital city here in Vermont over the weekend, I counted 8 fedoras of various brim lengths and a like number of flat caps on Saturday alone. I wonder if our favorite topic is starting to make a comeback?

hatsRme · Oct 14, 2013

HeyMoe said:
Driving through the capital city here in Vermont over the weekend, I counted 8 fedoras of various brim lengths and a like number of flat caps on Saturday alone. I wonder if our favorite topic is starting to make a comeback?

We're taking back Vermont, Moe!

HeyMoe · Oct 14, 2013

hatsRme said:
We're taking back Vermont, Moe!

One can hope.

blazerbud · Oct 14, 2013

TheDane said:
- but a lot of them are very well raised and educated people - with enough social insight to respect the society surrounding them and speak in decent ways about it's inhabitants. Unfortunately competences like that won't come tugged in under the sweatband of a hat, Sir.

To my knowledge, words like "self conciousness" and "self confidence" have never been pseudonyms for "condescension" or "arrogance" - and the two latter never made a hat look good on any head. I'm not sure, you're parsing the minds or reactions from your surroundings in a correct way. But of course one could hope, it's all just due to trouble explaining your feelings.

Dear TheDane,

Yes, I have a hard time expressing my feelings. I think that you may have been blessing me out there for a moment. I was somewhat thinking "Right-On!" at first until I understood what I was reading. When I rant, I get frustrated and talk dummer than I really am. I am also well brought up and highly educated, but like most men, my ego and frustration get the better of me.
Thanks.

TheDane · Oct 14, 2013

Okay, looks like we agree

Worf · Oct 14, 2013

HeyMoe said:
Driving through the capital city here in Vermont over the weekend, I counted 8 fedoras of various brim lengths and a like number of flat caps on Saturday alone. I wonder if our favorite topic is starting to make a comeback?

Today Vermont! Tomorrow... New York!!!!!

Keep em flying!

Worf

HeyMoe · Oct 14, 2013

Worf said:
Today Vermont! Tomorrow... New York!!!!!

Keep em flying!

Worf

For folks that have never been to Montpelier VT, it is very small. We don't even have a McDonalds (they only state capital not to have one) and there hasn't been a murder here since the late 1800s.

I tell you this as 8 fedoras is actually a pretty good percentage of the population of Montpelier as fellow lounger and Montpelier resident Mattface can attest. Last winter I think I counted 4 on any given day.

Liquesence · Oct 14, 2013

HeyMoe said:
I was pumping gas after leaving work last night and was wearing my Champ Chrome fedora and my normal work wear - minus my suit jacket. This "lady" pulls up to the pump beside mine and I hear her make a comment about me being a cop (huh?). I can only assume she did this to scare he child into submission from some transgression of youth. Anyway, I hadn't finished pumping my gas yet when they came out of the store (paid first) and the kid looked at me and asked if I was really a cop. I responded "No sir, I can't be a cop, I don't like donuts" The kid looked confused, and the mother literally walked into her car and grunted with a look of "oh my god did he just say that?" on her face.

I turned around to see a high school buddy who IS a cop standing there, in uniform, pumping gas into his crusier from the other side of the gas pump I was using.

Needless to say, I am going to buy him few rounds this weekend.

Of course, he doesn't know that the rounds will be a box of donuts!!!!

:eusa_clap

That is one of THE best stories I have heard in a while.

Liquesence · Oct 14, 2013

countryclubjoe said:
Just last night while having a beer and watching a baseball game at the local pub( Young crowd) a young lady complimented me on my nice fedora and I quote " You look like the guy from Mobster Squad, very handsome" Her escort wearing a baseball cap and shirt with a persons name above a number, gave me a dirty look and said " Elliot Ness"

I feel most men are envious of my appearance/attire and most woman wish there man would dress more like a man and therefore be less envious.

CCJ

Your last statement is spot on.

To me, those instances reaffirm that most (younger) people do not have the manfruit or self-confidence to dress how they want. They are caught in this web of socially acceptable cookie-cutter conformity from which they cannot escape, and are envious of those who are comfortable in their own style and don't follow the herd mentality.

DesertDan · Oct 15, 2013

I live in the southwestern United States where hat wearing is not too uncommon, though most widebrimmed hats are westerns.
When I do recieve a comment it is always complimentary. Those folks who see me regularly always say something on the rare occasion that I don't wear one.

Zombie_61 · Oct 15, 2013

Worf said:
Today Vermont! Tomorrow... New York!!!!!

You'se guys can skip California; it's a lost cause. lol

Liquesence said:
...To me, those instances reaffirm that most (younger) people do not have the manfruit or self-confidence to dress how they want. They are caught in this web of socially acceptable cookie-cutter conformity from which they cannot escape, and are envious of those who are comfortable in their own style and don't follow the herd mentality.

I'm firmly convinced that some people simply have no sense of personal style whatsoever, and that this is the reason chain stores like The Gap and Old Navy are so popular--they can walk in and buy the same trendy clothes their friends are wearing so that they'll fit in. Mind you, I'm not trying to make a statement that this is a good or a bad thing, I'm merely sharing an observation.

TheDane · Oct 15, 2013

Zombie_61 said:
I'm firmly convinced that some people simply have no sense of personal style whatsoever, and that this is the reason chain stores like The Gap and Old Navy are so popular--they can walk in and buy the same trendy clothes their friends are wearing so that they'll fit in

Yups, and that's exactly what my dad did back in the 30s and 40s - and what his dad did before him. You often hear people talk about the fedora as a hat with some kind of special "stylish X-factor". The truth is, that back in the day (20s, 30s and 40s) it was just a piece of necessary clothing - just like a pair of shoes. Any bum wore a fedora, any sharecropper, steelworker and office man wore a fedora. The really high class, stylish hats were stiffs an homburgs.

That said, there's no doubt that the fedora is considered a stylish hat today. Actually, most any hat that vaguely resembles a fedora is considered stylish and gets complimented nowadays. Back then you wore a fedora to blend in - today you wear a fedora to stick out

How do folks react to your hat wearing?

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