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40's Trucker head wear

Neiru

New in Town
Messages
21
url
32yCcyf.jpg

This is a picture of some truck drivers back in the 40's I think. Even the truck drivers dressed fairly nice and I like the hat wear. What kind of hats are these and anyone know where I can get one? Other drivers in this era I believe wore fedora's and the guy at the end seems to be wearing probably a pork pie..not sure.
 

Edward

Bartender
Messages
24,789
Location
London, UK
Yes, Sterkowska hats are very nice for the money. If you really take to it and want something more expensive, a good, debadged USAAF crusher cap or one of the Simmonds driver's caps would be great. For this style of hat, I'd search under terms like 'motorcycle cap' and 'Brando cap' too, as that's the more common association.
 
Messages
11,912
Location
Southern California
Check out Sterkowska Hats on Etsy.
Yes, Sterkowska hats are very nice for the money...
It's actually "Sterkowski", with an "i", and here's a link to their website, specifically the page that shows their version of these "vintage biker/duty" caps. You can shop around, but the prices seem to be consistent between their website, Etsy, eBay, and so on. I don't own any of their caps or hats yet myself, but I've read good things about them and they appear to be very reasonably priced. Generic sizing, i.e. "S, M, L, XL", but if you can live with a cap that might fit a little looser than you'd like I think they're good value for the money.
 
Messages
18,941
Location
Central California
It's actually "Sterkowski", with an "i", and here's a link to their website, specifically the page that shows their version of these "vintage biker/duty" caps. You can shop around, but the prices seem to be consistent between their website, Etsy, eBay, and so on. I don't own any of their caps or hats yet myself, but I've read good things about them and they appear to be very reasonably priced. Generic sizing, i.e. "S, M, L, XL", but if you can live with a cap that might fit a little looser than you'd like I think they're good value for the money.


I’ve been wanting to try one, but some other hat always bumps them. There are a few threads here on the Lounge, but not too much information. I believe @RJR has one that he’s satisfied with.

I cut and pasted the company name, but you’re right, it ends with an “I.” [emoji4]


https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/sterkowski-caps.92585/





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Messages
11,912
Location
Southern California
url
32yCcyf.jpg

This is a picture of some truck drivers back in the 40's I think. Even the truck drivers dressed fairly nice and I like the hat wear. What kind of hats are these and anyone know where I can get one? Other drivers in this era I believe wore fedora's and the guy at the end seems to be wearing probably a pork pie..not sure.
I attempted a little online research, but didn't turn up much. From the 1930s through the 1960s these were known as a "Mechanic's cap" and were usually provided as part of the drivers' uniform. At some point during the 1950s they became popular among the "greaser" subculture, which is why they're often referred to as "biker" caps. Further attempts using the search term "mechanic's cap" led to a number of websites that made reference to the A3 cap worn by Air Force mechanics during World War II, but those are more like an unstructured ball cap with a long brim/bill.

If Sterkowski doesn't have what you're looking for you might try searching for "peaked caps", but most of what I found appeared to be for military rather than civilian applications.
 
Messages
18,941
Location
Central California
I associate this style of cap with Brando in The Wild One. A few companies make the style.

0f3615ba7d303b73daea27f869c77469.png


This might have more structure than the OP was looking for. I know that when law enforcement used to wear them they were colloquially called “bus driver” hats. I think Sterkowski offers a softer hat more along the lines of what I personally would like.




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