Would you like the fedora and related hats to become main stream fashion

[Wolfwood]

I voted no mainly because I have never liked to follow the "mainstream fashion" and would hate to have to start following it now.

I wouldn't mind seeing a larger subtrend of hat wearing, though. It would be great to see other people wearing good hats now and then, so that I would not have to compliment people on their wool felts when they compliment my fur felt (not that it happens often, but whenever I see someone else in a hat, it is a wool felt - and what else can you do but return the compliment when they compliment your hat?). (no, I don't count those popular fabric headwear things hats.)

 

[Maguire]

Absolutely i'd say yes. While sure it may mean fedoras would be produced in poor quality, many of the "popular" hats i see worn today that look like fedoras (those cheap looking pinstripe black snap brim things that look like fedoras) are ugly and many companies like Jaxon sell very cheap wool hats anyway. Fur felt or something like it would be a must ultimately. Ultimately I definitely think the west would be much nicer of people dressed as they did 50 years ago, even a dishevelled suit and tie loosened looks better to me than its modern day sloppy equivalent, a stained t shirt and jeans or worse, the thug or emo looks which are replacing it. I personally hate the idea that wearing a fedora makes me "counter culture", i don't like to look like i'm "trying" to get any look except look like a normal human being.

 

[scottyrocks]

That's a good point about trying to look counter-culture.

By extension, people have asked me if I am 'trying' to look like Indiana Jones, iow, something different than what is mainstream. It's not that I'm trying to look like anyone. It's that I happen to love the way a particular piece of apparel looks, and I happened to see it in a movie. Never mind the fact that I used to watch the old movies (Bogart, Cagney, Stewart, et al) on channel 9 when I was a kid, at first because my mom, a stay-at-home, would put them on everyday, and I loved the hats even back then. They always appealed to me.

It's kind of a fine line - are (the proverbial) you trying to look like someone or is it just that you like the accoutraments (sp?) of someone you saw, and want to adopt some of their look? Fine lines and open to interpretation, I say. So when someone asks me the inevitable IJ question, I respond, 'I love the hat!'

So, do people need a reason, other than that they love the look, or the era and values a way of dressing represents? No, I dont think so. You dress the way you want to, regardless of the look, because you want to (or the inevitable social pressure to conform). That includes the baseball cap -n- flip-flop crowd. Will they take the time to dress golden era if it suddenly became fashionable? Probably not, because they would be the ones needed to make it become fashionable.

So now I think I can say that I dont want it to come back into vogue because people would be doing it for the 'wrong' reasons - for fashion, and not for style, as the differences had been pointed out here in another great thread.

On second thought, nah, I really dont care, either way . . . lol

 

[daizawaguy]

Quality and selection would be greatly increased, the only thing is the wait for a custom would be too...

 

[scottyrocks]

Selection - yes. Quality - Id have to say no. I agree with the folks who say that the market would be flooded with crap. I liked the analogy to the cigar boom. I smoke cigars and went through that fiasco. I also remember seeing 'fedoras' in every hole-in-the-wall shop after each IJ movie came out in the '80s. Most of them were junk. I bought a wool one for $10!! Even the better ones, fur felt that werent that great, quality-wise, were waaay over-priced for what they were.

 

[LordBest]

I could not care less. If people do start wearing hats again, it would be nice to see them move on from those cheap plastic straw trilby abominations which every mens wear store is stocking now.

 

[Tango Yankee]

I voted yes. You see, it's hard to tell when you're wearing a fedora backwards.

lol lol Well, for most people... those of us here would instantly realize the ribbon was on the wrong side!

Wait... I just pictured a hat with a backbow... on backwards! Now that would be a look to go for!


Or not........

 

[marvelgoose]

I've always worn hats and always had a closet full. I would have worn a fedora everyday if there had been a source for quality ones in South Georgia.

Until recently I just wore a hat when off work and outdoors. Anything from a boonie to a western as long as it had a decent wide brim. At my size, skinny brims just look like weeny beanies.

So, I'm just wearing hats because its me. I don't really care if it becomes a fashion or not.

I have had a giggle at some of the dire economic predictions in this old thread and all the wailing at the fates.

If good hats became popular, then there would be a temporary shortage followed by a glut as more vendors entered the market. Sell your hats in the shortage and buy them cheaper after the crash.

Use the extra cash to buy good cigars and bourbon.

Hey, it's my 100th post! I'm no longer just a familiar face! I've become.... regular?

 

[Trebuchet64_Fal]

I dont really care one way or the other.sure it would be great to see some of the abominations people call fashion dissapear . I just think it would be to painfull to witness a fashion driven return of the Hat at least untill people's tastes mature,at this moment i fear we are at the mercy of the fashionistas.
Cheers peter.

 

[Fatdutchman]

If we got the decent, civilized society to go along with it, I'd say "sure". Otherwise, no.

 

[Tooch]

Absolutely! While most of the hats produced would be poor quality, that's always the case with the supply of anything (look at the old ads for low-cost wool fedoras). Increased demand would also drive increased production of better quality hats, lowering (eventually) prices and increasing choices once existing producers increased production and new producers entered the market.

But it's not just hats. I'd like to see chronological adults dressing as grownups once again. I can't believe one of my friends actually haggled with me a few years ago over what he would wear to my wedding, because he didn't want to wear a suit. (I gave in and let him wear a dress shirt and a bolo tie.)

 

[Lefty]

overheard at a coffee shop in the alternative universe where fedoras are popular:

a: Yes!! I just won it for my maximum bid. With that jump in the last 30 seconds, I didn't think I had a chance.

b: What did you win?

a: A vintage Stetson Stratoliner. It's got the original pin and everything. Here's the auction photo. According to these guys on the Fedora Lounge, it's a pretty versatile hat with really nice felt.

b: Nice. What did it set you back?

a: I got it pretty cheap. Last month, there was one that went for double what I'm paying.

b: Come on. How much?

a: $1200 - with free shipping.

b: That is a deal. The seller probably gets what...about $450 after paypal and ebay fees. I've really got to dig deep for mine. Graham called and said that my Public Enemies VII hat is ready. I went for the flashing green lights in the binding. Fortunately, I got my order in before the most recent price hike. I was able to get away with only giving up one of my kids.

a: Everybody wins!

 

[feltfan]

If we got the decent, civilized society to go along with it, I'd say "sure". Otherwise, no.

I'll edit my original response and give a "decent, civilized" response to that coded comment.

Let me just point out that one rarely hears the first half of the 20th C. characterized as
"decent, civilized" by people who aren't white, male, non-Irish, non-Italian goys. I wonder why?
Wasn't too decent or civilized for those who weren't.

My fat dutch grandfather was the sole survivor of his family, because he was an illegal alien
in the USA when some decent, civilized people came over from Germany
to the Netherlands and killed his family.

Good times, good times.

 

[Fatdutchman]

Wow, a comment about my desire for public politeness elicits a crude, racially charged response. Thanks for proving my point.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

overheard at a coffee shop in the alternative universe where fedoras are popular:

a: Yes!! I just won it for my maximum bid. With that jump in the last 30 seconds, I didn't think I had a chance.

b: What did you win?

a: A vintage Stetson Stratoliner. It's got the original pin and everything. Here's the auction photo. According to these guys on the Fedora Lounge, it's a pretty versatile hat with really nice felt.

b: Nice. What did it set you back?

a: I got it pretty cheap. Last month, there was one that went for double what I'm paying.

b: Come on. How much?

a: $1200 - with free shipping.

b: That is a deal. The seller probably gets what...about $450 after paypal and ebay fees. I've really got to dig deep for mine. Graham called and said that my Public Enemies VII hat is ready. I went for the flashing green lights in the binding. Fortunately, I got my order in before the most recent price hike. I was able to get away with only giving up one of my kids.

a: Everybody wins!

lol lol lol lol :eusa_clap

 

[Widebrim]

I could not care less. If people do start wearing hats again, it would be nice to see them move on from those cheap plastic straw trilby abominations which every mens wear store is stocking now.

Quite so, old chap!:eusa_clap

 

[CRH]

Wow, a comment about my desire for public politeness elicits a crude, racially charged response. Thanks for proving my point.

fftopic:

Public politeness is an arms race older than civilization.....

MERGE =>

It's best to be wearing a nice, stylish brimmed hat, whatever the circumstances.