Why did men stop wearing hats?

[Probius]

When I watch old movies such as "It's a Wonderful Life" I can't help but notice that all the men are properly dressed. The men all wear suits and dress hats such as fedoras. Now men never wear hats with their suits, and they only wear suits to weddings and funerals. If you watch copies of old Bama games from the 1960's and before you see everyone wearing suits. So when did society start dressing down? And when did men stop wearing hats with their suits, that is on the rare occasion that a man acctually wears a suit? Where have the George Bailey's of the world gone?

 

[CaliforniaTide]

Personally, I don't mind it. Granted I'm 25 years old, but I like the t-shirt, jeans, and flip flops look that I typically have.

However, since I'm doing my teacher placement for UA, and it requires me to dress up more (no suits, but collared shirts and slacks at the very least), it's kind of growing on me to dress better. Maybe that's called maturity, I don't know.

 

[NYBamaFan]

I am 42 and for most of my professional career have worn a suit and tie to work every day. You can have it. It is an expensive and uncomfortable way to go through life.

The better question would be, why the heck did men ever dress that way?

 

[DiamondDust]

When I watch old movies such as "It's a Wonderful Life" I can't help but notice that all the men are properly dressed. The men all wear suits and dress hats such as fedoras. Now men never wear hats with their suits, and they only wear suits to weddings and funerals. If you watch copies of old Bama games from the 1960's and before you see everyone wearing suits. So when did society start dressing down? And when did men stop wearing hats with their suits, that is on the rare occasion that a man acctually wears a suit? Where have the George Bailey's of the world gone?

I believe the change happened during the cultural shifts that happened in the late 1960's. A big part of that period was the rejection of the straight-laced, conformist feeling that was present in post WWII America.

I don't watch Mad Men, but I do understand a huge draw of that show is the knowledge the audience has in terms of the settings. The characters have no idea what is about to happen in their world that is going to completely change their way of life.

 

[gmart74]

i think it is bc of that durn global warming. it is too hot to wear a suit and hat these days

 

[ValuJet]

I am 42 and for most of my professional career have worn a suit and tie to work every day. You can have it. It is an expensive and uncomfortable way to go through life.

The better question would be, why the heck did men ever dress that way?

I agree completely. I traded in a closet full of dress shirts for a closet full of golf shirts.

 

[gmart74]

I agree completely. I traded in a closet full of dress shirts for a closet full of golf shirts.

are you hiring?? i dont have any marketable skills but i promise you im good at instigating drunken outlandish incidents like broken foot scooter dui :biggrin:

 

[jthomas666]

9 years of Catholic schools pretty much ruined dress shirts and ties for me.

 

[It's On A Slab]

I got rid of my suits a long time ago. Business casual is the way to go. I keep a blazer, some khakis, a clean white shirt and a few ties in the closet.

I hope I never have to wear a tie again.

 

[Bama1970]

I have never owned a tie.

 

[jthomas666]

Actually, I did wear a tie today, but that's because we were in court finalizing the boys' adoption (WOOHOO!).

 

[ValuJet]

Actually, I did wear a tie today, but that's because we were in court finalizing the boys' adoption (WOOHOO!).

Congrats jt!

 

[bamahuey1]

Actually, I did wear a tie today, but that's because we were in court finalizing the boys' adoption (WOOHOO!).

Awesome!

 

[gmart74]

Actually, I did wear a tie today, but that's because we were in court finalizing the boys' adoption (WOOHOO!).

bowtie or straight tie?

 

[rhYno]

You want the real reason why?

 

[Clubfitter]

When I watch old movies such as "It's a Wonderful Life" I can't help but notice that all the men are properly dressed. The men all wear suits and dress hats such as fedoras. Now men never wear hats with their suits, and they only wear suits to weddings and funerals. If you watch copies of old Bama games from the 1960's and before you see everyone wearing suits. So when did society start dressing down? And when did men stop wearing hats with their suits, that is on the rare occasion that a man acctually wears a suit? Where have the George Bailey's of the world gone?

Back in "The Old Days" we used Hair Oil to slick down our hair. Wearing a hat did not mess up our hair do. Now we use hair spray (when hair spray for men came out I thought is was a little to feminine), wearing a hat does a number on your do. Probably not the real reason, just an old mans observation.

 

[JAXFLBAMAFAN]

Men's hat's have gone through a radical transformation. From the "stove pipe hats" of Abraham Lincoln's day to the small Fedora of the 50's and 60's to the small Beanie that is popular today.

I remember watching the movie "Gangs of New York" and seeing the stove pipe hats that they wore in that movie. Those things were every bit of one and a half feet tall. I knew they were tall but I didn't know they were THAT tall.

My Dad's generation wore the small fedora as a "dress" hat to church on Sunday when I was a kid but he quit wearing it a long time ago. It had a suede texture with a small feather in the hatband. He stored it in a hatbox in the top of his closet. I bet if I looked it I would find it still there.

I see a lot of older gentlemen still wearing the little beanie hat that fits loosely on the head.

I personally despise the backwards baseball cap style of today.

I think men's hats were pretty much an established fixture for many generations that were just a standard part of getting dressed. The transformation of our society from an agriculturally based society to one that is not, I think has had a lot to do with it too. I know when I was a kid when we "went to town" we would clean up and try to look nice even then in the 60's.

In the 70's sloppy was in, shirt tails out, no socks with shoes, and much of the traditional decorum was abandond never to be seen again. I think the men's hat and the women's hat fell pretty much by the wayside about that time.

However, in the black community it is very common to see men and women still wearing hats to church, funerals and public functions.

I'm not a fan of neckties but the shorts, t'shirts, flip flops and backward bseball cap style doesn't appeal to me at all. I guess you could just call me "old school" and it would fit really well.

 

[It's On A Slab]

Men's hat's have gone through a radical transformation. From the "stove pipe hats" of Abraham Lincoln's day to the small Fedora of the 50's and 60's to the small Beanie that is popular today.

I remember watching the movie "Gangs of New York" and seeing the stove pipe hats that they wore in that movie. Those things were every bit of one and a half feet tall. I knew they were tall but I didn't know they were THAT tall.

My Dad's generation wore the small fedora as a "dress" hat to church on Sunday when I was a kid but he quit wearing it a long time ago. It had a suede texture with a small feather in the hatband. He stored it in a hatbox in the top of his closet. I bet if I looked it I would find it still there.

I see a lot of older gentlemen still wearing the little beanie hat that fits loosely on the head.

I personally despise the backwards baseball cap style of today.

I think men's hats were pretty much an established fixture for many generations that were just a standard part of getting dressed. The transformation of our society from an agriculturally based society to one that is not, I think has had a lot to do with it too. I know when I was a kid when we "went to town" we would clean up and try to look nice even then in the 60's.

In the 70's sloppy was in, shirt tails out, no socks with shoes, and much of the traditional decorum was abandond never to be seen again. I think the men's hat and the women's hat fell pretty much by the wayside about that time.

However, in the black community it is very common to see men and women still wearing hats to church, funerals and public functions.

I'm not a fan of neckties but the shorts, t'shirts, flip flops and backward bseball cap style doesn't appeal to me at all. I guess you could just call me "old school" and it would fit really well.

Agreed on the flip flops. Fridays in my office are supposed to be for jeans. One guy in sales takes that to mean he can wear flip-flops. Totally unprofessional.

Re: baseball cap turned backwards. That's my hat of choice if it's saturday morning and I have to go to the grocery store and I woke up with bed-head. Of course, then I trade bed-head for the infamous hat head.

 

[ValuJet]

Agreed on the flip flops. Fridays in my office are supposed to be for jeans. One guy in sales takes that to mean he can wear flip-flops. Totally unprofessional.

Re: baseball cap turned backwards. That's my hat of choice if it's saturday morning and I have to go to the grocery store and I woke up with bed-head. Of course, then I trade bed-head for the infamous hat head.

Bad Hair Day, Slab?

 

[RogueElephant]

After school I could not wait to start buying suits and ties and enjoyed dressing up for work. Now I come to work in business casual with jeans day on Fridays.

The only time I wear a suit is for business meetings with clients.