A TIP OF THE HAT TO A PROUD AMERICAN TRADITION

[Crewleader]

By Frank Kaiser

Look at any outdoor photograph of American men taken before 1960 and you'll see every last man wearing a hat.

Be it a fedora or homburg, slouch or porkpie, Panama or boater, hats used to be as essential as shoes, adding a fine flourish to proper manly appearance.

Remember?

The hat was so common that it found its way into everyday language: Keep it under your hat; my hat's off to you; pass the hat; thrown my hat in the ring; if the hat fits, wear it!

Old hat was the expression, "You're talking through your hat."

After graduating from college in the 1950s, my first stop before finding a job was to a hat shop to buy that period's fundamental symbol of successful manhood. I chose a combination slouch/porkpie.

Me in all my glory!~1957

http://www.suddenlysenior.com/FULLSTORY.HTML

[Beregond2]

1. Hats, etc.

My father wouldn't have been caught dead outside without a hat and topcoat. I hated that back then, but now I do miss that sense of appropriate attire. Americans all look like complete slobs most of the time now, myself included.

[Captain Angry]

2. I'm not senior yet, but I'm working on it.

But I like the look of a good hat. They never look good on me though.

I would think with the popularity of the shaved head these days, hats would have been a sure thing. Shows what I know.

[PDJane]

3. I'm trying to single-handedly bring back

Wide-brimmed women's hats.

I burn. Badly. I have had a hat on my head pretty much every day of the year; everything from a newsboy cap to a huge, wide-brimmed fabric hat for August sunshine. Practical item.