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Discovering Hats, a New Generation Brims With Anxiety Over Etiquette
Wall Street Journal ^ | 8-11-10 | RAY A. SMITH

Posted on 08/11/2010 11:46:39 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic

Old Rules Flummox Young Hipsters; 'I'm Wearing an $80 Fedora!'

Hector Ramirez sort of knows, from watching old movies, that men are supposed to take off their hats when indoors. But the 19-year-old Brown University student wears fedoras in class—with jeans—anyway.

"If I'm wearing a hat and it's part of my look, I don't think I should have to take it off," he says. On a recent trip to New York, an usher at a church had to remind him to take off his fedora. "I was wearing it all day and I guess I kind of just forgot I had it on."

Inspired by designer runway shows, celebrities such as Justin Timberlake and even, in some cases, old pictures of Frank Sinatra, more young men are going mad for hats. But the hat renaissance is creating a quandary for a generation of men and boys who grew up without learning hat-wearing etiquette from their fathers. Many are making up their own rules about when and where to take them off.

The trend may be old hat to hipsters in areas like Williamsburg, Brooklyn, who started wearing fedoras, rounded derby hats and, in warmer weather, straw hats, more than two years ago. But now hats are starting to catch on among some men in suburbs, the Midwest and beyond. Gap and J. Crew say they have witnessed strong hat sales this spring and summer while department stores like Barneys New York have been expanding their assortments after years of general indifference to hats. Sales of designer-brand "blocked" hats such as fedoras and straw hats in particular "are definitely robust," says Jay Bell, a ...

It's a bittersweet turn of events for hatmakers, who witnessed their business fall off a cliff in the 1960s, when legions of men abandoned wearing hats.

(Excerpt) Read more at online.wsj.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; History; Miscellaneous; Society
KEYWORDS: etiquette; fashion; hat; hats
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Frederic Maubert in Soho

A couple of years ago, I gave a clothing store gift card to my 15 year old grandson for his birthday. He bought a fedora! He has a band, and he and his friends wear them when they play for school dances. He lives in Upstate NY.

1 posted on 08/11/2010 11:46:43 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic
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To: afraidfortherepublic

I seldom take off my hat.


2 posted on 08/11/2010 11:48:19 AM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Kennedy did that by refusing to wear a hat.I’ve always loved hats heh.


3 posted on 08/11/2010 11:49:36 AM PDT by Mmogamer (I refudiate the lamestream media, leftists and their prevaricutions.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Translation: I am way too cool to let looking like an idiot stop me


4 posted on 08/11/2010 11:50:01 AM PDT by Mr. K (Physically unable to proofreed (<---oops! see?))
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To: Jewbacca

I was taught in the military that you don’t remove your hat while indoors if you’re under arms.


5 posted on 08/11/2010 11:50:38 AM PDT by Yo-Yo (Is the /sarc tag really necessary?)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

6 posted on 08/11/2010 11:51:16 AM PDT by WOBBLY BOB (drain the swamp! ( then napalm it and pave it over ))
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Frederic, you are not wearing a hat, you’re wearing a pose. Grow up. Hats are portable shelter for the head. When the head is sheltered by a roof, take the hat off. I would have loved to have instructed dear Frederic about covers and Marine Corps procedures concerning there wear. BTW, don’t salute unless you are covered: wearing a hat.

His hat looks silly.


7 posted on 08/11/2010 11:52:05 AM PDT by equalitybeforethelaw
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To: Jewbacca

:)


8 posted on 08/11/2010 11:52:10 AM PDT by Tijeras_Slim (Live jubtabulously!)
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To: Tijeras_Slim
The person in referred to in the article, probably voted for Obama, believes in man made global warming, saving the rain forest, organic foods, and all of the other so called trendy viewpoints. This person is a blind follower.
9 posted on 08/11/2010 11:56:39 AM PDT by Wooly
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Neil Caffrey in White Collar uses his hat as a pivot point in the plot of the series. That's how he met June and scored a really neat place to live that far exceeds his allowance as a just released prisoner. USA TV. TUesday nights. 8 pm central.

10 posted on 08/11/2010 11:59:24 AM PDT by afraidfortherepublic (Southeast Wisconsin)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
My two nephews, at that time roughly 19 and 16 years old, went out to eat with thier mother. Their Grandfather (my Dad) always made them take off thier hats when they sat down in a restaurant. So, when they sit down, they automatically took off thier baseball caps and put them under thier chairs.

When they went to pay for thier meal, they found out that an older gentlemen had paid for my nephews meals. He also stopped by thier table when he left to tell thier mother what a great pair of kids they were.

Even today, they still take thier hats off. I am thinking that they are looking for another free meal!

11 posted on 08/11/2010 11:59:37 AM PDT by misharu (US Congress = children without adult supervision.)
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To: Jewbacca

Marines KNOW, as a article of the True Faith, that you uncover when you step through a hatch...


12 posted on 08/11/2010 12:00:08 PM PDT by jonascord (We've got the Constitution to protect us. Why should we worry?)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

If men started wearing hats and women started wearing gloves in a proper way for proper occasions, I think it would help this country.

Expectations about dress tend to lead to expectations about behavior, and everyone treats each other a little better.


13 posted on 08/11/2010 12:01:52 PM PDT by Our man in washington
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To: jonascord

Well, I was in the IDF.

We pretty much kept our hats on all the time, even under hats.


14 posted on 08/11/2010 12:06:03 PM PDT by Jewbacca (The residents of Iroquois territory may not determine whether Jews may live in Jerusalem.)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

FTA: **The general decline in hat wearing led to the demise of proper hat racks in restaurants and bars.**

Indeed! There used to be push button clips on the backs of pews where you could hang a hat by its brim. Nowdays there is no place to rest a hat properly when it is not abiding on your head. In Texas, men are allowed to wear their Stetsons in restaurants, but not other kinds of hats.


15 posted on 08/11/2010 12:06:27 PM PDT by afraidfortherepublic (Southeast Wisconsin)
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To: equalitybeforethelaw

Hats? You mean “cover”, right teuful hunden? ;-)


16 posted on 08/11/2010 12:11:58 PM PDT by Michael Barnes (Call me when the bullets start flying.)
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To: Yo-Yo
I was taught in the military that you don’t remove your hat while indoors if you’re under arms.

And that is correct.

Otherwise, what would you do with your hat/cap/helmet/cover if you had to employ your weapon?

No part of your uniform is immaterial.

Every action taken should be executed with continuity and fluidity of motion considered beforehand.

Looking around for a suitable place of storage for your hat/cap/helmet/cover is not conducive to continuity and fluidity of motion.

(What the hell else kinda answer would an old retired Sergeant Major give you, anyway?)

17 posted on 08/11/2010 12:13:16 PM PDT by OldSmaj (I am an avowed enemy of islam and Obama is a damned fool and traitor. Questions?)
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To: afraidfortherepublic

Expect crap made in China hats to start trying to take over the market.
I am sticking with Beaver Brand made in USA hats.
And yes, they come off inside.


18 posted on 08/11/2010 12:14:38 PM PDT by Colvin (Proud Owner '66 Binder PU, '66 Binder Travelall,)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
I have an inflatable hat. It's easy to transport.
19 posted on 08/11/2010 12:17:43 PM PDT by youngidiot (Shut up)
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To: afraidfortherepublic
Hector Ramirez says: "If I'm wearing a hat and it's part of my look, I don't think I should have to take it off."

Rude, ignorant, raised in a barn. Part of his "look" indeed.

20 posted on 08/11/2010 12:18:59 PM PDT by La Lydia
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