Men's fashion largely originated in France and England, where it is also cold and wet a lot, and where central heating took a lot longer to arrive. Before WWII, most of the US population was in New England and the Midwest states, though there was a big wave of western migration during the interwar years (the Great Depression).
With most people in those colder climates, it made sense to follow European fashion i in the US. But after WWII, the stability, wealth, and the explosion of suburbs and western/southern migration, a lot more people were living in warmer climates, and so in those areas, fashions became more casual and had fewer layers.
This also coincided with the new medium of Television, a majority of which came from Los Angeles, which brought this relaxed fashion to the whole world eventually. It was really the 60s when hats fell out of everyday fashion, and by then, TV was in most people's homes and depicting southern California fashion priorities, and by the mid 60s, hats had mostly been made optional.
Well, hats in general didn't die out, as guys still wear baseball caps and trucker caps and such all the time-- *dressy, classy, formal hats* like fedoras have largely died out. And the reason for THAT is that people in general in Western society, over the last fifty years, have slowly just overall been dressing down and more casually in general. As in, if you're wearing jeans and a t-shirt and sneakers, are you really also going to wear a $100 fedora? Probably not. Since *overall* attire has gotten more casual, it wouldn't make sense to continue to wear fancy hats as often. Guys in general used to wear suits around, even casually, far more often.
I think it’s because the artistic, creative world is more realistic and normalized than it was way back when. We’re more versatile in our style as people and some of that translates in the haircuts that men are exploring nowadays. I personally believe that there was more of a basic standard for men to follow when it came to their physical presentation. But now there’s more breathing room for them, and wearing hats kind of defeats the purpose of getting your hair styled.
My dad wears hats. He has a gardening hat that looks like a sombrero.
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I dimly remember men still wearing hats rather regularly ~thirthy years ago where I grew up (German Democratic Republic).
I guess it has a lot to do with the hippie generation revolting against the establishment. Those dudes grew up to look like men but would retain much of their superficial "freedom".
Another reason is, that a hat is an accessory that needs a manual. When to take it off, and how, when and where to wear it properly, etc. - it's against our modern day fast-food sentiments to obey these rules. You enter a house, You take Your time to take that hat off, it's a short ritual of arrival and appreciation, same as taking Your head says "I am actually leaving now, finished saying final, final goodbyes" but also takes a moment to do, so You can't just barge out. A hat worn properly is something that needs a modicum of patience and presence of mind, something that we are taught to avoid at all cost by the media and industries all around us. You walk into McD and take off Your hat, it's enough time to realize that You just hit a garbage dump and should turn around before the greasy smells lure You to another impulse-purchase...
I wear fedoras, top hats, bowlers, peakies, et cetera. I wear it correctly though with era accurate three piece suits and high stand collars.
Hats didn't die out because it "reminded them of the war". That isn't true at all. Hats started to die out in the 1950s and 1960s, way after WW2. They started losing popularity once everyone was owning their own cars instead of taking public transportation such as street cars. As well, people were washing their hair way more often so they didn't need to cover their head as much. Finally, hair styles in the 60s and 70s were a huge importance for people. They wanted to show off their hair. And they simply didn't match the relaxed dress code.
1. Hats are bad in the wind so can't help you during rain with a bit of wind.
2. Extra thing to forget
3. Some hats have negative effects. Most notably fedoras
4. Top hats don't work without suits so casually are hard to use
5. Fez's are nice at a party as a gimmick but I wouldn't wear one daily
fashion changes as stated below but you also need to factor in the fact most hat wearers in the past wore hats because of their work. flat caps for farmers (uk) bowlers for engineers and even a top hat was worn by the boss man just so workers could see him in a crowd
It was because of John F. Kennedy.
Presidents would wear hats and John F. Kennedy is the first that didn't sport a hat. Presidents tend to set fashion standards and JFK being young and handsome also being the first well broadcasted president elected to not wear a hat and men stopped wearing hats.
I wear hats regularly. I wear a wide brim Fedora most of the time, and I do own others as well depending on my mood. Here are the other four types I have Boonie, Base Ball, Gambler, and the Panama.
I want a Cowboy, Stream Punk and Top Hat. I have tried the Pork Pie, But that don't fit my personalty.
I wear a hat only if I haven't washed my hair in couple days. 😂
That’s very interesting. I’ve wondered about the male hat thing going out of style too. I’d always attributed it to styles changing not understanding the reason
There's no functional purpose of wearing a hat.
Just like nowadays there's no use of wearing a watch, you gotta more accurate clock on your phone.
I would like to know why too. Hats can be stylish but they also serve a practical purpose. They protect you from debris , the sun and they can keep your head warm.
littlelofty; I still wore a hat as it stopes me getting skin cancer, That can kill you.. Iv worn a hat all my working life..
I think when the rockabilly subculture became popular, because many people probably greased their hair.
I only wear this on rare occasions. 😊
We did? Better take mine off then... I didn't get the memo.
because fedoras have a bad rep when not used with an LA Noire style outfit, baseball and football caps are used only when it's sunny, bonnets are used for winter and the rest are lost in time
I have a really high hairline and a weird shaped head so hard don't suit me
As jobs become more complex men are evolving larger brains/heads reducing the practically of hats due to material scarcity.
Just like women stopped covering their heads. Similar reasons. Cultural and traditional changes.
Soldiers wear helmets not hats. I don't wear hats bcs I have no need to wear one
Fashion always change
Plus hats mess up my hair
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