Fashion sometimes follows strange paths. It is still rather uncommon for most executive suit wearers to don a hat. But those guys who hardly ever wear suits seldom leave home without their heads covered nowadays. And almost every style that you could think of is being seen.
Fedoras, trilbies, pork pie hats, bowlers, homburgs, ushankas, berets, beanies, chullo hats, flat caps, fishing hats, you name it! It’s out there.
In my opinion this proves that human beings hate to be told what to do. Tell the classically dressed businessman that a fedora perfectly compliments the gray herringbone Chesterfield coat that he wears over his dark business suit and he will shrug his shoulders. ‘Hats? No, thanks, too oldfashioned.’ Tell the trendy type that a knitted cap looks pretty silly on a grown up person he will love to wear it even more.
Young men enjoy changing or enhancing their style by adding something on top of their outfit. Depending on what type of headgear you sport you can look elegant, cool, sexy, intelligent, artsy, dangerous, virile, funny, dashing or dumb. Men have learned this from women. And like women guys now wear their heads indoors. Probably without realizing that this is actually a social gaffe.
Hat etiquette is quite clear about hats and caps indoors. Take them off in private homes and offices but keep your head covered in public buildings and elevators. In theory these rules still apply but what about people who never heard about them or simply don’t care? I suppose it’s best to be tolerant. Why worry about what some guys wear on their heads if the rest of their attire shows that they are aliens to the world of classic style anyway?
I assume that this trend will not last forever and it will never enter business fashion anyway. Just stick to the old rules if you like them, lift your hat when you greet someone and take it off when you enter a house. I’d rather be called old-fashioned than a victim of fashion.
