in defense of wearing hats

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written by Mina Le, Ella Gray, and Sophie Carter
edited by Charlee Reiff

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0:00 - intro
2:32 - the straw hat riot
6:34 - why don't we wear hats anymore?
9:15 - the beret
17:27 - the cowboy hat
23:29 - the fedora
31:43 - the baseball cap
37:25 - conclusion

[mfuentes]

Personally, I love hats and how they can compliment and complete a look. But I really can’t stand that my curly hair gets mess up and flattened when wearing hats.

[jessicamattes]

On the note of being "trained" to not wear hats, I think a big thing for anyone who went to public school, at least in the US, is the fact that so many school dress codes banned them. I never think about wearing hats because it was drilled into my head for 12 years of my life that I can't wear hats. Usually the only times I wear hats are during colder weather, and I even had a school administrator yell at me for that in high school, so I just don't wear hats

[CherriesJubilee]

I am an unapologetic glam-ma who rarely leaves the house without a hat. Why? Because our culture is so focused on youth that when a woman turns 50, it seems we become invisible. A hat makes me very visible. I am NOT talking about the despicable baseball cap, but a proper straw or felt hat. As to the question of taking off your hat indoors, this was not really a thing for women until the fashion for huge-brimmed hats was the rage in the early 20th century. The complaints came from how they blocked views in theaters and how women were using their hatpins to defend themselves from "mashers" usually on public transport. This became so much a problem that the length of a woman's hatpin became the subject of the law in NYC.
The tradition for a man to remove his hat when entering a building has a military pedigree. Even in the US military today, where hats and caps are a required part of daily uniforms, a soldier of ANY rank must remove his "cover" when entering a building. The EXCEPTION is when he, or she is armed. You will notice that the Marines who guard the Whitehouse always wear their caps (and gloves) when on duty and their weapons are clearly visible either on their shoulder or gunbelt.
In previous times, at least in America in the 19th century, it was vulgar to enter a person's home without doffing your weapons at the door (if you were carrying), thus, removing your hat (or not) when entering a building signaled whether your intentions were peaceful...or not. There was a reason why many saloons and even towns, here in the West required people to "check their weapons" to enter or buy a drink.
Even to this day, in some parts of the country, schools require that everyone remove a hat in the classroom, especially if it is a baseball cap of a particular color as these hats were worn as gang allegiance identification for several decades. so there you go, a little bit of American hat culture...revealed.

[NE-BO]

One area for women's hats I feel you missed is the Sunday hat, one that women would wear specifically to go to church in. In the 1930's-50's in the Midwest women were very much pushed into the idea to not go out without a hat on in public and would often leave the hat on in church to protect their modesty.

[MissMisnomer_]

Literally every time I wear a hat I get compliments, and if you wear a hat to a FORMAL event, everyone loses their damn minds /pos. People are so not used to seeing them that if you put the time and thought into curating an outfit that makes use of a stellar hat people go bananas for it. Bring hats back!

[malashebad]

I honestly think this is a non-Black folks problem in the U.S. and more specifically it's a classed non-Black problem. I grew up working class and I am Black. I've never known a time in my life when there were not multiple styles of hat per gender which are appropriate and highly fashionable. So for me this is fascinating to learn about as the critique of hats is not something I've ever felt affected by.

[Target.practice]

As someone raised by a hair stylist, no you can not train your hair. If its in your genetics for you not to produce a lot of oil but you already wash it everyday then yes you can "untrain" your hair by washing it less. Washing too often will cause your scalp to over produce oil because your hair NEEDS the oil so washing less will over time lessen the oil produced.

That ONLY applies if you ALREADY wash too often, with our beautiful teacher here she has stated she has tried doing so and it doesnt not work so it is most likely just in her genetics for her.

[Mitchellfw]

As a man who is a fairly regular fedora wearer, I myself found it's usually what's worn with the hat and the quality of it can really change the impression it gives. I lean very heavily towards a vintage-inspired look for my every day wardrobe (think 1950's sitcom dad) and being groomed, shaven, and in my mid-thirties I think it takes on a different look. I often wear them paired with a suit, sports jacket, or wool overcoat and I get lots of compliments on my hat and outfit. Now, that also can give people the impression that I'm a sexist, homophobic, extreme right-wing conservative due to my old-fashioned look (which really amuses my husband) but for the most part it's a positive approval of the aesthetic. I think most of the negative "neckbeard scumbag" idea comes from when it's a cheap stingy-brimmed polyester, wool, or paper hat the someone bought at a mall kiosk paired with a t-shirt and black jeans or a badly fitting black polyester suit. I know it sounds snobby but there is a marked difference between a well-made furfelt hat and a machine-sewn plastic material. It's also a fairly semi-formal hat so not wearing it with at least a dress-shirt and pants it creates a really strange and unflattering contrast, like a silk cloche hat with a hoodie or flip-flops and a cocktail dress. Swell video by the way, I really enjoyed it. 👍

[coletteporee]

i love that we’re starting to collectively dress up again

[prismaticqueenx]

On the beret part, I would like to add that Rembrandt was the first to make berets and "artist" look. He painted self-portraits in berets and wore them as work attire. This was because berets were vintage clothing, the fashion of a century before his time, and Rembrandt wanted to position himself along the greatest painters from the past century - think da Vinci, Raphael, Caravaggio, who only wore berets because they were fashion. Rembrandt was the one to link artist = beret. When artists like Monet and Picasso wore berets, they were trying to achieve Rembrandt's look.

[paaailla]

Not even gonna lie, I often sit through period dramas that I don't like as long as they've got the men's wigs & tricorne hats down

[janew]

I was a victim of the idea of "training your hair" for most of my life. Then a derm told me that just doesn't work that way, some people just have different hair/scalp and need to to treat it differently.

[debcarroll]

I especially love wide- brimmed straw hats to protect my skin in summer, but I wear many styles of hats, especially vintage ones, at every opportunity. People often tell me, "I wish I could wear hats." It's funny to me that some people think they don't look good in a hat. I think there is a hat style for anyone who wants to wear one.

[Xypriis]

This was so interesting! I used to be called "the girl in the hats" by people who didn't know me, and I had quite a modest collection (all cheap. Just varying in style from page boys to fedoras to beanies to 5950s and beyond) I have unfortunately moved away from hats in the past decade (I'm in my late 30s) and I barely own any at all! I always romanticize the idea of building a new collection, maybe I'll be "the woman in the hats" for my 40s!

[xo_oblivion]

i am 100% a beret girly; even when i started wearing a hijab, the beret is still going on too

[yasouijasi]

I feel like we need to give an honorable mention to Lady Gaga for bringing hats into the mainstream during her peak. When I was growing up, her looks were absolutely everything, and I definitely have her to thank for developing a love for fabulous hats/headpieces.

[arabellacaramella]

I've said it once and I'll say it again, hats are the forgotten accessory that deserve to have a comeback!!

[lord_of_crabs]

the hat.
in theory? love it. makes outfits infinitely more interesting, looks dashing, is a statement of identity, can hide flat hair, amazing. in practice? can't wear it inside because apparently it's "rude", can't wear it outside because the wind blows it off, can't take it on and off because i'd have to carry it awkwardly in my hands and it makes my hair all flat.

[juju_boxx]

I was told by my mother that I *have a head for hats* and I'm not sure if this was a compliment or not? But I am never seen without a beret, straw boater or wide brim, or fascinator. I actually wear hats and head scarves to hide my hair when dirty, and always look more put together for it. Lovely video as always! Let's bring back hats

[katchatt]

All Mina's Hats!
0:00 Bicorn
6:50 Regency Bonnet
9:14 b̶e̶r̶e̶t̶ Paper Boy Hat
17:50 Cowboy Hat
23:50 f̶e̶d̶o̶r̶a̶ Pillbox Hat
31:56 Baseball Cap
37:50 1920's Knit Hat (ft. Bicorn)

I do indeed have a fedora. I have it as a gag for my friends when they look in my closet haha.