Why Did Men Stop Wearing Hats?

We've seen a good many comments here repeating the common misconception that JFK's supposed lack of hat-wearing caused an overall decline--but this isn't true! If you'd like to see us discuss this point specifically, jump ahead to 06:59. - Preston

WWII ended, everyone threw their hats in the air and couldn’t find them again. No more hats...

I asked my grandpa why they stopped wearing hats once, he said better shampoos and other hair products came out and hair wasn't greasy or full of dandruff any more so they didn't have to hide their heads lol

In the UK it was seen as a clothing item that indicated your class. Topper, upper classes, Bowler, middle classes, Flat Cap, working class. This was particularly prevalent until the 1960's.

My mom was riding in a car with her friend in the mid 1960s when her friend complained, "great, we're stuck behind an old man in a hat". My mom chimed in about these slow old men in hats until she realized he too was turning on her street and he was her father. 😂 I asked how she couldn't recognize his car, she said back then pretty much every old man drove the same car.

You forgot one of the most important reasons of all: hairstyles. Hairstyles became a fashion trend in the 60's and 70's and more and more young people would style their hair to look the way they wanted, also the change in fashion from a mostly suit oriented society to a casual one with everyone wearing clothes that couldn't combine with hats made the fading of hats rather quicker.

My grandfather always wore a fedora. I told my wife whenever I became a grandfather I was going to do the same. As soon as our daughter announced that she was expecting my wife bought me several fedora's which for the past 4 years I wear daily.

I had the pleasure of meeting an elderly gentleman in Warsaw, Poland a couple of years ago - 80 plus, sporting a tuxedo, a very well brushed and cared for wool frock, with a white silk scarf and a bowler hat. I felt being brought back to my childhood immediately. ❤

Depends on where you live. I am in very rural Texas. Cowboy hats still are popular. Straw for outdoor work or summer and felt for winter.

As a historian I have always found this topic fascinating, especially the significance of hat wearing in a cultural context. When, for example, a Victorian described a man running around outside :"Hatless", it was a way of saying that he had lost his wits and was behaving irrationally .

I think that a main reason hats went out of style is that men's hair became a more important part of men's fashions especially after the mid 60"s

In German, a car‘s back shelf is still called hat rack. Adding to the glovebox, this still reflects the necessities of the old times.

I started wearing a fedora almost all the time about 20 years ago??? Why?? Simple -- I am VERY practical man. A wool fedora is inexpensive - $50 to $100. It shades your eyes from the sun. It protects your face in the rain. It is VERY warm in the cold. The hat fits closely, so the pocket of air in the crown insulates wonderfully -- better than a winter parka. [Winter parkas don't seal, and don't move with your head, so it is hard to see traffic when walking.] A hat moves with your head, If too cold, a scarf is all you need to keep very warm -- even when sub-zero. PLUS -- they are stylish and people remember me. I am in sales, and I LOVE the idea that I am easily remembered. I like dark blue, and dark wine colored hats.

The rise of headrests in automobiles along with more people with cars is the main reason in the US. Logistics

Never thought, somebody can fill 20 minutes with interesting talking about hats. Well done!

I grew up in Minneapolis, and so your videos are making me nostalgic. It is amazing how distinctive a place is when one knows it well. The Metro Transit bus stop sign was a giveaway. Keep wearing that old-fashioned "TC" Twins cap!

Despite not knowing about this channel before, Im certainly not new to wearing hats, especially during winter. My favourite combination is a wide black fedora (made from rabbit fur, not plastic), in combination with black trench coat and black woolen sweater. It makes the combination look uniform, and yet somehow casual.

The more hair I lose, the more I find myself reaching for a hat.

I'm a Native Texan, down here it's not unusual to see cowboy hats every day.

I love your outfit. It screams summer. I may have to use it as inspiration for my Easter outfit. Thank you!