Why are some people so insistent on wearing a hat?

[kayaker]

@TheMightyFro

As a 100% blad man,

Because I’m blad, I’m blad come on
You know I’m blad, I’m blad come on, you know
You know I’m blad, I’m blad come on, you know
And the whole world has to
Answer right now
Just to tell you once again
Who’s blad.

…

[Annie-Xmas]

The Kennedy men looked horrible in hats and rarely wore them. JFK Jr. once said when he went out on the streets of New York City wearing a baseball cap backwards, nobody recognized him.

[KneadToKnow]

*Blad, blad Leroy Brown,
Bladdest …
*

Oh. Never mind.

[Wheelz]

@kenobi_65

If it’s an adult male, my assumption (unless demonstrated otherwise) is that he’s losing his hair (or has lost it already), and doesn’t want people to see this.

It’s not uncommon at all for guys who are suffering from hair loss to be insecure about this, and to try to cover it up, either with a hat, a toupee (less common these days), or even a clearly-unnatural-looking combover (not naming any names here for political reasons ).

I come from a long line of bald men, so I knew it was going to happen, and when it did, I got over it quickly. I’ve been bald as a cue ball for upwards of 30 years; never tried to cover it with a comb-over, never for a minute considered plugs or hair-growth pills, or least of all a toupee.

BUT, I virtually never step outdoors without a hat on. It’s not about people seeing my bald head. I don’t care about that one whit. But it just doesn’t *feel *right, all that bare skin exposed to the sun and elements. Going hatless to me would be akin to going shirtless - I just don’t do it.

[BrotherCadfael]

@Baker

Umm, it’s madam, not sir.

Sorry, in this light I couldn’t tell.

[cochrane]

@Mean_Mr.Mustard

I could have started this thread. In fact, I have considered doing so.

I hate hats, and I can’t for the life of me relate to the mindset of grabbing a hat as I head out the door or get dressed for the day.

OK, sometimes a nice fedora can make a certain dude (not me) look snappy. But any male over the age of 18 who wears a ball cap out in public - unless his business is playing baseball - automatically gets a WTF and a raised eyebrow from me.

And any grown-assed man who wears a ball cap *backwards * (and is not a catcher) gets both eyebrows.

So, Men Without Hats is your favorite group, then?

[kopek]

@Ukulele_Ike

Ever since you first posted that photo a few years back I’ve wanted an Amish straw hat. I wear hats to avoid sunburn, and figure the Amish have a similar skin tone to mine and know what they’re doing by now.

Last July we did a weekend trip to Lancaster county and I went on the prowl. All the hats in general stores and farmers markets were tourist-looking and expensive, so I started asking the locals. An old Amish woman finally gave me a pitying look and said “Uh, why don’t you go to the HATMAKER?”

So I follow a long country road to the end to a big house, peer in the side door, and there’s hundreds of Amish straw hats on dozens of racks. A lady lets me in; I choose one with the broadest brim and highest crown. Nineteen bucks!

Now, I don’t look much different than you…rimless glasses, bushy beard, more red than gray in my case…but I don’t look anything as awesome as you do in the hat. In fact, I think I look like the Cat in the Hat. I think I overdid the brim/crown thing to the point of parody.

In any case, I don’t have the balls to wear it on city streets. But it looks nice on the top of the roll top desk.

WEAR IR ON THE STREETS!!! Mine was made by a friend in Goshen. Different communities have slightly different styles but all are on a theme. Mine gets stuffed in saddlebags, rides year round in the car, beaten on amusement park rides, and will still stay glued on me head at 35mph. Its warm in the winter to a degree and really cool in the summer. After maybe more than 20 years of abuse it is finally starting to crack in a couple places along the brim but I have plans to replace it this winter.

My blacks are a mixed pair; one is commercial and one made by a plain hatter. Those I don’t abuse as much and will probably both outlast me.

PS – I’m sitting at a roll-top I inherited from my Dad. Great minds like similar things.

@kayaker

Heh, kopec could tell some stories about what he (and I as well) have worn on the streets of Pittsburgh!

What happens at Santarchy (and Zombiefest) stays at Santarchy. But let me give you two ideas ------- Amish Santa and Zamish.

OK

https://scontent-ort2-1.xx.fbcdn.net/v/t1.0-9/60130_4746892920452_2092528589_n.jpg?_nc_cat=101&_nc_oc=AQm9ERrY1ZKBrYbWeHr27zCHKZOZpWssvYB5YPjQG_DLAIolVShid90-icmCLSb0i6I&_nc_ht=scontent-ort2-1.xx&oh=f8da68993a352ea7b4c7bd5e47992307&oe=5E61915D

And I’ll have you know the dirty school-girl zombie was along with my wife’s permission.

[Kron]

@Filbert

But then you have people like my Great Uncle; almost never seen without a baseball cap, and his hair’s just visibly thinning now at 82.

I think he just… likes them. I don’t think there’s anything more to it.

Mind you, he does wear Hawaiian shirts, shorts and sandals most of the time as well, in England, so I wouldn’t judge the majority by his dress sense.

Sounds like me. Hawaiian shirts and a covered head at all times.

[Kron]

@Ulfreida

I think men who wear ball caps look slovenly, unless they are actually farming at the time.

I’d take issue if I wasn’t slovenly as a general rule anyway.

[Ukulele_Ike]

kopek @87:. I can’t even wear it in a car, because the brim is so wide and stiff.

The Amish hatmaker woman in Lancaster county said the straw hats were so cheap because the men replaced them every year. The black wool hats cost around $80 because they were a several year investment,

[SCAdian]

After 21 years in the Navy I don’t feel dressed if I’m outside without a hat.

[fc1114]

@Mean_Mr.Mustard

And any grown-assed man who wears a ball cap *backwards * (and is not a catcher) gets both eyebrows.

The back of the cap is unstructured (no firm parts from the bill) and therefore is softer and potentially more comfortable against the forehead.