# Why did men's hats go out of style? Will they ever come back? **URL:** \ **Category:** Factual Questions\ **Created:** [September 28, 2004, 9:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453 "2004-09-28T09:32:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 13\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/61 "2004-09-29T15:09:06Z")
> [@Kimstu](#): > > (What’s a “wife beater”?) A sleeveless undershirt – [http://www.personalfitnesscoaching.com/inc/images/wife\_beater.jpg](http://www.personalfitnesscoaching.com/inc/images/wife_beater.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/62 "2004-09-29T15:11:32Z")
Wife beaters are also called “A-shirts.” Why wife beater? It seems that in the old movies, the guy beating his wife was always wearing one of these. And, for the record, I have never owned a wife beater, nor have any piercings or tattoos. And my socks are pulled up. However, I have never owned nor used a sock garter. ---
**Author:** ![asterion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/4da419/32.png) [@asterion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/asterion)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/63 "2004-09-29T15:16:36Z")
> [@acsenray](#): > > Wife beaters are also called “A-shirts.” Why wife beater? It seems that in the old movies, the guy beating his wife was always wearing one of these. I’d say not even so much old movies as episodes of COPS. ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/64 "2004-09-29T15:32:27Z")
> [@asterion](#): > > I’d say not even so much old movies as episodes of COPS. I believe I’ve heard the name as far back as the 1970s, long before “Cops.” ---
**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/65 "2004-09-29T15:54:23Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Does anyone remember when men’s flat-brimmed, flat-topped woven straw hats came into fashion a second time probably in early 1960’s? They looked like straw hats from the 1920’s. They were called straw katys or caties or something like that. Here in Belgium you can still find them - mostly on men who run fry-shops or have things to sell in the marketplace. (The ones I’m talking about look more or less like [this](http://www.millerhats.com/boater_index/boater.html), but the central part isn’t quite so tall) ---
**Author:** ![Genghis\_Bob](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/45deac/32.png) [@Genghis\_Bob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Genghis_Bob)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/66 "2004-09-29T16:22:19Z")
I have a black felt fedora (at least, I think it’s a fedora) that I start wearing as soon as the weather turns nippy here in Michigan. I have no insulation up top, and the hat is worth several degrees in warmth. It also keeps my hands free when I’m out in the rain, sleet, snow . . . jeez, why the hell don’t I just move to Florida? Anyway, back on-topic. Every fall, when the hat comes out of storage, it is greeted with great joy by friends and acquaintances (“the hat is back! Christmas is near!”) And I do get a lot of compliments from total strangers on the hat. Now just wait 'til I take delivery of my chili-red 2005 Mini Coopers S. I can just see the crowds gathering as I climb out wearing my nifty black fedora . . . ---
**Author:** ![Acsenray](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/acsenray/32/4519_2.png) [@Acsenray](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acsenray)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 5:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/67 "2004-09-29T17:04:36Z")
Here’s a hijack – What’s the difference between a fedora and a trilby? I’ve never been able to figure it out. (Trivia: Both names come from characters in plays) ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/68 "2004-09-29T17:41:16Z")
> [@tracer](#): > > No, men’s hats will never, ever come back. > > Five thousand years from now, men living in Antarctica will say, “Boy, I sure wish I had something to cover my head with, what with it being so cold outside, but I don’t want to look like a man from the 1940s or 50s.” :rolleyes: Is it really true? What about places where it gets really cold in the winter? I can understand how one would wear a baseball cap with casual wear–even though I don’t care for the look, but what about when you are wearing a suit? A ball cap would look stupid. I’m bald. If I somehow found myself on Michigan Avenue in the middle of February, you’re telling me my only choice for headwear is a baseball cap? ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/69 "2004-09-29T17:49:54Z")
:smack: C’mon, guys. The comments made about hats and dresses obviously meant that they would not come back into style as **expected everyday wear** in any foreseeable future. **Not** that nobody would ever wear them again in any circumstances. I think that some of the posters were being facetious on the subject, but not all and it’s gotten silly. ---
**Author:** ![twickster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ec9cab/32.png) [@twickster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/twickster)\ **Post date:** [September 29, 2004, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/70 "2004-09-29T17:50:06Z")
> [@Spectre of Pithecanthropus](#): > > Is it really true? Sweetie, better put on a hat – the next whoosh will come even closer to grazing your head. ---
**Author:** ![MarkN](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e56c9b/32.png) [@MarkN](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MarkN)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/71 "2014-10-29T03:09:17Z")
> [@twickster](#): > > I was referring to them as common street wear – and I’d date that to the '80s. My Dad wore on to work every day with his business suit. He said they went out of style in the late 60’s early 70’s. I think men looked good wearing a nice hat. I could see them coming back; rumor has it bell bottoms are coming back. ---
**Author:** ![johnpost](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f17d59/32.png) [@johnpost](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/johnpost)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/72 "2014-10-29T03:41:00Z")
zombie or no as building interiors became more cramped there was no room for a hat rack. no hat racks caused no hats due to men not wanting to carry a hat and still try to smoke. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [October 29, 2014, 3:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453/73 "2014-10-29T03:51:02Z")
**MarkN** , welcome to the boards. In General Questions, we prefer that old threads be bumped only to add new factual information. Since this thread is 10 years old, I’m going to close it. Colibri General Questions Moderator [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/why-did-mens-hats-go-out-of-style-will-they-ever-come-back/266453.md?page=3)