Hats! | Forties Fashion | Club Dahlia

Yes! I was just wondering about this. I know WHY people stopped wearing hats (because of the onset of more casual fashions), but I wish people wore them more than they seem to do now. At least-- people in the US don't seem to wear hats a lot. Maybe people in other countries do? Anyway, I love hats and I want to wear them more, but I always get weird looks when I do wear one.

Hats are awesome.  I remember listening to Doris Day talk about hats in an interview she did in the 60's with Lucille Ball.  She said they were the perfect accessory to any outfit, that it actually made the outfit.  I've worn hats off and on.

What is neat is when someone does wear a hat and proudly.  In the 80's and early 90's there was an actress on General Hospital, Jacklyn Zeman, who was very popular and also loved wearing hats.  Just like you said, Rosie, it caught on with her fans.  She started a hat line and for quite some time it was very successful and when you went to an event, you saw a lot of her hats out there.

Rosie77 said:

Emmeline, I say wear whatever you want to, who cares what other people think. Who knows, maybe you will kick start the hat wearing trend again.

Orry, I agree with Doris Day completely, hats can make an outfit.

Yes you should wear what makes you feel good. If you like hats then go for it and do not let anyone else hold you  back.

Haha, thanks for the postive reenforcement, Rosie77 and luv2write. Now that it's getting to be summer time I'm definitely going to be breaking out the hats, and I'll be wearing them with pride!

I so wish that I could pull of those hats. They are so elegant. I love the hats with the veils hanging over the fronts. I have seen some in bad shape at thrift stores. I'm hoping to one day find one in good condition, even if I can't pull it off.

I am now determined to wear a hat everywhere I go this summer. It gets SO hot and sunny here that I basically have to, anyway-- and who knows? Maybe I'll inspire some other people to start wearing hats, too!

empirestate said:

My mother always wore a hat when we were growing up in Norway. I never wore one though, and by the time we moved to America, I think hats were out of style. I don't think they need to come back. People are set in the ways of casual dress now.

…true, there currently seems to be a holding pattern of casual dress.  Even in the office environment, dress codes have become all too relaxed…it's rather embarrassing.  If you do choose to dress professionally these days, you're often met with odd stares and suspicious glances, and remarks such as, "Why are you so dressed up?"  In my workplace, "dressed up" means well-pressed clothing, closed-toe shoes, and hosiery.  Once upon a time, that was the norm. 

empirestate said:

I think you are totally right Jazzy. People actually cringe at wearing more formal clothes nowadays. It's not, "hey, you are underdressed!" now it's "hey, you are overdressed!". I don't understand why people don't dress formally at work anymore. It went from casual friday to casual everyday.

…which is precisely why I'm revolting against "the norm"--I find "the norm" so revolting!  It takes a bit more effort to run in opposition to today's "everyday casual" standard, but it's worth it.  Someone's gotta hold the line!