We often hear individuals speak of the ‘good old days’ and refer back to the time of their youth or what they consider to be their prime.  For one fashion accessory, the hat, there may very well have been a golden era which has since passed.  In the early 1900′s hats were abundant.  They were worn daily and many different styles existed, even for formal situations.  Today, fewer people wear them and they are generally considered inappropriate in formal situations.  Let’s take a look at why the popularity of hats declined over the years.

Baseball comes to mind when thinking of the 1940′s so imagine you are at a baseball game during this time.  As you sit in your seat you glance around the stadium and focus on the crowd.  What do you notice?  Just about everyone is wearing a hat.  You will also find that there are many different styles being worn as well.  While it’s not clear which styles are used in what type of social setting, it is very clear that the hat is an important accessory during this time period.

Looking at the crowd of a 1940′s baseball game shows us that hats were very prominent.  But examining hats in formal situations during the same time period really becomes unique.  Today, going to an upscale dinner, ball, or charity event requires formal attire.  What it does not require is a hat.  In fact, hats are looked down on in formal situations today.  This, however, was not the case in the early 1900′s.  Hats were commonly worn in formal situations.  Even more interesting is that they were worn in business situations as well.

It seemed that everyone was wearing a hat and there was a hat for every occasion.  Who could have known at the time, but hats were soon to begin their decline from mainstream fashion.  As time moved on, fewer individuals wore hats.  As a casual accessory hats still had ample opportunity to shine, but in formal situations they began to disappear.  And as fewer people wore them, less styles were worn.  Some styles were fading from existence all together.

Nowadays, the hat is a fun item.  It is not worn as an extenuation of a suit during a job interview, but rather as a casual fashion accessory.  At times, it does not even incorporate a person’s fashion.  People wear one just to wear one.  The most notable difference between the early 1900′s and today is that far less people are wearing hats in general.  It is now socially unacceptable to wear one in a formal situation and so many styles are considered out of date.  It is now most likely to see a baseball or trucker cap being worn – and not with a suit.

Let’s take a look at the cause for this decline.  While it may be difficult to pin point the exact reason, two do come to mind.  First, the degree of formality seems to have decreased over time.  In the early 1900′s it would appear that more social situations required formal attire and there were certain styles of hats considered to be formal wear.  Today, there are generally less social situations where formal attire is necessary.  Casual dress seems to reign today.  Just look at the work place and how common a casual day is there.

Another potential reason for the decline has to do with the speed of modern living.  There is no doubt that life moves faster than it did in the early 1900′s.  Cars, airplanes, and trains have all evolved and have helped accelerate the pace at which life is lived.  In these fast times, are hats just a nuisance?  Perhaps it takes too much effort and attention to properly care for one and take it on and off based on the social acceptability.  Maybe it’s just easier to not wear one at all.

The golden era of hats does seem to have long passed.  The contributing factors to it’s decline remain open to discussion.  As time changes and people evolve so do all things.  Perhaps hats have fallen victim to the natural course of events.  While they may not be as popular today, there are still some very unique styles and custom hats available.