"You are not really dressed until you are wearing a hat" Topic

"Dear time travelling gentleman on the way to the 18th century, please make sure to take with you one thing: a hat!
In the 18th century, a hat is not only useful in bad weather, and it is more than a fashion accessory. A hat indicates your role in society. Without a hat you are a nobody.

Follow me to a brief introduction to the history of 18th century hats. We make sure you pick the correct one for each period, and we also find out about hat etiquette…"

Main page

regency-explorer.net/hats

Armand

Neat!

Merci beaucoups, Armand!

TVAG

Magnifique!

A votre service mes amis…

J'aime bien celui de la deuxième ligne à droite avec le style "Willy Wonka"

Armand

Reading Memoirs of a Russian Artillery officer 1813 seems if I have it right a cooked hat was still in style for workers in Germany

In the 1870 census, in Arkansas, my GGGrandfather was listed as occupation "Hatter". I always wondered what type of hats he was making. I am guessing "Cowboy" type hats for people going West.

I have always been a hat person, mostly slouch and baseball type hats. Don't go out without a hat. I have a collection of about 20 hats – I feel naked without one. A real "Mad Hatter I am". Sorry I degress.

As a Hat lover… do you like any of those in the pics?…

Armand

A hat is a cover. I almost never leave home or exist in home without a cover. head gusketts and bandanas most days, especially while in home. Boonies for outdoors extreme sunlight or rain, well worn caps also on heavy rotation when on recon/resupply missions. Practically it means I don't have to style my hair and provides protection from the elements.

From my readings , at least in Napoleonic and earlier hats were worn inside and outside. Think the hat removal inside is a newer unwritten rule, could be wrong. But period paintings I think make my case.

In church too…?

Armand

Taking your hat off is a sign of subservience. As an example in the presence of the king everyone else went hatless. In church you took your hat off to indicate your subservience to god [not everyone did certainly not Calvinists and similar]. I believe that in the Victorian era it became the idea that your home was akin to a church, you were all such godly people so hats started to be removed at home, this then spread to more generally indoors. I wear a flat cap pretty much everywhere except the shower and bed and in winter I wear a skell cap type thing in bed.

Thanks

Armand