The Demise of the Fedora

Bad news: fedora hats are not as stylish as they once were. It?s time to throw out your collection and start afresh with different styles of hat.

The official hat of the douchebag

Where did it all go wrong? Fedoras were once proudly worn by stylish men everywhere. Unfortunately, now they are worn by pseudo-stylish men everywhere and all the time. Blame the guys who completely lack a sense of style, but decide that putting on a fedora will transform their tee-shirt and track-pants combination into a fashionable outfit. Blame the hipsters who break out the fedora for every night out, thinking that it will set them apart from their identical hipster friends. Blame the dudes who put on a cheap fedora and gold chains for a fancy dress party saying that they?re dressed as a pimp or a player.

Far from being the beacon of the jazz age that they once were, fedoras are now markers of guys who think they are stylish but have no clue. This is particularly the case when worn indoors and with a poorly put together outfit.

Previously, I have written about fedoras without criticising them. However, as they have become more and more ubiquitous, people?s perceptions of fedoras have changed. Now, fedoras function a secret signal to all women not to talk to you.

Hats that are better than the fedora

Despite the popularity of the fedora, there are a multitude of stylish hats out there just waiting to be worn. Bowler hats, straw boat hats, even Homburgs are all more interesting and stylish options that are preferable to the fedora. They are all rarely worn in this century despite once being popular, but they have never ceased to look good. Porkpie hats are the best alternative if you?re already used to wearing fedoras. Porkpies are very similar to fedoras, but are shorter with a flat top.

If you must wear a fedora?

You like the fedora, you?ve finally figured out how to wear it, and it fits in well with your wardrobe. Fine- but make sure you?re wearing it in the best possible way. Firstly, your fedora must be of decent quality. Fedoras, usually being made of felt, can be too stiff or too floppy. You want one that can hold up its own weight, but is not so stiff that it won?t mould to the shape of your head. A fedora is best worn with slightly quirky clothing- it screams out ?douchebag? if you try to pair it with a drab outfit. Your outfit also needs to have a touch of the first half of the twentieth century about it. This way, it looks more authentic. It shows that you know the origins of the fedora; rather than being another clueless dude who has plonked a fedora on his head because that?s what everyone else seems to do. Any jewelry you wear with it should be slimline and tasteful, or you will look like you think you?re a player.