The Disappointing Truth On Why We Don't Wear Hats Anymore...

I wanna give a huge thank you to Jenny for being so kind and accommodating with my coming in and filming her over multiple days. I also wanna say thank you for making me such beautiful hats - they are truly works of art (not gifted). If you wanna know more about Jenny, Forme Millinery and Judith Millinery Supplies here are the links:
Instagram: / forme_millinery & / judithmsupply
Website: formemillinery.com/ & www.judithm.com/ - both stores are open to the public - please check the websites/google maps for hours.
Jenny's email address if you wanna discussion a custom hat: [e-mail]
My dress is from Madewell: www.madewell.com/lucie-sweeth...
A great deal of this research came from Nadine Stewart's Incredible book on the American Millinery Trade: amzn.to/3HNSox4 (affiliate) - I highly recommend this book if you want to know more about the social, political, and economical impact that millinery trade had on the this country.
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📚My books:
The American Duchess Guide to 18th-Century Dressmaking: amzn.to/2GrkAIQ (affiliate)
The American Duchess Guide to 18th-Century Beauty: amzn.to/2TTwJtq (affiliate)
💌Business Inquiries ONLY [e-mail]
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📪 Abby Cox
642 N. Madison Street
Bloomington, IN 47404
🎶Music via Epidemic Sound (www.epidemicsound.com)
📝 Script Editing (Video Essays) & Research Assistant: Kenna Libes IG: @Kennasews & sewingwithkenna.wordpress.com/

[@cvb4117]

“It used to be said that, when a woman felt depressed, a good cure was to go out and buy a new hat. We now have psychiatrists.” from the article is killing me 😂😂😂

[@cherylrhodes1925]

And now shoes & bags 😀

[@sonderbain]

From the looks of things today I think the hats did a better job

[@alyupde9337]

Shopping therapy can be cheaper if it is rare lol

[@bassforhire555]

She just gonna get the hat on her way home from they psychiatrist...

[@squash6497]

@@cherylrhodes1925 Or skincare

[@kimbelinag]

My mother was born in 1944 and says my great-grandmother FLIPPED OUT when my grandma didn't make her wear a hat when she was a child.

[@samaraisnt]

lollll the thing that kids love more than anything: Hats & being forced to wear them.

[@debmccudden242]

@@samaraisnt you won't find this such an issue in Australia we have as a nation have no hat no play policies to combat skin cancer .

[@PrincessOverDoesIt]

@@debmccudden242 very interesting policy! When was it enacted?

[@TheIamyourmother]

@@samaraisnt kids hate diapers and shoes too, but they learn to tolerate them eventually 😅

[@spelcheak]

@@TheIamyourmother it’s true, you never see the big kids complaining about having to wear diapers. wait…

[@mrs.buttercuppigeonpants]

I remember reading "The War Of The Worlds" by HG Wells (1890s) and there's a scene in which the protagonist says something along the lines of "people ignored my pleads, and I don't blame them: I looked completely deranged (=wasn't wearing a hat)". Since then I just can't stop thinking about how in the late 1800s people would think you were completely bonkers for going out without a hat

[@saffloweroyl3663]

One member of our online support group for cats with diabetes blew our minds the first time we met in person. She had shopped every thrift store in Phoenix and bought a hat for each participant. We'd never seen each other before, yet she nailed it in matching hats to each of us.

[@patyluna821]

I'm surprised at the fact that there are groups of support for Cats with diabetes, sounds just so wholesome

[@xdearlifex]

This comment just got better and better with every sentence

[@rachelheath1208]

Sounds an amazing experience and a wonderfully supportive group 👍

[@carina-nonbinary]

All of this sounds like material for a very niche type of movie that i'd enjoy to watch ngl

[@phiac9122]

FYI- if you would like to see HATS visit a black church on a Sunday morning. You will get your fill of hats for the week. My mother is 80yrs old and has about 50 hats and counting. She has a hat for every dress.

[@tmmears]

Exactly! Black women wear them some hats. And by Black, I mean African descended. An elder like your mother has a hat for every dress. A younger woman has a piece of ankara fabric for every outfit. Hats, geles, and headwraps are extremely common. Is this less important than a Western style and perspective? Absolutely not.

[@eveningskies1954]

And so she should. Knock yourself out Mom. Happy Easter!

[@janelleg597]

so cool

[@user-sj7uo9fv7d]

@@tmmears I love the African American hat styles! Everytime I see a woman wearing a big hat i notice how elegant it looks

[@creuvette29]

There still are balck church and white church nowadays ? Are there from the same religion ? I'm living in a very white and atheist area so I have no clue

[@drea4195]

On the decline of hats: driving culture has been a factor as well. Whenever they started manufacturing car seats to have high headrests (which is great, as it's a safety feature to help prevent whiplash), it became uncomfortable for hatwearers. The rear brims would bump against the headrest and "unseat" the hat. I think this just sped up the already-declining hat culture, especially of Americans. We do love our car culture in the States.

[@Dustyphoto915]

Delightfully astute

[@grinningchicken]

Also if you are car centric you aren’t walking in the sun or cold the hat becomes less important. But I think movies is a big reason. You can’t see the stars face as well and from as many angles if they are wearing a hat.

[@Khazrain]

Make no mistake: I hate our car culture

[@originalchilehed]

The headrest on my 2015 F350 is perfectly designed to accommodate my Fedora's 2-3/4" brim. I love it.

[@dillan6134]

@@Khazrainof course you do, you anime dweeb. What’s the matter, you mad because yours sucks? Or you can’t afford one? Lol

[@sgtmomOK]

My mother in law, a WWII era high stylin’ USO singer, showed me how to wear hats from that era. They were never just plunked on top of your head, but juxtaposed at jaunty angles.

[@irishamericanpinupdoll]

As a retro 40s era model, I agree! Placement is an art in and of itself!❤

[@sewingintrifocals-alisonde7778]

Did your MIL use hat pins to keep her hats in place?

[@sgtmomOK]

@@sewingintrifocals-alisonde7778 I really don’t know. She was originally from Pittsburgh, and the “ Queen” of the Four Kings and a Queen group. She was very, very high style even into her 90s. Never dressed “ old lady”. Just a beautiful, movie star caliber stunning woman.

[@batguy39]

PEAK WOMEN

[@scottishhellcat]

And don't forget the hat pins.

[@wildlilly]

My mother was a nurse that was the last class/generation (however you would properly term it) to still wear those nursing caps. She said she actually missed them, because they were a clear status signifier and there was something very classy about them that demanded respect; which we know that nurses deserve! I wear a hat that was given to me by her every day at work, that is very precious to me as she is deceased. Almost every day someone compliments me on that hat and people know me by it, there is definitely an element to hat wearing that we are missing.

[@bmona7550]

In some countries, nursing caps are still worn. One would know a nursing student by how they wear their caps 😂

[@NightTimeDay]

Now you can only tell a nurse by their winnie the pooh scrubs which I sometimes mistake for wearing pajamas out during the day at first lol. I don't mean to judge but yes, a uniform must have commanded more respect.

[@wg8517]

Sorry to see those nursing caps are gone

[@Chahlie]

Years ago my dad was in hospital very ill and a nurse showed up with a proper full on nurses cap. That woman commanded respect and made you feel like you were in very safe hands. I was mistaken for a nurse once by a specialist when my son was in hospital, he had me assisting when he changed his trach, and came to me later to apologise. I vote bringing back proper nurses uniforms :)

[@xSTTS]

In Mexico, military nurses still wear them

[@itsyissel]

Fun story: I was a background actor on The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel. One day we were filming a scene in a bar and the costume designer went around with an assistant holding a box of hats, because she decided that not enough of us were wearing them. (For anyone not familiar, Maisel is set in the early 60s btw). So she made it a point to not only make sure as many ladies as possible were wearing hats, but I remember her specifically telling me that mine needed to sit forward on my head as she styled it so, and as per the vogue spread you showed. Just want to back up what you said, as the show's costume designer clearly took details like that very seriously. Thought you'd appreciate that. =D

[@djShinser]

Oh man, cool comment! I love the MMM. Especially the styling and scene decor!

[@southbug27]

Thanks for sharing. Great show.

[@kalybird24]

That’s amazing! I have the costume book from the show and the details are incredible.

[@gaywizard2000]

Well that's great, I'm glad they are paying attention to one tiny detail while the entire show remains a huge anachronism!!!!

[@adamspansy]

Love Miss Maisel Hats...yes!!

[@kittykatxox845]

I had this exact thought last week when I wore a hat to my Nanas house and she complimented me on it and I said “a lady always wears a hat” and then I realized that not only is that not true anymore but I was in fact the only lady wearing a hat at our family event.

[@cheryldodd-marko9787]

Sad but true...but KEEP WEARING YOUR BEAUTIFUL HATS....🕊🇺🇲💕

[@cheryldodd-marko9787]

Love veiled hats...add mystery..🕊🇺🇲💕 feel so special

[@StarDreamMemories]

Been there, and I've been told the same thing 💕

[@mishagirl1414]

I love hats. I'm 44.

[@MaryAnnSweetAngel]

its so hot in india that my head will sweat more if i wore a hat. I just have an umbrella now

[@johannasaninocencio7458]

I recently discovered a photograph of my great grandparents in 1902 and, oh my gosh, the hat my great grandmother is wearing is epic. We’re talking silk roses, velvet ribbon, ostrich feathers. I wish I could share the picture.

[@anna_in_aotearoa3166]

Some of the Edwardian cartwheel hats with a whole dead bird on the top (& a whole garland of fake flowers as well) seriously look like they must've taken a LOT of neck strength to support! 👀

[@taxat10n1sth3ft]

@@anna_in_aotearoa3166 I mean, the bird probably had its organs removed and obviously it was cured so it wouldn't weigh QUITE as much... Taxidermy was a regular thing back then, too.

[@cattymajiv]

@@taxat10n1sth3ft The very idea is just disgusting though. Even 1 feather is gross. Just like the old custom of wearing dead animal skins, or even an entire dead fox around one's neck. I once had a rabbit jacket, but now I've opened my eyes, and the idea of it is horrific to me!

[@taxat10n1sth3ft]

@@cattymajiv to each his own. I have zero problems with the idea of wearing and consuming animal products. I call myself a savage or a barbarian - I believe the industrial age was a mistake, and that humans are meant to live in family-based tribes glued together by common values. So, maybe your tribe is vegan, and that's a wonderful thing - but my tribe would be hunters, gatherers, and keepers of livestock. I've learned to process poultry and next hunting season I will be learning to tan hides in an effort to expand my primitive skills. I do believe in engaging in these activities responsibly and sustainably, because excessive harvest always results in great harm to our habitat and its ecosystems - but, I do believe it is reasonable for me to use animal products since many animals are predators and I have been graced with teeth that suggest my body is designed to consume meat. If it's okay for lions and wolves, surely it's acceptable for me. I wish you all the best. If any ideology were to take over the world then Earth would suffer greatly ❤️

[@truehappiness4U]

@@taxat10n1sth3ftif you have studied science in school, you learn that your teeth has different functions: meat eating and vegetable eating. So the teeth are also to consume vegan stuff. Int his day, meat is highly processed and the animals get antibiotics to fatten them up. Eating meat is not healthy anymore. It can even cause cancer. Not only that, climate change is a real thing and causes more extreme weather. By not harvesting and consuming too much animals, the world would become better. It’s okay to eat a bit of meat, but don’t go overboard. You kind of sound cringe and delusional with your ‘tribe’ stuff as well. There is not such thing as tribe in this modern western society. There is almost no sense of community as well. Everyone is dependent on supermarkets. Almost no one raises their own animals for meat or eggs, or plants vegetables etc. There is no such thing as gatherer-hunting in modern western society.

[@caramel9600]

“Fear of hatlessness” is the phrase of the month

[@marigrace3865]

I'm 72 years of age and a milliner. My mother ( who was a complete fashionista ) taught me how to wear one. The late sixties and 70's saw a huge decline in hat wearing, as life became less formal. I started making hats in the late eighties. The right hat can do a lot to elevate a person's style. It takes a certain amount of confidence to wear one, but it's important to bring back personality to the way we dress.

[@teem9010]

I would love to know how! i tried looking up info on becoming a milliner once but never found anything helpful i guess. Still it looks so amazing. you are so lucky!!

[@marigrace3865]

@@teem9010 FIT in New York has a program.

[@buickinvicta288]

Mr. John

[@junehitchcock170]

Would love to learn too - how about teaching us online!! Start a new career!!

[@debbyg2899]

Personality. That's a a great way of putting it. I was a child in the 80's and because my family went to church I still owned some structured articles of clothing. But now a days most clothes are sacks, and none of us were educated in the art of styling for your body type. Would be lovely to go into a ladies department and be serviced by staff their that knows these things. But these places are not of our time unfortunately.

[@DovaMati]

I'm in my 60s and I have worn hats since childhood. I get a lot of compliments. I love the admiration I get from kids. They call me "pretty lady".

[@Jane_8319]

That’s adorable. Keep wearing your hats!

[@cherub2918]

I am a teacher and hats in school are a no no but I did go to school yesterday wearing a capelet. A 6-year-old told me I look like a witch (he meant it in a good way lol)

[@Liboo52]

14:32 The pure, ecstatic joy when she sees her new hat is absolutely heartwarming

[@conspiracypanda1200]

Even better is how it immediately matches her the moment it's put on her head. It's a really good visual example to prove the speaker's claims about her skills and business model.

[@dreamystone]

My great grandma was a milliner's apprentice in her late teens. I knew the woman she apprenticed for was very wealthy from the stories she told me, but I don't think I ever really appreciated just how prestigious that work was. I wish I'd asked more questions about it while I had the chance, she always made it sound like one of the happiest times in her life.

[@okaminess]

❤❤❤

[@okaminess]

I’m sure those were good times for her. ❤

[@scottishhellcat]

I wish we still had milliners.

[@theprecipiceofreason]

My Grandma had a closet that was just clear plastic bags, FULL of exotic feathers. She was a rural farmer that used to make some income by gathering them and was certain that one day, women's hats would make a comeback.

[@Skeys13]

I bet some of the birds those old feathers came from are extinct now

[@Densapartment]

She sounds like she was way WAY cool ❤

[@cassaxiom8019]

dude i hope you know if youre in the usa and not native american you will do a life sentence if the government catches wind of those feathers.

[@grainofsand4176]

@@cassaxiom8019 they are antique. Like carved tusks.

[@dnitagill7]

Hats will never go out of style for women who just love wearing hats❤️

[@madelinejohnstone9950]

I actually love the aesthetics of hats but, as someone with curly/frizzy hair, it’s kind of a nightmare to find hats that will actually stay on my head without being pushed off by my hair. I have a straw hat with stampede string I use while gardening but nothing else really stays put

[@surprisemarc6954]

I have slippy fine stringy white lady hair and hats slip off. If I braid or bun, the hat won't fit my already big head.

[@martinacold9255]

Try fascinators and mini veils 🌺 curly/kinky hair hold these and jewelry in place. The crown was designed for straighter hair to hold the jewels in place.

[@rebeccaboyack422]

Same!

[@LB-ku6ry]

Totally understand. And heaven forbid, you have to take the hat off somewhere else other than the privacy of your home. 😂

[@TheMagpieOfficial]

Hat pins will do it. They come in all sizes. Hats pull an outfit together I think.

[@lynette3021]

Even though Jackie Kennedy didn't like hats, I feel like her pillbox hat is so iconic.

[@goombapizza6335]

Same, I was surprised when the video associated her with the decline of hats, because in my mental picture of her she's always in a pillbox hat.

[@misamisaa4547]

My literal favourite part of going out with friends during summer is wearing a nice, big straw hat with a ribbon around it :3 it just looks so classy while also providing some shade from the sun

[@Yubsie]

I started wearing hats regularly as a way of preventing migraines. I often wear vintage hats because if I have to ear them they might as well be interesting, and SO many people will stop me on the street to compliment them. My grandma likes to talk about how when she was a girl, what they'd do when they were feeling down was go down to the hat shop and try on hats because "It's impossible to feel sad while trying on hats". I think she may be on to something

[@sp3g56]

This is really interesting, thank you for sharing!

[@CALinial]

Fascinating! Is the hat to block out light, or squeeze your head? The extra weight doesn’t bug the migraines (may have to copy you on those migraine days!)

[@joywebster2678]

Trying hats sure got banned because of lice spread. Even in 2022 you can't try on straw hats, knit hats.

[@heathertomlinson1961]

​@@CALinial I'm curious, too. I'll try anything to get rid of mine. I always have a bucket hat folded up in my bag for sunny days, and that does help some. Not very fashionable, though. It's a fun rainbow themed one. 😁

[@MELLMAO]

OMG SAME!! I used to wear beanies everyday almost in highschool when I was 15/16 and I used to get in a lot of trouble, but it would really help with migraines. Now I find that wearing bandanas helps better with particularly bad migraines

[@That1artsychic]

There’s a hat store in my hometown named “Brim” that opened around the time I was graduating high school. I remember going in on its opening week and thinking, “how is this place going to stay open, no one wears hats”. Well jokes on me cause it’s still there and now adult me is thinking of getting a hat.

[@tabsempai]

I have been having the same thoughts about going into Brim to get a hat since I work close.

[@persiswynter6357]

You need a hat!

[@nancyg.3536]

I LOVED Brim when I lived in Dayton! They changed my life. I now own about 20 hats, and I try to “represent” any chance I can. I hope you bought the hat, and love wearing it.

[@sew_gal7340]

A lot of women wear hats to churchor funerals, frankly i love hats and wear the pill hats with my jackie o inspired suits...i wear it out and people are shocked to see a hat on me lol

[@Irunwithscissors63]

My gran was a fantastic milliner. She would go into our town’s department store and look at the latest fashion then go home and recreate them from memory. It’s so sad her talents would barely be required today.

[@waahtera]

One of the reasons I love 1930's fashion so much is those avant garde hats. Everything you wear is elevated to a fabulous and dramatic outfit when you add a hat with a little bit of flair to it. I would love to wear hats, but I don't know if I could handle that much attention. Also I can't find a hat that fits me well.

[@Frostedminifirecracker]

Hat collector here. My great grandmother made them herself and raised pheasants for their feathers. My earliest pieces are 1903 and 1911 with quite a few she made or bought in the 30s & 40s. Must have bit me hard because I wore hats in the 50s, 60s, and even the 70s I still wear quite a few modern hats and knit tons of beanies too Happily I’m old enough now that it’s ok to be this eccentric 😮😂❤

[@jennyl.5358]

Ditto, have a hat wall. Collect mainly New Boys & Fedoras. I've always like Fedoras on women. Hats are great accessories especially on bad hair days which I suffer a lot. My husband is supportive of my collection because if I don't wear a hat somehow while we are out I find 1 to buy.

[@vladandnobody]

Cool, make KZbin channel now

[@sarahrosen4985]

Being old enough to be eccentric is The Best! (And, yes, make a channel. )

[@cheryldodd-marko9787]

78 years young....still love my hats🕊🇺🇲💕

[@aleafox1675]

Do you have a web page with photos of your hats? Sounds like you have an amazing collection and I'd love to see them as I'm sure many people would.

[@jadespades4237]

Chemotherapy destroyed my hair. I was thin before, now my hair is just a suggestion. I've tried wigs, but they are hot. So I bought a cute hat and was determined to bring back sunday hats. I got a lot of compliments. 😁 Did wonders for my self esteem to.

[@spuddy4845]

the Raquel Welsh wigs are gorgeous and not hot at all, so natural with the lace front

[@amyhood6562]

I suffer from hair loss too and wigs are really warm. Sometimes I’ll pair a halo wig with a hat in the summer. It’s so much cooler.

[@MarianneKat]

I'm an infusion nurse, and glad you found your angle on this. God bless

[@aina2165]

I am so glad for you.

[@Nick-eg5oz]

I’m happy you are doing better ☺️ Have you tried microneedling? That’s what I did for my hair when it all fell out from an autoimmune response. It really helped. That and adding a teaspoon of grass fed beef gelatin to my tea every night. Now you can’t tell any ever fell out. Maybe these would work for you too. I hope you stay in good health ✌🏼

[@jillianmaloney3798]

She must have the best hat making studio in the world! All the little strings and pieces look so interesting & fun. Glad there are artisans keeping handmade work alive across the varied dying industries.

[@user-fg1um4gd7p]

Very well done! My husband forwarded this to me as we have been wondering what happened for decades. By the way, we have always been referred to as "the hat people" sometimes as a compliment, sometimes not. We LOVE hats. Thanks for putting the effort into creating this wonderful video!

[@NikkiTrudelle]

I never thought I’d reach the age where I watch a 23 minute video on hats . Yet here we are

[@RabidlyTaboo]

Same here mike.

[@kbflorida888]

Me too….lolololo

[@prouddegenerates9056]

I regret nothing!

[@mkayokay3192]

And yet…here we are 😂😂😂🎉

[@faithwelch8894]

Finally! A discussion I can add too! I did a whole paper on the effects of the millenary industry, the decline of specific bird species during the 19th century, and the forming of the Audubon society when I got my zoology degree! Several species such as the passenger pigeon, the Carolina parakeet, The Great Auk, and a few other species actually did go completely extinct in the United States due to overhunting. What's even more interesting is that the creation of Audobon society was started by two upper-class cousins from Massachusetts; Harriet Hemmenway and Mina Hall. Go look them up if you have time cause they are fascinating ladies! Because of their efforts, the snowy egret and many other species are still around today! Sorry for the long comment but great video as always Abby!

[@mirandarensberger6919]

As I understand it, it wasn't just feathers on the hats, because those can be collected without killing the bird. They were making hats with entire taxidermied birds on them-- or sometimes just the wings, which also required killing the birds. I don't really know anything else about the history of hats, but I would imagine that doing the right thing by refusing to wear dead birds could also have led to more creativity in terms of using ribbons, artificial flowers, and other ornamentation in the millinery trade.

[@jennypaxton8159]

I see snowy egrets in the park near my parents’ house pretty often, and I’m always glad we didn’t lose them to hats. (Those would have been truly fabulous hats, don’t get me wrong, but not worth it.)

[@elif6908]

I just don’t understand how people could wear things with animal parts in them. Like a fur or pelt becomes something that does not resemble the animal, but feathers and whole wings is just ewww for me, I don’t even have a word for it.

[@Hilu8D]

I think it is unnecessary to apologize for sharing your expertise on the subject.

[@sylviahoffman9440]

You have a good point, feathers and entire bird wings were used on hats, especially in the Victorian Era. I'm sure ribbons, laces, and fabrics could have substituted for the decoration rather than stopping the wearing of hats completely. I wonder if hairstyles had a bigger impact. People were not wearing buns as much, and if you spend hours fixing and styling your hair, you wouldn't want to cover it up with a hat.

[@TheNightWatcher1385]

As a man I’d be overjoyed if top hats came back in style. Love their look and feel.

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

You can wear top hats if you want.

[@TheNightWatcher1385]

@@user-gu9yq5sj7c Not without looking silly in public.

[@taurengraybeard218]

Wear the hat Who cares what other people think? Trust me, you'll get more compliments than criticism

[@sarasamaletdin2704]

As a woman I feel like Jackie Kennedy about hats, but I can't sat men don't look good in hats

[@pattyb6003]

I love that this women came to Australia for her apprenticeship. Having a traditional hat is pretty popular here for both men and women, and I have an akubra that I wear whenever I'm outside in summer, from mowing the lawn to at a BBQ to picnic or day out, whatever.

[@p.j.dillon-langevin1727]

To basically everyone lamenting a lack of hats: what's stopping you? Find a hat (or a dozen) you like and wear. I've worn them constantly since grade school (pissed off only a few teachers) & most would probably not recognize me without. Consider this your invitation to join in

[@annasolovyeva1013]

I wear hats in summer. A windy climate and my timetable are stopping me from getting a felt fedora for winter wear, though it did really suit me :(. Also, my head is really high, and my hair is voluminous, it's very difficult to find a hat that's proportional. Berets for instance are all too small for me, I need a bigger outer diameter. Same goes for beanies.

[@funlover163]

For me it's my car I thought people didn't wear hats because vehicles didn't leave room for them

[@annasolovyeva1013]

@@funlover163 if it's not a pinned one, you just put it down before entering a car And a small one doesn't stop you from getting into a car too

[@zainabzolita8436]

I wear turbans but I have a few hats I made I put big flowers, pearls and that type of stuff on them

[@poorthing]

I wear hats all the time.

[@ttintagel]

As a theatrical costumer, I've found that hats are very important for making an outfit look finished and help a performer get into character.

[@madeniquevanwyk]

I can definitely tell it helps them get into character bc the moment you out on a hat you are not Yourself (tm) anymore

[@breezyvibe]

As a past 'theatre degree' actress I wholeheartedly concur.

[@nelliemelba4967]

This is so interesting. My grandmother was a milliner between 1930s/40a as a young woman, in the London East End. People were not well off but lots of women still liked their hats, to ring the changes, and they weren't rationed during the war either. Hair styles became simpler, shorter, and easier to wash and maintain, but a hat always covers a bad hair day!

[@ritaeagle]

Two things: No one wears hats anymore because we don’t spend as much time outside- same is true for men. Hats used to be useful for protecting your head from the sun and elements. Also- so sad about all the birds killed for hats. I’m glad we’ve moved beyond that. Pheasants and chickens are birds too…😢

[@grizzlyblackpowder1960]

I'd be more worried about beaver than birds if I were you. But I'm not, so I don't.

[@grizzlyblackpowder1960]

Also plenty of people still spend entire days outside and we still wear hats. This video is for those chained to the concrete nightmares we call cities.

[@cattymajiv]

@@grizzlyblackpowder1960 You'd be incredibly worried if they were after you. We are still surrounded by animals with feelings, and still surrounded by abuse of them. People with a heart and a brain ARE CONCERNED ABOUT IT.

[@rymic72]

@@cattymajiv You live completely disassociated from nature and are clueless as to the cruelty and savagery inherent to it.

[@NJ-wb1cz]

​@@grizzlyblackpowder1960beaver usually remains invisible in public so your concern is unfounded

[@maidenminnesota1]

I used to go to high end department stores to buy hats for Christmas and Easter, not caring that I was the only one wearing one, but now even those stores aren't carrying them, anymore. It's a crying shame. I love hats. They complete the outfit and add class.

[@grandmajane2593]

I remember as a child I;d love to look around the hat department and try on all the hats. Once my mother allowed me to buy a large black straw one with red roses on it. It was on sale for only 50 cents. I only wore it for play dress-up but it sure did make me feel glamorous.

[@CrystallineBlue]

Many excellent hats available for purchase online.

[@cheryldodd-marko9787]

I still have hat boxes from macys....turquoise with every hat you got a beautiful hat box...78 years young...still wearing my hats.🕊🇺🇲💕

[@grandmajane2593]

@@cheryldodd-marko9787 - Wonderful! : )

[@aleafox1675]

I have always loved to see men and woman in hats, and I love the styles of the past. I'm female and I may sound like a prude, but when a woman shows a little to much skin which takes away the imagination from the man. I'm also sick of looking at young and older woman showing a little too much. I think it opens doors for disrespect towards the woman.

[@roxiepoe9586]

I'm 67. My grandmother was a milliner (Left it for the higher profit field of illegal alcohol - different story.) My mother did not wear hats at all. I wore them some for fashion in the 70's. Now, I have a delightful friend who wears hats and we all adore them and her.

[@mirandarensberger6919]

I wanna hear the story of bootlegging grandma!

[@corvuscrux]

Yeah can we get the grandma story please 😂

[@samaraisnt]

Hats made a comeback in the 70's then died again!

[@alexk2065]

I had a bootlegger grandma as well, a great-grandma! They'd go around town with a trailer trying to "sell a mule".

[@jenn-k-h]

Um... we need that story please!!

[@BabsisHere]

I remember in kindergarten in 1967, we made our Mother’s Easter Bonnets with paper and tissue paper for flowers. Both my Mom and my best friend’s Mom wore them proudly to Sunday Mass on Mothers Day!!! (I think we even sprayed them with some rose scented perfume) - they made us feel SOOO GOOD that they wore them!!!!! We were so proud! And so were our Moms - at least they made us feel they were!!!! ❤️❤️❤️

[@danacarpender2287]

My winter hat is a well-made brown wool felt fedora. I get more compliments on it than on anything else I wear. I have a really-truly Ecuadorian-made Panama (and why Panama hats are made in Ecuador I do not know, but the good ones are) for summer, but damned if I can find it.

[@vanessabravo1774]

Yasss true Panama hats are from Cuenca, Ecuador but got the name Panama hats because they came through the Panama Canal. I bet its a beautiful hat 😁

[@windhelmguard5295]

i wear the same australian leather hat all year round, it keeps the sun at bay during summer and it keeps me dry when the weather is shit (the grease your scalp produces seeps into the leather over time, making it more and more water resistant), would highly recommend.

[@GDMiller419]

Growing up in the Black church, hat culture has always been big. It fell off because of the factors you mentioned, but never went away. We didn't see the breakdown in the 60's and 70's, but in the 80's and 90's. But the resurgence also happened earlier, in the 2000's. Think of the book "Crowns: Protraits of Black Women in Church Hats" by Michael Cunningham and Craig Marberry, published in 2000.

[@marthahawkinson-michau9611]

I currently attend a historically black church, and while most of the ladies don’t wear hats to church, some of them certainly do. I’ll probably get designated as the official hat maker or something like that at some point, as one of my hobbies is hat making.

[@kjmav10135]

I will definitely check out this book. Thanks for the recommendation!

[@GaiaCarney]

Gerard Miller - I’m a Black woman & I love wearing hats! I live in the PNW, so my hats are full-brimmed straw or wool, but I feel naked without a hat when I go out! It’s a conscious choice to embrace Black hat wearing culture 🤗 it has started many conversations & I don’t mind the compliments!

[@lauriebertramroberts8990]

@@GaiaCarney Southern Black hat wearer here!

[@Andrew-gn9qp]

In Catholic church, women used to wear lace veils until 1962. There's definately a massive change that occurred after World War II that resulted in headdresses being out of fashion.

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

I started wearing hats in high school. I was an anomaly but I was always wearing hats that were of the current era. Just no one else was wearing hats in my little, bitty Midwestern town. I added a red beret to wear this winter. And now at the age of 60, it looks really cool with my silvery gray hair.

[@tammywilliams-ankcorn9533]

Me too

[@leifmeadows3782]

Hats were not allowed in my high school, but teachers generally looked the other way if it was like a snow hat in winter. If I showed up to class wearing a beret, I likely would have been asked to remove it :(

[@KimberlyLetsGo]

@@leifmeadows3782 I wore hat TO school but not IN school. They wouldn't have let me keep a hat on. I was just wearing fun hats to ball games, to and from school, out with my friends, etc. Back in my day, the student handbook said that girls couldn't wear jeans. But, no one held that rule up. That's all we did wear...it was the 70s.

[@dede4004]

I LOVE HATS. the 1960s, really changed fashion. They even laughed at women who wore hats. They had to shame women to get them to stop. It was the fashion industry , who wanted to push a different "look", to sell their clothes.....not the traditional well made and beautiful clothing that was being made. They wanted cheaper clothes with cheaper fabric making more money. (Just put a fancy label on it) and also the rebellious and hippie look started coming in.

[@adopequeenatyrantkingaboss8057]

Me too! Honestly, I think a lot of people don't have the guts to do anything that everyone else isn't doing in itty bitty towns. I did notice several years ago, when I was on FB, that after I posted some pics of me in some hats that a couple of local FB queens posted some hat wearing pics of themselves and titled them, "Hat Day!" 😂

[@estellericher-legault2659]

You are such a good communicator. Thank you!

[@dancingpixie6120]

I learned so much in such a short time!! Thank you for a great lesson!

[@cindycompton9916]

Had a horrendously bad perm years ago and wore hats for many months! Received compliments every day!

[@LuvBorderCollies]

Men often wear a cap if they need a shampoo or a brush won't tame the bed head.

[@Desert_Marcupial]

I wear hats periodically and always get compliments on them!

[@ruthmeow4262]

My mom was a teacher in the sixties, an she was required to wear a hat for school. I have a collection of her hats, can't really wear them because they are to large for me. I wish hats would come back into daily use, they are such a great way to express yourself.

[@lenabreijer1311]

You can make a big hat fit by putting a roll inside attached to the inner hat band. I have a very small head and one day in a second hand store I found this incredible over the top fedora with a mass of pheasant feathers. I just had to try it on and shockingly it fit perfectly because of the velvet roll inside. I bought it and have done that to many hats.

[@0hermitworm]

When I bought my leather steampunk hat it came with inserts to make sure it would fit. I'm sure you can find some online too!

[@susanmiller7472]

@@lenabreijer1311 I HAVE ADDED VELVET BANDS, AND MAKEUP SPONGES, TO TOO-BIG HATS. WORKS GREAT.

[@christajennings3828]

Just do it! I wear a hat every day. At work, (I work at a plant nursery), I wear a wool derby most days, with varying decorations. A spider brooch is in frequent rotation, as are pairs of "hatwings", made of fabric and bamboo skewer ribs (think bat wings, not bird wings). When the weather is too hot, I switch to a fine braided straw, broader brimmed, hat. At home on the farm, I mostly wear a pigskin aussie cowboy hat.

[@samaraisnt]

Wish I had that problem, I have a huge head...would love to wear them. I bet a teacher had the most sensible types of hats. :)

[@SirenaSpades]

I loved this video. You did such a great job with it. Thank you!

[@nicollegallagher3504]

Yes! Thank you for the intersection of fashion, economics, feminism and so many other topics. It's so interesting and interconnected with how we live today. I'd definitely watch a nerdy deep dive into the millinery and hatters union pov. Great work 👏

[@jabbermocky4520]

2 days ago I was walking along when a woman in a car yelled at me: "I like your hat!" It was just a vintage Ondarroa beret in classic black, worn at a jaunty angle, but I thanked her and she repeated "I REALLY like your hat!" then drove away. Hats are pretty cool. And warm. Wear them

[@spankynater4242]

When I yell out the window at women who are walking, they don’t seem that pleased about it.

[@melissadeloach8503]

@@spankynater4242 LOL 😂

[@catherinecrawford2289]

Berets are the bomb, they are My Hat. Equal numbers of people look askance at my hat choice as admire it.

[@BlowinFree]

@@spankynater4242 I bet you gave her Inspo to go out and buy one just like yours

[@lilmisslizzyc]

@@melissadeloach8503 why are you laughing at a joke about harassing women 💀🤨

[@karintate]

I was born in the 1960s and I remember hats being a thing when I was little. My mom used to buy me a special hat and matching gloves to wear to church at Easter, and I felt so pretty and fancy! I don't remember my mom ever wearing a hat, though she definitely wore white gloves when going out for special occasions. I say bring back the hats and white gloves. So elegant!

[@tangerinetangerine4400]

Buy a hat and wear it. No one is stopping you. ☺️

[@karintate]

@@tangerinetangerine4400 Yup. I do. All the time. Clearly, I meant more widely in society, though. :)

[@tangerinetangerine4400]

@@karintate great! ☺️

[@taxat10n1sth3ft]

Omg yes the white gloves 😍

[@Broockle]

the gloves were to avoid leave finger prints at the scene..

[@lleighlu]

So interesting! What a great production. Thank you!!

[@singerofsongs468]

The 30s and 40s was an incredible time for accessories. I’m researching purses for a project I’m working on, and vintage purses were so cool and creative around that time.

[@belleish3850]

As an Australian, we wear hats. Slip, slop, slap! Sun protection is very important. As a kid (both in the 2000s and now) no hat = no play you get stuck in the library or under a building and aren't allowed on the playground or oval. Slip, slop, slap was/is short for slip on a sun shirt (long sleeves) slop on some sunscreen and slap on a hat

[@C.G.Hassack]

Oh joy, now I have that bl**dy jingle in my head! 🙂

[@bodyandskull7558]

Forget Live, Laugh, Love. I want a Slip, Slop, Slap sign in my house stat!

[@kikiKaysie]

True for Aussie kids. But no adult Aussies wear hats. When you’re out on a hot day in Australia, 30-40 degrees Celcius plus, count how many adults you see wear hats who are not Asians or overseas tourists 😀

[@teresafinoalchemy]

@@kikiKaysie I'm an Aussie and wear hats throughout the year and have a collection of both summer and winter hats. They're practical and add a style element.

[@robertabray-enhus3198]

I love how Aussies shorten everything,but after seeing it,it makes sense

[@gouachegirl6115]

I’m light-skinned with skin that burns really easily and I tend to overheat quickly in the summer. One summer a couple of years ago, hubby and I went to a fair and I nearly collapsed from a sun stroke. After cooling me down, I picked up a straw hat from the first shop selling hats that we passed an boy did it make a difference! In the summer, straw hat and sun protection screen is part of my normal life routine just like wearing clothes. And I do love my felt fedora hat for cold weather. Who would torture a poor hat with fire. :o

[@DanAndHoe]

I went to Malta this summer and it was really hot and sunny. I was wearing a cap, but that was warm in itself. I bought a straw, wide-brimmed hat and it was great. A nice bit of shade around my head without keeping heat in.

[@toysruskid5074]

I feel ya. My cousin and I suffer from the 10 minute summer sunburn and the ability to burn in winter with sunscreen. The switch to idgaf I'm wearing a wide brim hat even if I look silly that came with age has been a lifesaver.

[@gouachegirl6115]

@@CaliMel184 I can totally understand that requirement. I wonder how changes in climate (hotter summers) and changes in energy supply (price, availability of non-renewable energy sources) will affect what we wear in the future. More climate and weather appropriate clothing would help so much.

[@SaBoTeUr2001]

Me too! I started wearing hats regularly ever since I was 12 and actually did collapse from heat exhaustion. If I have a hairstyle that doesn't allow me to wear a hat, I will carry an umbrella, I don't care how foreign it makes me look.

[@brittybee6615]

I started wearing loose ankle length skirts and it’s like carrying your own shade around. Much cooler than bare legs.

[@happycrabknits9109]

I found this video to be really fascinating; I like it’s but I have a small head so it’s always hard to find ones that fit. Loved the content!❤

[@sarahmoore1701]

So pleased to have found your channel - after listening to the interview on 1A (local NPR affiliate station carries the 1A broadcasts). I love love love hats, wanted to be a milliner but at the time nowhere near me to study. I had some hats made for me by Ethel Young Hats in Seattle; Mrs. Young was by that time quite elderly but still creating beautiful hats, my favorite was a historically correct hat she made for me to accessorize my late Victorian - reproduction (from a museum pattern) sidesaddle riding habit. Both times I met with her she spoke of her early career in Hollywood and the costume designers she'd worked with as I recall Paramount Studios in the 1930's and 40's. Recently started wearing hats again due to age/illness related hair breakage and loss and trying to be brave enough to go with more than just ball caps and cowboy hats.

[@HannahIm]

I wear hats or headbands almost daily. I'm even wearing one right now alone at home. Sometimes people will ask me "Why do you always wear hats?"as if there were something wrong with it, and I want to ask them "But why don't you wear hats?"

[@louiseboyd8896]

I know people, especially my family think it's odd that I wear hats....I have them color coordinated with my wardrobe.....

[@NetraLeader]

Ask them

[@lorihoop3831]

This Spring and Summer I will be wearing hats and I don't care if people think it's weird. I like what I like, in vogue or not

[@ArisEmriis]

Agreed! I do the same. I've always loved hats and I love how I feel wearing them. I somehow have always felt like they shield me from negativity. Fashion Jedi LOL

[@suzannedaileyhoward6373]

Yess, own your hat! I love my hats and enjoy wearing them, and have gotten compliments almost every time. Have also noticed it gives other ladies "permission," if you will, to start wearing hats. HLN, gurl, you just be the hat revolution you wanna see. 🤠

[@jenninstitches]

My Nana, born in 1916, always lamented the loss of hats despite being a hair dresser. I guess the women (her mother and her 'aunties') in the family loved them despite being rather poor immigrants. We had quite a few from the late 1890s/1900s before we lost them in a house fire - a bunch of clothing and furs too that had been passed down. As the most casual of people, and although I appreciate hats, I only wear winter hats I knit. My t-shirt and jeans style doesn't really ever lend to hat wearing. If I was more the type to wear dresses or dress up I might. I am waiting for one of my friend's in the UK to invite me to a wedding just so I can :) I am totally serious about that too.

[@inkynewt]

The way you phrased this makes it sound like you inherited a house fire which is objectively one of the funniest concepts I've ever thought of, thank you.

[@Kehy_ThisNameWasAlreadyTaken]

try hats with the tee and jeans look. Not every hat works of course, but some people can just pull it off like they were born for it

[@michellebyrom6551]

Stetson, lacy berets in the summer, wool berets in the winter, decorate to suit you a basic baseball cap ( I have a brown moleskin one to which I added a tiny red edelweiss brooch, casual not sporty). Anything with a brim over the eyes keeps the sun and rain out of your eyes. Stetsons aren't advisable in windy places unless they're tied on. Floppy wide brimmed summer hats made out of cotton or denim can look pretty without being formal and can be tied on with a ribbon for cycling or windy days. Bucket hats need no introduction but are best when the size is right. Just have have fun. You can always take them off.

[@blackmber]

Do bucket hats count? And baseball caps? There are some pretty stylish ones you can wear with casual summer outfits

[@eponine244]

We had a friend whose family is British wear a feathery fascinator bordering on small hat to our wedding a few months ago and we were honestly so delighted! It was unexpected in the best way.

[@thewizzla]

really cool history. Well researched and so fun to watch. I love my hats.

[@RainbowFlowerCrow]

Lol! I love the dog's endorsement at the end! Ok, ok; I'll subscribe!! 😂🐕

[@zenebean]

I only watched Howl's Moving Castle last year, and the main character originally being a milliner reminded me of how hats are so much less common now. Thank you for explaining it so neatly! In the book, Sophie makes several hats that really bring out the best in people. Of course there turns out to be a magical reason, but it reminds me of how Jenny describes the feeling of getting someone that perfect hat.

[@Inquisitor_Vex]

I saw that film too. I’m not usually a fan of anime or whatever that style is but I really liked that one.

[@Nothingtea]

@@Inquisitor_Vex Studio Ghibli (who made Howl's Moving Castle) is considered the A standard for anime for a reason. Their movies are just incredible. If you enjoyed Howl's Moving Castle, you'd likely enjoy their other films as well :)

[@hollyb7142]

I love that movie and have watched it many times, but I don't know what you are referring to about Sophie's hats. They were magic? She is seen making hats in the very first minute of the movie. I think that's the only part of the movie about hats, isn't it?

[@yourlifesong]

@@hollyb7142 It's only implied in the movie, but in the book it's revealed that Sophie has the power of speaking things into reality. When she made her hats she would talk to them and thus imbue them with whatever power she said. From the book: "She told the mushroom-pleated bonnet, 'You have a heart of gold and someone in a high position will see it and fall in love with you.'" Then, in the next paragraph, "someone came in and asked for one with mushroom pleats like the one Jane Farrier had been wearing when she ran off with the Count of Catterack." So that's why Howl was unable to break Sophie's spell. When Sophie told herself she was plain and ugly and better off being old, she was actually cursing herself. Sophie's magic was stronger than Howl's, which is why the spell was only broken when Sophie's self perception changed and she started telling herself good things. In the movie this is implied by Sophie turning old again after criticizing herself when Howl shows her the secret flower garden, and in the end when Howl compliments her hair and she says something like, "you like it? So do I!"

[@hollyb7142]

@@yourlifesong Nice! You've made me want to read the book now. ☺ I always felt that, between the lines, the story is saying that our perception of ourselves reflects who we are. And that Sophie had magic abilities but, while innately aware of them and able to use them, she doesn't acknowledge them to herself or anyone else because she is ... overly humble? So, the book actually states those things instead of just hinting at them? Nice! I love love love the movie and have shown it to my granddaughters who fell in love with it, too.

[@AnguishedDead]

ya know as a guy who just likes to learn things randomly I didn't know I wanted to learn about hats and their culture but here I am. A nice and informative video! Thank you very much!

[@lccsd2392]

subscribed because of the impeccable timing of your dogs - and the content

[@anniemiller7729]

Love the narration and “unediting”. The expression you gave about the birds made me laugh out loud. Just like my mom. She is not a bird lover.

[@SpiderPriestess]

I think something to consider about the dress of our predecessors is lost knowledge ,hats started not as a fashion statement but as a utility in protection from the elements especially for light skinned farmers . If you ever sit in a skin cancer clinic you’ll see why as a culture we’ve forgotten something very important. Though it could also be said that as society moved more and more to existing in indoor spaces the necessity of carrying your own shade diminished . Fashion follows utility .

[@broadclothjack]

They were more concerned about rain since they did not have hoods. If they tried to put hoods on their dresses and suits the wool would not have been very water resistant. That is why they wore hats. They spent a lot more time in the elements than modern people and the weather where our fashion originated, England, is constantly wet and miserable. Many people would walk for miles in rain and snow back then which necessitated a hat. Now no one would do that and if they did do that they would wear a synthetic waterproof hooded coat instead.

[@pong9000]

My grandma wore a hat on the Alberta badlands pioneer sheep farm she was raised by, with nobody but family to critique her "fashion". Also much "fashion" was to thwart disease-carrying fleas of the mice and rats not politely mentioned but everpresent in filthy households where people literally stepped out of bed into boots. Why all that starched and ironed linen of the finest weave (fleas can't penetrate, eggs are ironed to death), and the barrier ruffles jumping fleas get lost in. That is life and death, a "fashion" selected by Darwinian forces. Also hats might have been seen as protection from head lice. When you go to church and half the people have lice. At least cover that up so I don't have to watch them in the pew ahead crawling, and with the hat you can't go scratching them and picking them out in public.

[@deem7478]

Fashion also follows conspicuous consumption, which was often impractical.

[@Byzantina1204]

@pong7569 I have a 1940's book that says exactly that about the head lice. It advises young women to always wear a hat on public transport because lice can be picked up from the upholstery.

[@minaolenella869]

@@broadclothjack hoods were very popular in middle ages, including rainproof ones. So your explanation does not sound very logical.

[@maya-gur695]

Hats need to be in again! They are honestly the most practical item, keep your head and sometimes ears warm during fall and winter and protect your head and face from the sun during summer.

[@mariegarside8830]

It's been cold and windy here. So when I went out to dinner with friends the other night I wore a lovely cloche that matched dinner attire. I received many compliments from the waitresses. Added bonus my wind blown hair was covered thus my head was warm. Bring back hats

[@AnniCarlsson]

In north parts of the world we have hats on.. Knitted ones to not freeze.

[@lesliellama7779]

It's getting to Summer where I live, and whilst I adore my straw sun hats, but I'm still on the search for one that is bun/claw clip friendly, so I don't have to completely change my hairdo every time I step outside, or wear it on the back of my head, defeating the purpose of sun protection.

[@mirandarensberger6919]

@@lesliellama7779 I've seen hats that are open at the crown, or there are also straw visors. Depending on where on your head you wear your bun, one of these might be an option. Alas, I don't have a source for either, but Google ought to yield something.

[@lesliellama7779]

@@mirandarensberger6919 Defeats the purpose of sun protection when your scalp is exposed haha. I'm probably never going to find something that lets you have a massive bun at the back of your head, but I can dream. 😆

[@hedydoyful]

This was interesting and fun to see all the different styles through the years! One thing I didn't hear mentioned is how our changing society impacted hat wearing-- the "why" of hats is to protect your head/face while you are outside, whether from the sun or from precipitation. Of course, many of the hats became for show instead of function, but as our society moved indoors and traveling was in enclosed vehicles, you can see the change in the style of hats and the popularity of hats. Those fabulous hats with big brims and long feathers were very impractical in automobiles. In addition to the economy and the war, it's a huge contributer to smaller hats and no hats. Hats are still very present today but are primarily for practical protection when we're outside, whether for recreation or outdoor professions. Thank you for sharing about our modern milliners who are keeping the craft and fashion alive!

[@NZKiwi87]

I’m new here, hi 👋 had no idea I was interested in this subject but I found this video really interesting, thank you 🙏 you’re a great presenter, clear and easy to listen too - and clearly a good researcher too! Great content 😊 also I’m envious of your gorgeous hair! 😂

[@tyrranide8708]

I wear all kinds of hats from cloches to pillbox hats, all year around. Nobody ever has anything nasty to say. It's like a part of my identity now. I would love to see millenary become popular again, more hats for all!

[@mariegarside8830]

Hello from another hat lover

[@adele1759]

Same here.

[@jennypaxton8159]

Greetings, fellow hat-wearers! The secret, I’ve found, is to Own The Hat. Wear it with confidence, and everyone will just accept it, and even envy your daring fabulousness!

[@lenabreijer1311]

Me too. I have problems with sun even in the winter. If I am outside I am wearing a hat.

[@christajennings3828]

@@jennypaxton8159 I get compliments on my hats frequently. The more unique and remarkable, the more likely they are to garner compliments.

[@peggyriordan9857]

I love hats!! I've been wearing them since I was a small child and I'm now 70! In the Summer, I have hats of all colors to go with my outfits. For Winter I have a fancy black hat, plus a black boucle wool hat and the same in a brown hat that will go with my outfits. I became allergic to the Sun at age 50, so wearing hats plus gloves became a normal thing for me no matter what time of the day or where I was going. Since I was a teen, I have received so many compliments on how I look in a hat and it was what attracted my husband when we initially met. He is a hat person too and never leaves the house without one, even if it is a baseball hat. My Dad and Mother were hat people too, so I guess it was ingrained in me! Our circle of friends call us 'The Lid Kids'! I do have a very hard time finding nice hats though. Even in Chicago, it's hard to find a nice hat, just because so many women don't wear them anymore. If I do find one, it's about $300 or more, which at my age, I can't afford. Thanks so much for making this video. It brought back so many wonderful memories and experiences I had all while wearing a pretty hat!

[@SouthernBelleReviews]

I love my sun hats. I have a really fancy one! Let's start bringing hats back! All the hats ever!!! 😊💯

[@ashleythorpe610]

This was an informative and interesting video! I would also be interested in a similar one on the history and decline of gloves/glove-wearing.

[@jennypaxton8159]

I’m also an Elder Millennial, and I wear hats to church and other occasions! Mostly they’re vintage ones: I have everything from a felt 1920s cloche to a couple of 1930s tilt hats to a fabulous 1950s fascinator to even a bright yellow straw hat with a massive bow from like the 1980s! The most normal response I get from people is “Oh, I love that, I wish I had the nerve to wear hats…” Stick it to the Man. Wear the hat. Seriously, everyone will either ignore it or be envious of your fabulousness.

[@katiem9923]

I'm a younger millennial, and I wear hats/bandanas to church :) People absolutely do not mind, and traditional etiquette/understanding of scripture agrees that women would keep their hats/scarves on anyway! No harm in trying it out for those who are interested in hats

[@doug6259]

Exactly. Your collection sounds great. People will either compliment you or not care anyway. Go ahead and enjoy wearing them.

[@handlesrstupid123]

Recently started wearing aomething more than a ball cap why, ball caps do nothing to protect your head and shoulders so bought a handmade hat buford style from ghettysburg movie and a soft 100% wool hat. They look good and help protect against the elements, mix with a poncho or cloak im totally protected

[@Nipahc]

Our we really standing in bread lines now Millennials?! I'm an older one too, but I don't see any of us in a Depression like that state, waiting in bread lines, not at all the same! Seriously? I digress though. I like hats. I wear a Tam often though.

[@handlesrstupid123]

@@Nipahc ???

[@stellayates1594]

It's been so windy and wet here in England so far this winter that many of us wear wool hats and beanies. Once you become used to this you start to realise that hats do so much work for your appearance. Hats save on time trying to keep your hair in check and add character to the everyday. I am determined to wear more hats in 2023!

[@jayrowe6473]

Do it!

[@desiguy55]

yes, hats protect us from the weather, wind sun, and so on. also bird dropping and insects. i watched 1920's film reels and everyone including children wore hats.

[@RunninUpThatHillh]

Not to mention European women had hair down to their bums or longer. Protective styles and hats/head coverings helped!

[@catiesteas]

This is such a fascinating video! I love hats!! I have turned into quite the hat-person. I have decided to cover my head in church, and I am basically the only hat-wearer in my church and town. I get so many looks and compliments!

[@notsoseriousmoonlight]

I worked for an upscale dept store in the 80's, and my favorite dept was Millinery! 👒

[@eveningskies1954]

Last year at Easter, I wore a lovely hat, not crazy and covered with flowers. Actually restrained. No one else was wearing a hat. As I left after the service, a man called out, "You had the prettiest hat in church." Ouch.

[@ArisEmriis]

He might have actually thought you looked great and could only manage a lame comment. 👍

[@eveningskies1954]

@@ArisEmriis 🥰

[@annanardo2358]

You also had the ONLY hat in the church. BIGGER OUCH.😅😅😅😅

[@akbdawgo6396]

That was most likley a complement.

[@Axqu7227]

I have a ridiculous cute little bucket hat that looks like a red mushroom, and I wear it with my frog- and- mushroom patterned dress and frog shaped backpack. I always get compliments! A few stares from people who don’t get it, but that’s inevitable when you’re a woman doing something unconventional with fashion. The hat absolutely pulls the outfit together and makes it twice as cute. It’s a happy outfit, especially as I’m becoming confident enough to do fashion the way I want to, rather than what’s socially acceptable.

[@RuinedTemple]

I remember when I was in 6th grade, I bought an olive green velveteen bucket hat with an embossed vine pattern all over it. I seriously LOVED that hat SO much, I'm amazed no photos were ever taken of me wearing it. I'd wear it with the typical babydoll tee belly shirts or spaghetti strap tops of the 90's, a beigy-tan D-ring belt that was waaay too long with its "tail" left to hang down over a pair of blue denim Jncos almost wide enough (but not quite) to cover my black & white suede "Airwalks" which were like a kind of skater shoe or a pair of metallic blue platform sneakers (not platform heels, platform soles!) that I think were Candies, a chain clipped from a belt loop to the wallet in my back pocket, & a tiny black faux leather backpack slung off one shoulder.

[@esechillin8411]

Wish I could see this fit haha. Sounds 🔥

[@audreyrichmond412]

This is such an interesting conversation. I was born in 1953 so yes I wore the traditional Easter bonnet along with all of my sisters. In ‘73 my bridesmaids all wore wide brim pink hats. Then much later as a Mary Kay Beauty Consultant in Canada in the 80’s we even wore hats to all our special events even in accompaniment of a business suit. I’ve always loved them in long or short hair too and for me the only time I don’t like a hat is in the dry heat of the summer. Just gotta have that breeze. 👒❤

[@BelievingRebel]

I love hats. I have a ton of them, mostly straw, but one wool that I adore. And I have some of my great-aunt’s hats from the 1930s-40s. Thanks for a great video.

[@heatherhauna923]

Makes me think about I love Lucy and how she was always buying new hats and hiding them from Ricky

[@leftunsupervised]

Same!

[@leafboye33]

Y'all two old asf

[@feliciamccarron300]

Lucy how much did that hat cost? You need to take that back to the store now! You have some esplaning to do Lucy

[@FeelslikeHalloween]

This is EXACTLY what I was thinking.

[@alessiajacquard]

Who is Lucy ad Ricky😅👀 can you tell me?

[@yikes3551]

i never really thought about it but my grandma almost ALWAYS wears a hat and this explains the generational difference. people literally call her “pat with the hat”. her bedroom walls are lined with her hats that range from straw to felt with bows and ribbons and feathers and beads. i love her hats so much and it’s weird to see her without one on. i always appreciate her style and this gives me even more appreciation for it!!

[@nocturalTragedy]

Thats so lovely!! I wish hat culture would come back, but in a new way

[@TheWhiskyDelta]

Really cool insights. The one other big element not focused on much is the nature of heating and sunscreen. The reason that hats always stayed as fashion regardless of generational tastes was that they served a practical functional purpose to keep warm on colder days and block the sun on hot ones. Advent of public transit, cars, central heating and sunscreen meant that you could easily either avoid the cold or block the sun without needing a hat anymore, allowing them to finally end as a common item.

[@lilacbazzi493]

I love hats! I'm always wearing one. I would have loved to live in those days when everyone wore a hat. . I think it just takes an outfit to the next level!

[@user-gu9yq5sj7c]

Hats would cover hairstyles. I think hairstyles can be amazing. I'm not saying I don't like hats too.

[@maryt8600]

As a black woman with a big head who also regularly has braids in, the problem is getting one to fit. But ohh the joy of finding one that fits and suits me. I totally rock a hat.

[@Saxxin1]

Why do you have the need to declare your race? We're all Americans. Why do you insist on separating us? Is it sub conscience? Or learned behavior? I'm not being mean. I'm just curious.

[@MsLoonatik]

Have you seen those beanies made for people with a lot of hair? They are so cool! It was like a hole that you can put your hair through and its adorable! Kinda like a ponytail beanie

[@MsLoonatik]

@saxxin1 you realize she didnt even mention america? She may not even be from the US... Youre really the one making this more than it is...

[@leilehua5230]

@@Saxxin1 apart from the fact that you assumed she’s american… or maybe you forgot there are other countries… the mention of her race is necessary given the context of her claim having to do with her race. white people dont have to worry about finding a hat that fits their hair. says a lot that you feel she’s “separating” anyone just by simply mentioning her race. it clearly makes you uncomfortable to be reminded that we are not all the same

[@vikingamerican6486]

Thanks for sharing this....I can relate as I have a big head and lots of hair. I like hats, but...:)

[@meganofsherwood3665]

11:04: "I am really tired of talking about things that happened in the past that we actively live through every day" That is such a mood

[@SusanSaysSomething]

Bizarre statement.

[@jeweltorkelson]

It is a mood. All the time you hear people talk about crap like its past tense. It aiiiiinnntttt.

[@BelleAim]

This was so fascinating! Thank you 😊

[@pigeondance]

i like that i still wear hats! but not often cuz they fall/fly away from my head because of wind/movement 🤷‍♀️

[@gorzkawodka]

I love hats, especially in summer time, not only they elevate your look and make all the boys flip their head after you, but also they protect you from heatstroke.

[@joannemcmillan9201]

I started wearing hats when I quit smoking(23 years ago). People tell me they can’t imagine what I look like without a hat. But it is looked at as an eccentric thing.

[@jacoabtweed789]

👍

[@samaraisnt]

why when you quit smoking? aha what a funny correlation!

[@25Soupy]

@@samaraisnt I know right? I was going to ask the same question. What does one have to do with the other?

[@darlasparrow]

That was so interesting Abby! I love wearing hats, nothing too extravagant, but I kinda want to branch out now.

[@SeontaSkky]

This is so interesting. I have a hat wall of all my grandma’s old hats. I love them all

[@CM-bj8hr]

I’m not sure how this got to my recommended videos but I’m happy it did. I didn’t realize how fascinating hat history could be!

[@kathleenking47]

It seemed to stop, after JFK started going bare headed He was the 1st president to do so

[@-AirKat-]

fr

[@peterkaplar1660]

Same here, really entertaining video. :)

[@deliritori]

Just about to make the exact same, till I saw your post. Super interesting!

[@magicalmercy]

As someone who loves hats, I’m happy this got recommended to me out of nowhere, haha.

[@velvetgardenia]

And beautiful gloves! Hats and gloves were once de riguer, and I'd love to help stage a Revival of Style!

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

As someone with Hyperhidrosis (hi-pur-hi-DROE-sis) I would *LOVE* to see gloves come back into fashion again! Hyperhidrosis (hi-pur-hi-DROE-sis) is excessive sweating that's not always related to heat or exercise. You sweat so much that it can soak through your clothes or drips off your hands. Your feet can also be affected so having smelly sweaty feet is also a hazard. Which isn't considered an 'acceptable' condition for a woman to have. (Gotta *LOVE* those double standards 😒 ) My sweating at times is so heavy it disrupts my day. & cause me social anxiety & embarrassment. I was actually told off by a manager at a shop I worked for & I quote. "Sweating like a filthy pig all over the customers!" Which caused me no end of embarrassment & utter humiliation.

[@vainpiers]

I hate having my fingers covered. I'm a fingerless glove kinda person

[@itwasagoodideaatthetime7980]

@@vainpiers Goth fashion has a wide variety of fingerless gloves as staples. Basically gloves of all types are considered fashionable for Goths. If you Gooogle fingerless Gothic gloves. I'm sure you'll find something that you'll like.

[@Desert_Marcupial]

Very interesting and well-researched! Great presentation too... thank you! Long live the hat! 🤣

[@ForceFreeTrainergirl06]

My grandmother never went out of the house without a hat and gloves. She was always immaculately turned out. ❤❤❤

[@OldMotherLogo]

The reason I don’t wear hats more often is that wearing a hat is a commitment. Once I put it on I can’t take it off because my hair is mashed. However, I do wear hats. I buy hats at thrift shops and then transform them. I enjoy wearing them and always get compliments when I do. Also, there’s lots of activities where it’s really impractical.

[@tammywilliams-ankcorn9533]

That’s true. When I get hot, I’m stuck with flat hair. I try to fluff it up and may put it in a scrunchie after taking it off

[@CherryNahme]

Totally true haha

[@kenaldri4923]

The connection to the audobahn society is fascinating. As a birdwatcher, I know most of those species you mentioned but never realized that they were being plucked for hats.

[@louisehogg8472]

That's why the RSPB (Royal Society for the Protection of Birds) in the UK has the Egret as its logo. First species saved from extinction from killing for its head feathers for hats.

[@StarDreamMemories]

My neighbor raised peacocks and I collected many feathers. I did make her a pair of earrings....I didn't expect that mice would get into my storage and eat the most beautiful part of the feathers. 😔

[@barbaraborgia3289]

@@StarDreamMemories the mouse didn’t eat the feather. She used it for her nest. My friend had a Christmas stocking made with acrylic yarn, but Santa had an angora beard. A mouse very carefully pulled the angora out for her nest. Mice have good taste

[@StarDreamMemories]

@@barbaraborgia3289 yes, had an amber ring stolen by one once!

[@karinalarasart]

@@barbaraborgia3289 aww so cute❤

[@professorroundbottom438]

I loved that look when the dogs went off! Gotta love em, but sometimes they do have the worst timing! Li'l sweethearts!

[@Clarinet_cowboy2000]

This is so interesting to see on the history of hat wearing/making, specifically for women. I think hats are wonderful and a great way to express yourself, I wear a cowboy hat every day and it’s my signature fashion piece, as well as my boots. Women’s hats from the previous eras are beautiful works of art and are very interesting to see