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Whatever happened to hats?

(87 Posts)
ROMILO Wed 11-Mar-26 14:48:27

I was de cluttering the other day. It's not a job I like so I'm easily distracted this time by a box of old photographs.
In there were some photographs of my daughters christening and I was struck by the fact that all the females were wearing hats. They were taken in the 1960's .
Now you only see royals wearing hats on a regular basis. The rest of us maybe weddings only or the weird creations for Ascot.
Every small town had a hat shop now I don't think I have seen a dedicated hat shop for years.

Sarnia Wed 11-Mar-26 15:42:14

Photos showing the queues for food in WW2 showed many women wearing a hat or at least, a headscarf. My Mum dressed up to go shopping in what was called a costume in the 1950's and a smart hat. Air travel had her pulling out all the stops with her smartest clothes. Nowadays people dress for comfort for flying. Not ever having been a hat person, I don't miss their decline. I do like a fascinator for a wedding, though.

fancyflowers Wed 11-Mar-26 16:08:09

We have a hat shop in our town, but I have never seen anyone go in.

The only hats people wear nowadays are smart ones for weddings, beanies when it's cold and baseball caps.

Fallingstar Wed 11-Mar-26 16:20:56

Have never looked good in a hat. My head always seems to be at odds with it.
Both my mum and dad wore hats back in the day.

dotpocka Wed 11-Mar-26 16:25:23

i wear a bowler and a gorgous gangster one,sunhats.fedoras are my fav but i have all handmade from the 40s and 50s

straw fedoras a pinkone i just gave to someone cowboys
straw felt leather and canvas
they look great with my duster too

Whitewavemark2 Wed 11-Mar-26 16:28:44

I always wear a sun hat in the summer and hats of various kinds in the cold winter weather. So a woollen knitted for casual, and I have furry types for smarter.

watermeadow Wed 11-Mar-26 17:03:11

I wear a hat with a brim whenever the sun shines as I can’t bear sunlight since having a cataract done four years ago. Before that I hadn’t worn an hat since grammar school.
My grandmother never left the house without a hat.

Maremia Wed 11-Mar-26 17:03:38

I like beret, but in this wind!!!!

Maremia Wed 11-Mar-26 17:03:50

Berets

twiglet77 Wed 11-Mar-26 17:56:53

fancyflowers

We have a hat shop in our town, but I have never seen anyone go in.

The only hats people wear nowadays are smart ones for weddings, beanies when it's cold and baseball caps.

You saw me!

twiglet77 Wed 11-Mar-26 17:58:01

(Beanies and baseball cap, not in the hat shop) smile

Deedaa Wed 11-Mar-26 19:39:18

I used to like the boaters we wore in the sixth form, but my head seems to be completely the wrong shape for a hat. I have a sun hat that I wear in the garden, but I wouldn't want people to see me in it.

NotAGran55 Wed 11-Mar-26 20:00:10

I had to wear hats for school and hated it, and I’ve not worn one since regardless of how hot or cold it is. I don’t ever remember my mum or grandmother wearing one either.

CanadianGran Wed 11-Mar-26 20:13:54

I've never worn a hat for purely aesthetic reasons, only for practical ones. So wooly toques, berets or baseball cap only for me.

I also have quite thick hair, and the idea of a sunhat just makes me sweat. My one straw sun hat is insufferable after about 15 minutes.

Iam64 Wed 11-Mar-26 20:45:51

I wear a woolly or waterproof hat for dog walking

I bought a huge hat and wore it as mother of the ( ery beautiful ) bride recently

Otherwise no hats

midgey Wed 11-Mar-26 21:26:51

I love hats but I’m not brave enough to wear one…..except a woolly one for dog walking. My daughter bought me an amazing hat from Peru, I’ll keep it safe!

twiglet77 Wed 11-Mar-26 21:37:12

I still have the bonnets I knitted for my baby girls, with satin ribbons to tie under the chin. Even babies just wear beanies now.

valdavi Wed 11-Mar-26 21:41:37

I love hats too. If I have an excuse to wear one these days, I get one from vinted or a vintage store & send to a charity shop after the occasion.
Think a lot of people do similarly so there's not much trade for a hat shop.
I do own & wear beanies for dogwalking, riding hats & swimming caps but they're no fun.

imaround Wed 11-Mar-26 21:54:02

I have long been jealous of the hat wearing in other parts of the world. I actually wore a fascinator for my anniversary this week! Yes, the

imaround Wed 11-Mar-26 21:59:27

Oops, hit post too soon.

The Americans stared, but I wore that sucker with pride! grin

AmberGran Wed 11-Mar-26 22:07:14

I wear sun hats in the Summer. Not very wide brim, just wide enough to protect my hair, neck and face and block out the glare from the sun. I started wearing them when I lived in Sydney and just carried on when I got back.

I used to get some funny looks from neighbours and women on the bus but given some of the strange sights see on a daily basis I'm not worried what other people think 😁

Allira Wed 11-Mar-26 23:10:48

What to do with old but lovely mother of the bride or groom hats?

I kept my mother-of-the-bride hat just in case I ever got invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace. Alas, no invitation has ever been forthcoming. I haven't been to Cheltenham or Ascot either.

Yes, I often wear a sun hat in summer.

Purplepixie Wed 11-Mar-26 23:22:11

Mam and dad always wore hats. Sadly there aren’t any good hat shops around. I’d love to go back to those days because I love hats.

fancyflowers Thu 12-Mar-26 00:14:19

twiglet77

(Beanies and baseball cap, not in the hat shop) smile

grin

Whitewavemark2 Thu 12-Mar-26 01:03:57

The reason I wear a sun hat - skin cancer - oncologist recommended - factor 50, wide brimmed sun hat -I have about 5-6 different ones and sun glasses. Not a beam dares shine on my face!!

My mother and sister were/are also sufferers.

Winter - just because it keeps me warm. Although I would wear a hat at every chance tbh which sadly is very little as it does complete an outfit I think.