Blogpost: Why Would One Want To Wear a Hat?

Why Would One Want To Wear a Hat?

As Philip Treacy put it, how a hat makes you feel is what a hat is all about.

Now, I am sure your baseball hat makes you feel like a thousand yen, yet I would like to delve into more traditional styles.

So why would one wear one?

Well, there is the functionality: It keeps the elements at bay, even though these days in the world of comfort we live in, we have become less reliant on hats keeping us warm or cool – unless you live on terra australis where you need to protect your scalp when the sun is mercilessly pounding down.

It also comes in handy if you encounter one of those dreaded bad hair days.

Then there is the stylishness, an avenue that one might need a bit of confidence and know-how as well as a good understanding of the rest of your wardrobe to pull it off.

There is also the aspect of formality and authority: Military men and police officers wear them to signal strength and to appear taller.

Now, material-wise there is an array to choose from, depending on the occasion: Felt, wool, straw, as well as an array of shapes, sizes and forms and the important aspect if it was made by machine or manufactured.

The “Fedora” with its roughly wedge-like style is an iconic example

iconic style and it can be molded to the wearer's taste, giving flexibility.

The Trilby or “chapeau” is in essence a shortened angular fedora worn with the brimmy bit snapped downward in front and upward and back adding to the impression of a narrowing angle at the back of the hat.

Another class is the “Homburg” with its the soft brim and indented crown's dressier cousin as it is a formal business look without the pinches at the side, stiffer projecting edge and a slightly upturned lip all the way around.

The Pork pie is a shorter style, pinched at the sides like a fedora and it creates a slightly triangular or wedge-shaped front.

The stiff and rounded Bowlers or Derbies have UK style written all over them, while the Western is also called, well, you guessed it - cowboy hat.

Ecuadorian workers brought us the trademark Panama hat, which their workers imported and proved to be the appropriate headwear for

So whenever they were digging the Panama Canal, supposedly this is where this hat made its name because it was a functional and protective hat.

Then there is the Boater, a flat-topped straw hat more on the novelty side of things with its wide brim unless you are a member of a Barbershop Quartets.

Same goes for the Top hat, which is something for special occasions like auditioning for the role of a guitarist spot with Guns’n Roses.

Now, I am not normally known for wearing hat, however, a local discovery has converted me:

Fallen Broken Street, a headwear house, which was founded by the triumvirate of John Loronson, Diva Cory, Justin Crawdford and David Frim and one that has firmly established itself as a milliner at the forefront of cutting edge designs that is based in the  chilled surrounds of Australia’s Byron Bay region.

In essence, I have found that with Fallen Broken Street style meets function.

Keen attention is paid to well-constructed details that adorn the hats that, well, feel well made.

There is a tactile gratification that comes with owning a Fallen Broken Street hat and the designs strike a fine balance between vintage style, laid back formality informed by an omnipresent beach style.

Made entirely of wool except for the perforated leather band, their Dingo hat has quickly become a trusted companion for travelling as it is crush- and foldable and can be transported easily.

For the more daring and Pharrell aficionados, the MT Warning is a go to: Made of double weighted wool felt, this bow style head adornment takes style to the next level, especially with the little details and signature button.

Even in the cap department with more toned down and less extravagant designs, the details make it a pleasure to wear.

While there might be a threshold for you to fuck with hats, once you have entered that territory, it opens your eyes to how much thought goes into the planning and execution, which with Fallen Broken Street not only looks the part but also feels great.

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Photos by T