At one point British
men were iconic to the world when it came to styling and fashion. Not today. Is
it time for a revival of classic men’s hats and tailored style?
When you think back to the 1930s, 40s and 50s and think of
iconic British actors like Cary Grant, the words ‘dapper’ ‘elegant’ and
‘gentleman’ spring to mind. Something about the era when mens hats were worn as an essential part of
their wardrobe spoke volumes about the care, civility and character of the
times. Today, for many men it seems fashion is all about jeans exposing their
pants, over-sized t-shirts or slack, shapeless sports clothes. But when a man
does wear a hat, whether it is in the fashion pages of a magazine or walking
down Oxford Street,
it can create that ‘wow’ factor. Men’s hats speak volumes saying to the world
this man is self assured, confident and aware of good styling. The way a man
wears his hat expresses his character, status and attitude.
“Wither the well
dressed gent?”
Perhaps it’s the clear and dramatic changes in men’s fashion
in just a few generations, from debonair to dowdy that has triggered articles
such as the one by MT Hughes on the Guardian’s Comment is Free website, on the
‘sad decline of the tweed-clad gent’. He writes that not only do men’s hats and
sharp tailoring need a revival but men’s fashion needs a drastic turnaround
after “the horrific decline in male attire.” MT Hughes fear the well-dressed
male is close to extinction. Classic men’s hats have been replaced by ‘louts in
Lycra.’ Hughes believes men’s fashion,
from their hats to their shoes, is indicative of an intellect, culture and
sophistication. That wearing polyester and fleece on the streets of London is not suggestive
of a city housing the world’s oldest museums. “Let us hang our heads in
collective shame,” he writes.
The Clothes Reflect
the Man
Hughes believes the fact men’s hats are not worn as part of
their day-to-day lives says something more than the fact that the fashion
stakes have fallen, but that society is ‘impoverished’. He believes tweed,
linen and corduroy is the Holy Trinity of British style, but these garments are
now ridiculed by the youth, he laments: “Is there anyway to rekindle the flame
of British élan?” Hughes goes on to say that the decline in men’s styling is
even expressed in the world of politics, criticising politicians for looking
more like managers of Iceland.
“Have none of these twerps read Shelley?” he asks. Hughes, we tip our hats to
you…
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