Hats In Paris
 

This may sound silly but would I be out of place wearing a fedora style straw hat to walk around Paris in the sun in May ? like to protect head and face somewhat and surely do not want to wear a baseball cap!

Having just returned from Paris and observed - generally - how Parisiens dress (mostly contrary to people's impressions on this board), I'd say that a gentleman wearing a light fedora-style hat on a sunny day in May would not be out of place at all, and look either hip or stylish. Just remember to remove it upon entering any building or restaurant.

Here are pictures of the people in Paris from last year. You can make your own decision: http://anyportinastorm.proboards.com...&page=1#107180

"surely do not want to wear a baseball cap!" Why? Take a look at the pictures again, I think you will find a few. They even sell them in Paris.

Baseball caps are appearing all over Europe. We saw more than a few on our recent trip to London and Berlin and they were being worn by LOCALS, believe me.

Hats are rather back in fashion on men in Paris, due to the popularity of series like Mad Men. And of course people (not just tourists, contrary to popular tourist belief) have been wearing baseball caps for years -- mostly suburban youth, though.

I've worn baseball caps for years in Paris and Rome. They provide a measure of protection against the sun, cover my bald spot, not exactly a spot anymore, and are cheap. Which is a virtue when I forget them as I do in restaurants and cafes. Never wear them at night or when going to fancy restaurants.

Don't want to sound too fuddy-duddy, but I come from a generation where only children and mechanics wore those one-size-fits-all-adjust-in-the-back caps. They gave them away in gas stations when you filled up. Wearing one indicated you were too young or too poor to afford a proper cap or hat made to fit your head.

I know "everybody" in the States wears them now. They seem permanently attached; never to be removed even at the dining table. I think you should wear what you want to protect your head in Paris, Cornelius. I choose to sport a properly fit adult head covering, and I think your fedora will not only fit in, but give you a bit of dash.

There is no good reason to wear a baseball cap, ever, and most especially indoors!
Unless of course you are an actual baseball player on the field.

To clear things up...I am a female and like to wear the straw ladies fedora style hats. I don't think a baseball cap would look right.

I think baseball caps are really a stupid look unless you are playing ball. Princess Diana used to wear one, though, as she was all about being trendy. There are guys who actually wear baseball caps while they are working out in my gym. My BIL used to wear one indoors, also (and he was not bald), men just lose their minds when they think baseball caps are an attractive look when they are beyond the age of 12 or so.

I think a woman wearing a straw fedora would certainly not be the norm, but if you like it, so what.

I wore a plaid newsboy hat all over Paris last year and am planning on a fedora for this trip (not straw, a bit summery for me). Hats for me are always in style. Wear what you like and will be comfy in and don't worry about it!

cornelelis, I do too, they were in all the shops last summer and in my French magazines,

You won't look any more wannabe there than you do here.

Sorry. that was mean.

As somebody who actually remembers when those hats were worn in the US, I can only say that they were worn by jazz musicians, black and white. They were called "stenjers" because they had a stingy rather than a generous brim. Rock musicians would rather have died than show up in one.

The narrow brim hats worn by the white guys ln "Mad Men"were different in all kinds of way, and powerful African American men like Martin Luther King continued to wear broad-brimmed fedoras right up to the end.

Check out FBI agent Felix Leiter in the first real James Bond film, Dr No. He has a little straw number with a madras brim, IIRC, but that is the same movie where Sean Connery wore a terrycloth beach romper, another look that is perhaps best left in the past. Pale blue, maybe? With short-short legs but all in one.

Why would anyone need a hat in MAY at this latitude?

flanneruk on Nov 12, 11 at 6:21pm

Why would anyone need a hat in MAY at this latitude?

I see people all the time with skin cancer. It doesn't really matter where you live. Protect your skin and your head. The ears are a big target. It takes 6 months to get an appointment at the dermatologist these days. I do live in Florida but my Dad lives in a northern state and he has had so many places on his head treated and his arms. I love hats and sunscreen. I work at an airport and the Europeans all have baseball hats and sneakers on. It is getting hard to tell the difference these days. I see this one Italian race car driver a lot and he always has his Indy hat on his beautiful head...

P.S, fedoras for women is the norm. Google!