Straw Hat Day, Thirty Fedoras, and the Time People Rioted Over Hats
Straw Hat Day, Thirty Fedoras, and the Time People Rioted Over Hats I’ve got about thirty fedoras in many styles and colours, stingy brim, top hats, porkpies, etc,etc... At a certain point, you stop calling it a collection and just admit it’s part of your identity. I’m a hat guy. So when something like Straw Hat Day comes around, I pay attention—not because I’m strict about it, but because it’s a reminder of a time when hats actually meant something. Not that long ago, hats weren’t optional. If you were a man leaving the house, you had a hat on. And more than that, there were rules. Real, widely understood rules. Straw hats in the warmer months. Felt hats when it got cold. You didn’t mix them, and you definitely didn’t ignore the seasonal shift. Straw Hat Day—usually May 15—was the signal. Time to put away the heavier felt and switch to something lighter and breathable. It wasn’t just practical; it was cultural. Everyone knew, and most people followed along without thinking twice...