Hats

[DrFishnets]

I went out in town today wearing my new baker boy hat but unfortunately I had to take it off as it was a bit tight and was giving me a headache. I’m so upset as I really liked that hat.

[STEVIE]

Hats are another area where females have total freedom to indulge themselves, but men are somewhat limited. I almost said except yarmulkes, but a quick search proved that would have been a mistake. The erasure of the gender line in fashion is like driving on a highway that only allows passing for the cars going in one direction at all times.

OMG, and we say that men are not the problem.
I cannot believe that on a forum dedicated to fashion freedom for men I am reading such unhelpful comments.
CLOTHES, that's anything that can be used to cover or decorate a human body.
That is everything from the head down to the tips of the toes and all the bits in between and no bit of it has an absolutely specific exclusive gender binary role.
Fact is, if the cap fits, wear the damn thing whether it is the frothiest Easter bonnet or the most functionally austere ever known, it does not matter.
If men feel restricted in what they are "allowed" to wear, then that is because MEN allow themselves to be.
Their freedom is to choose, don't take it, then cease complaining.
Brutal, yes but my only apology is for singling out Modoc, he summed up the problem too well and is far from the only one.
Steve.

[Barleymower]

I agree Stevie, wear whatever you want. However men and women are both the problem.
Men are a bunch of cringing wimps, begging the women for permission to change their clothes.
Women are making decisions of what consitutes a man.

[MrSoapsud]

Just to be pedantic, the hat mentioned earlier is a Breton hat, which I believe originates in Brittany, France. The 1st picture is the former leader Jeremy Corbyn. A picture of him in a hat like that was superimposed on a graphic of a Moscow skyline at one point in (I think) an election campaign which really didn't help his chances. https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/entertainment-arts-43463496
The second picture is Arthur Scargill who was leader of one of the big mining unions. The hat he's wearing is some kind of peaked cap but with the peak down - you can see the popper that would have held the peak up.

[Mouse]

I went out in town today wearing my new baker boy hat but unfortunately I had to take it off as it was a bit tight and was giving me a headache. I’m so upset as I really liked that hat.

May be you could get a hat stretcher like this, to give you a few more millimetres? https://www.amazon.co.uk/SAICOOS-Stretc ... d_source=1

[Modoc]

Hats are another area where females have total freedom to indulge themselves, but men are somewhat limited. I almost said except yarmulkes, but a quick search proved that would have been a mistake. The erasure of the gender line in fashion is like driving on a highway that only allows passing for the cars going in one direction at all times.

OMG, and we say that men are not the problem.
I cannot believe that on a forum dedicated to fashion freedom for men I am reading such unhelpful comments.
CLOTHES, that's anything that can be used to cover or decorate a human body.
That is everything from the head down to the tips of the toes and all the bits in between and no bit of it has an absolutely specific exclusive gender binary role.
Fact is, if the cap fits, wear the damn thing whether it is the frothiest Easter bonnet or the most functionally austere ever known, it does not matter.
If men feel restricted in what they are "allowed" to wear, then that is because MEN allow themselves to be.
Their freedom is to choose, don't take it, then cease complaining.
Brutal, yes but my only apology is for singling out Modoc, he summed up the problem too well and is far from the only one.
Steve.

I obviously didn't state my point well enough, so I will try it again. Men should be able to wear whatever they want. Hats are another example of things like trousers that women can now wear without a single eye being batted, even though the particular hat may have once been considered mens wear only. Not that that was ever right, but it was a thing at one time. Men, for whatever reason, have pretty much chosen to stay in our lane on this subject as well. It is up to us individually to choose to get out of that lane and collectively to support any man who does get out.

[jamie001]

The problem is that most men prefer to stay in the Man Box because it is very safe in there. If women wear it or have adopted it, men will stay away from it.

[Tatarr]

jamie001 wrote:
> The problem is that most men prefer to stay in the Man Box because it is
> very safe in there. If women wear it or have adopted it, men will stay away
> from it.
Yeah, the "Man Box" can feel like a safe space for a lot of guys because it sets clear expectations. But once women challenge it or step outside of it, it can make men uncomfortable or even hesitant. It's all about breaking those norms and being more open

[crfriend]

Part of the problem with the "Man Box" is that women have moved into it. That weirds everybody out.

[Susie]

Not a hat but in the optician's today and a small child - presumeably a girl going by the pink - of about 2-3 was trying on specs.
Dad passed a pair over and mum put them on the child and then announced ' they're too boyish for you'.

Honestly, I despair.

[crfriend]

Honestly, I despair.

With precisely no offence intended, what's your reaction when the shoe is on the other foot and you see a young son told, "No. Those are too girly?"

[Grok]

The problem is that most men prefer to stay in the Man Box because it is very safe in there. If women wear it or have adopted it, men will stay away from it.

Women have borrowed so much from the male side of the aisle, men now have only two choices left:

1. Stick with the dreariest of drab.

2. Embrace nudity.





[3. Think outside of the (Man) Box}.

[STEVIE]

Men should be able to wear whatever they want

My point is that most men are "ABLE" to wear what they want Modoc.
The fact that too many make a choice not to wear what they want is theirs and theirs alone.
I'm not saying those choices are easy and won't be painful, but the freedom remains.
Any guy who has previously presented in a skirt cannot be realistically discouraged from wearing a hat which has originated for men and been adopted by women.
On the other hand, same hat on guy in trousers, will likely elicit no comment at all.
As for support, when I met Dr Fishnets in his hometown a while back, I was wearing the Greek version of the Breton cap.
What's more, I have seen Susie in the same one and it is positively cute on her.
In the final analysis, sometimes you just have to say. I just don't give a damn.
Steve.

[Susie]

my reaction when the boot is on the other foot? Valid point.

The answer: I despair.

Though I thought did occur to me - make-up, high heels et al: original male items of clothing, worn by women to look more masculine and therefore be taken more seriously.
Maybe if, throughout history, certain men didn't belittle women, think they have control over women's bodies, minds and souls we wouldn't be having this converation.

[Mouse]

In a strange way, starting to wear a hat, is a very soft way to taking a small step, out side the standard man box. When I first stated wearing my bush hat, it was to solve a problem I was having with too much sun on my balding head, giving me headaches. However, the act of stepping out the front door was a mild version doing the same thing in a skirt. As a hatted person, you separate out yourself from the crowd, but in a very non threatening way, since hats are still worn by some for warmth, shade or any number of other reasons. So if you can't get out of the house in a skirt, try a hat first. Once you have a step on the ladder out of the box, a skirt is then a closer rung than it was.