FedoraQuest!
by Thomas M. Pender
 
The other day, I had my noggin measured.  Oddly enough, it was not for the Guinness Book of Records.  I am determined to get a fedora.
 
Sadly, most people of my generation, and certainly members of subsequent generations, may have only heard the word before, and are unsure of its meaning, or may have never heard it.  Aside from a dictionary or Wikipedia, the best way to see a fedora is to watch a “classic” movie.  In films of the ‘30s through the ‘50s, any scene that takes place on a public street will likely appear as a moving sea of hats.  Women wore colorful hats pinned to their hair, and men wore creased hats with brims and hatbands, plus the occasional small feather.  These are fedoras, and I miss ‘em.
 
My grandfather had a red felt fedora, and upon his passing, I took possession.  My aforementioned noggin is too big to sport the hat in any reasonable manner, but  I kept it as a reminder of him.  It has travelled with me over the years through many moves, and for a time, rested atop my computer monitor with the brim slightly dipped over the edge.  It was a nice reminder of the man I admired, and even though my monitor has gone away – and the fedora will not balance on my laptop when opened – I still display Grandpa’s hat with pride.
 
In my 20s, I got into watching films of the ‘30s and ‘40s, and in some interior scenes, and practically all exterior scenes, the males on camera had the sun blocked and their hair weatherproofed by these handsome caps.  It led me to wonder whatever happened to them.
 
I decided to blame the Baby Boomers.  By the late 1960s, this large generation of men was deep into its rebellious period, and probably did not want to do whatever their fathers were doing.  I suspect, though I have yet to launch an exhaustive investigation, that this is the period when the fedoras were shunned.  In fact, the girls with the flowers in their hairs probably turned their noses up at their mothers’ pinned hats, as well.
 
This has been on my mind for years.  How does one person bring back an archaic tradition to an entire generation?  Well, first I found a friend who agreed with me.  Then, he guided me to a place where we could order fedoras – not an easy task in this day and age.  I was a bit depressed that I will have to order my fedora online (from a vast selection at www.thefedorastore.com), but I can’t say I’m totally surprised.  When was the last time you saw hats, or the word “haberdashery,” in a store window?  In any case, we will be acquiring these respectable accessories in the not-too-distant future, and wearing them to work and public events.
 
Bring back actual coolness . . . Join us!  Cover those brainpans!