About Men's Leather Hats

The men's leather hat is in no way a new invention, although variations are being made to it all the time. What began as a Danish skull cap has now grown to include styles named after movie stars. Leather has become such a popular material that it is being used to manufacture styles of hats that were once reserved for felt and wool. Men's leather hats have also become the new status symbol, more prestigious, perhaps, and definitely more stylish than a golden crown.

History

The oldest man's hat that is still around happens to be a leather cap, according to the Web site ABCMale.com. The cap, thought to be more than 2,000 years old, is comprised of eight leather sections and now sits in the National Museum in Copenhagen, Denmark.
Northern European tribes were also known to wear leather caps, the site said, until they were invaded by the Romans.
Roman society was not one big on wearing hats, the site said, although they did wear leather caps beneath their military helmets.

Function

Hats were first introduced, not as a fashion statement, but as a form of head protection. A scrap of leather atop the head was a good shield against freezing snow, pelting rain and even blazing sun, although the leather could make it a bit stuffy inside. Air holes strategically placed at the seams allowed for some circulation.
While protection still serves a purpose in the realm of men's leather hats, status and vanity play equal parts, according to ABCMale.com.
Leather hats have become vogue, said the site Hats-Plus.com, and are now at the top of the status heap, much as a top hat with tails used to be.

Types

Men's leather hats have come a long way from a protective skull cap or an eight-piece piece of headgear in Denmark.
Leather hats can now be found in as many styles as felt or fabric hats. Leather cowboy hats and leather caps have always been a staple, but they are joined by leather fedoras, leather player hats, leather bowlers and leather baseball caps.
The leather used to make the caps can come from cow hide, pig skin, lamb skin and can include the variation of suede.

Geography

The Wild West is definitely the place to find the wild leather cowboy hats, but they have stampeded beyond the range as a fashion statement, often with crocodile, metal and gold embellishments.
Leather caps, such as the newsboy cap and driving cap, are popular with the city slickers and found in many urban areas.
Leather Ivy caps are often all over the golf course, while leather jockey caps began as a staple for jockeys at the track but have galloped far beyond.
Leather hats are huge in Australia, with head coverings that include the outback hat, the Akubra hat and even the "Crocodile Dundee Hat."

Warning

While hats have come and gone in popularity, hat etiquette has not much changed. It's impolite to leave a hat on at the dinner table and disrespectful to wear one during church services.
Hats should also be taken off when indoors, most especially in a movie theater where a large leather hat could block someone's view.
Tipping a hat is a form of respect to the ladies, according to the Web site AskAndyAboutClothes.com, and a hat should always be removed in a lady's presence.
Wearing a hat in the classroom may be second nature to some younger students, but professors of a certain generation or upbringing are going to find it incredibly rude. Guys should remember this next time they are vying for a good grade.

Resources

• Article on history of men's hats at ABCMale.com
• Men's leather hat selection at Hats-Plus.com