Our string of ultra-dreary days is bound to end soon, but not enough to keep me away from spicing things up by rummaging through my hat collection. Putting on, just the right hat can make or break an afternoon if you’re needing to do something different.
I’ll stress that I was trying on hats, not caps. Caps are pretty much run of the mill and not at all daring. A hat, especially a cowboy hat, can change your appearance and change the way other people see you.
Whenever I feel that outlaw fringe, devil-may-care attitude. I like to slip on the black Bailey hat. This is for the antagonist in a mellowdramatic day! Meanwhile, if I have a touch of the flashy dude coming through, the dark brown Bryer Rolnick hat is just the item. The snakeskin rim and hatband mean the wearer is a man to be taken seriously.
When I’m out and about on the cowboy trail for a photo expedition, a good, comfortable hat is needed not so much for style, but for eye shade and a casual feel a guy can wear for hours. This San Diego Hat Company number is a great all around hat.
On the same note, the camo-print Eddy Brothers hat is good for a breezy day. The thing can be secured to the head with the chin strap. Another nifty thing about the hat is that it’s crushable. Pack it in luggage and it comes out ready for action.
Yes, I do own a couple of Stetson’s. These are great for trips to Western Nebraska. Oddly enough, we have a western wear store in Norfolk, but it’s rare to find anybody dressed in western attire, let alone wearing a cowboy hat. It’s a shame, because you don’t have to be a redneck or a hick to wear one of these things. The XXX finish brown hat is its own statement. Wearing one of these in the right atmosphere will allow you to fit in and not look like a tourist.
The Stetson straw is a bit nicer than a regular work hat. Something like this is for dress up. In fact, I wore this during a publicity shoot a few years ago.
If you like to clown around like I do, sometimes, be prepared for people carrying a phone with a camera option. Last week I was browsing one of the thrift stores when an employee saw me eyeing the Mary Tyler Moore style floppy hat. She dared me to try it on. So I did. Another employee was standing by with her camera-phone to capture the moment. The hat was a lot of fun, but it was made for someone with “big” hair…not me.
Even though I’m not really a hat person, I do have one hat that gets worn more than any other. It was originally purchased to wear at a theme party. The Bullhide brand hat was a comfortable hit at the party. Getting into my car, afterwards, a gust of wind blew it off of my head and into traffic. The thing got run over by more than a few vehicles. I managed to retrieve it. The damage was enough that another party was out of the question. There are some wrinkles and broken areas, so now it is my prefered hat to wear behind the lawn mower. A real work hat!
Ciao
The Blue Jay of Happiness is waiting for just the right top hat to come along for the collection.
bluejayblog 
As long as it serve its purpose; in place of a wig? or to protect against the sunlight in a thinning ozone!
I completely forgot about this post. I have fair skin due to my Scandinavian ancestry. I used to hate caps and hats, but eventually came to understand the necessity of their protection.