The hat. Not a cap or a wollen beanie. Just a simple brimmed hat. A trilby or a fedora maybe. Why these items have fallen out of grace is beyond me. They keep the rain (or in these times, snow) off your head better than the others I mentioned above. They may not cover your whole head in a protective layer of wool but they won't make your head look like you're hiding toilet roll in it either. They undeniably look better but nonetheless seem to draw startled gasps when worn by someone under the age of about fifty.
I'm hesitant to blame the old scapegoat of Mr. Kennedy so I think I'll just blame a personal favourite of mine, laziness. Now, when I say laziness what I really mean is the casual nature of the modern times. Appearance is only commended in it's apparent lack of effort. The hat rails against this because it is more than a comment on the weather. It's saying more than "it's raining" or "the tips of my ears are cold". It's also saying "I want to dress well, I like wearing these clothes".
I think it might be that it brings up images of the old black and white spy or detective films. People have often asked if I "think I'm James Bond" when I'm in a suit (ridiculous, I know, but I've commented previously on the attitude of the people of my locality towards clothes). I think that there may be a similar vein of thought except that no one has asked if I "think I'm Humphrey Bogart". This, I feel, is probably due to another level of ignorance however.
The sight of a lid cutting through a crowded street is a sight to behold, if only for the novelty of it. So forget about JFK and cap your head with some felt!
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