Celebrate Felt Hat Day Every September 15
Do you love hats? Once upon a time most people wore hats. Sometimes very extravagant hats. Felt Hat Day pays tribute to that bygone era.
We don’t know who created this day or when. But we’ve seen suggestions that it might date back as far as the 1930s. Some websites refer to it as a “National” day, but most don’t.
By coincidence (or maybe not!) September is also Fall Hat Month.
A Tip of the Hat to History
From about the late 1800s through the mid 1900s both men and women wore hats regularly. It was the style. And many people felt they were just not quite dressed without one.
Hats were also often symbols of your social status (but more in England than in the US). Most people owned at least one hat, often two.
At the time felt was a common hat fabric.
Felt isn’t woven like so many other fabrics. Instead it’s basically a matted mess of fibers. We’re not sure how or when it was first created, but we’re picturing a basket of weaving material accidentally getting wet and matted and the owner making the best of things!
Felt can be soft and pliable or stiff. It can be dyed in any color. Many different hat styles can be made with felt.
Hats (felt and otherwise) remained popular until 1960. Apparently President John F. Kennedy going to his inauguration hatless sounded the death knell for the hat era.
By Gary Stewart Gary2880 (Own work) [CC BY 3.0],
And Harrison Ford as Indiana Jones gave a certain style of felt hat a temporary boost in the early 1980s. Did you have an “Indiana Jones hat”? Did you steal your boyfriend/husband’s Indiana Jones hat for yourself? If you did, you weren’t alone!
Did you know the Lone Ranger debuted on this day in 1949. Was his hat felt?!
Scroll down for some ideas on celebrating this unofficially fashionable holiday.
How to Celebrate Felt Hat Day
Today you must wear a felt hat. Going hatless is not an option. Neither is wearing a hat of a different fabric.
Felt only!
Both men and women can participate.
Who knows? Maybe we’ll resurrect the fashion of wearing hats for more than keeping our heads warm in winter.
Don’t have a hat? Never fear! Even though hats aren’t common fashion accessories anymore, you can still find them.
- Check out this selection of men’s felt hats
- Here’s an equally impressive selection of women’s wool felt hats
- Even kids can celebrate with these children’s felt hats in a variety of styles and colors!
Or, since September 15 is also Make a Hat Day, you could make it a dual celebration and make your own felt hat!
Will you be wearing a felt hat in celebration of Felt Hat Day?
[…] Felt Hat Day: If you’re wearing a hat for hump day, you must make it a felt one. Because otherwise you can’t celebrate this fashionable day! Yes, hats were once very fashionable. And for at least one day a year they can be again. […]