The Evolution of Hipster Hats

Hipsters are generally looked at some as representing some of the most "leading edge" ( more modern, cool way of saying 'cutting edge') contemporary white-boy urban fashions, and for the most part, I would say that summation is dead on for better or worse. If there is a semi-cohesive brand of self-emerging fashion that will inevitably exemplify the new millenium decade in about 7 to 10 years retrospect, much like loud primary colors, flannel and flat tops did for the 90's, then the Hipster Look is most likely going to be it. While we all inevitably laugh at the transparent attempt for every era to distinguish itself by conjuring highly self-conscious, yet inexplicably unconsciously coordinated, fashion trends, the prevalance of them generally force us to become innoculated against their absurdity enough to only succumb to fits of laughter and expressions of ridicule upon later reflection years down the line. I mean, I wasn't around for the bad perms and man-stockings of twisted sister, but I'm sure if they didn't have the modicum of respect garnered for their novelty, most people not apart of the "macho drag metal scene" would have scratched their heads, entrenched in just that much more befuddlement.

While there are many inventive, nostalgia collages that make up the essence of your typica hipster, it seems nothing comes and goes more quickly out of vogue than head-gear.
here is my attempt to track down the phase changes of the highly mutational cultural contagion that i will simply refer to as " the hipster hat"

The Trucker Hat: 2001-2003

( figure 1)

















Ahhh, the memorable iconic ubiquity of the Trucker Hat, who could forget. Exemplifying the semi-ironic urban sophisticate cum working class hero hipster image to a tee, The Trucker hat, despite falling out of style amongst the radioactive core of hipsterdom, was probably the single-most potent strand of brooklynite DNA to squiggle it's way to the glossy, shimmering surface of the mainstream, nearly rivaling horn-rimmed glasses in their quintessentiality of a demographic, before becoming the most mass-culture whored piece of counter-culture chic to ever exist....

don't fucking believe me? Think I'm an overzealous ASSHOLE? ( I am) well, here's some of my evidence:

( figure 2)







Yea motherfucker... now you remember.... yes... yes....

There is good reason as to why this particular trend pulled what I like to call a "hindenburg"... vanished into thin air just as it was building fire.





The Conductor Hat: 2003-2006

While this particular strain of hipsterdom splintered off into different permutations, mainly

giving rise to different textures and fabrics while maintaining the same ( figure 3)
silhouette ( as seen to the right) the pseudo-working class, vintage appeal that was represented by the trucker hat was carried over into the more traditional look adored by the LES and Williamsburg sub-masses




(figure 4)





















The Bowler: 2006-2007

This seemed to be a fairly short lived cranium-caddy. Short lived that is in the trend-terrarium of self-approval. Located in cities across America. A few examples of glorified chum in the sharkarazzi tank have donned the dome-ified bowler as well including but not limited to; Samantha Ronson and her brother, the douchebag from the dresden dolls, and some random cat-walking flesh mannequins. Then there were the dudes like this, that really brought the particular article to it's short reign of hipster hegemony:

The Fedora: 2007-2008



What is it that a Vice reading Brooklynite and Dick Tracy have in common? THE FEDORA MOTHERFUCKER. This is a particularly bad ass throw back to the golden-oldy days. If a 1930's turntable connected to a megaphone wasn't a 1930's turntable connected to a megaphone, and was, say, a hat or something, it would be the Fedora.








The Bicycle hat: 2007-2008

Perhaps operating in tandem with, or competing directly against the Fedora at this point in time, the bicycle hat differs from it's predecessors in that it has, allegedly, some kind of practical value. However, from what I can tell, the types who wear them most... girls who wear flannel shirts, tight jeans rolled up to the knees and sport extremely short dykey haircuts... don't really have a need for protecting their motionless close-cropped scalps from the terrorizing force of wind-resistance.

















I believe this is a continual work in progress...