[Brian's stuff]Caps are cool, dude, but remember hat etiquette exists
So kid, you want to look cool? You want to be looked upon by your peers? Be da man?Here is one slither of advice: Wear your baseball cap pointing anything but forward. Pinch it sideways. Asymmetrical is the key here. Unbalanced. Preferably with an oversized hat. Make sure that your brim is NOT bent. Use super glue to keep the hat tilted if you have to.
I don’t know who started it. I don’t know why, but everybody with a cap does it. It’s like an invincible hand is pulling the brim of TV celebrities who wear their hats sideways.
On the streets, teenagers have taken it upon their heads to simulate the same anything-but-normal-look.
Which reminds me of the ’80s when baseball caps were worn straight forward with the bill bent at a 45-degree angle. (Origins of this practice unknown) Accompanying hair was worn long. In the ’90s, the bill of a baseball hat was curved like a rainbow, and the hat was worn forward with a very slight downward angle, eyes barely visible. I don’t know who started this one, either.
Wearing a hat is certainly a fashion statement. There is nothing wrong with wearing one, although every time I pass someone in the street who wears a hat sideways, I have to stop myself asking the inevitable: Are you a gangster? No? Do you want to be a gangster? Because that’s what this fashion statement is supposed to convey. A cool gangster look, but that’s another story.
For every clothing item there is an etiquette to be learned. You can make a fashion statement, but if it disturbs the landscape, you are making the wrong statement.
Perfect example: Went to a ball game over the weekend and while the national anthem was played, there was this kid featuring a gangster look. He didn’t remove his hat while the national anthem was played. Forget that I am not too fond of this twisted hat look; this is where common sense should have kicked in.
Even if a hat is worn without the intention of drawing attention, the wearer is bound to stand out. That’s what hats do to you. They make you stick out like the Eiffel Tower in a crowd.
Hat etiquette is simple. Take your hat off inside a restaurant or at any other occasion that demands respect. You can’t go wrong then and you’ll still be expressing yourself with your hat and emphasizing your uniqueness.
Yes, a hat is a fashion statement. Use it to polish your denim look. It can also be the best tool to camouflage a bad hair day, or repel a fixed look on your receding hair line.
Decades ago, gentleman wore hats for different reasons. Hats were an essential part of the social scene and there was a common etiquette followed. No, I am not old-fashioned or nostalgic. You don’t have to tip your hat to a lady (on second thoughts, not a bad idea)
But please, do yourself a favor. Don’t forget the etiquette.
by Brian Lee Staff Reporter africanu@joongang.co.kr
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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