A hat tip to Binghamton's headwear history – Press & Sun-Bulletin

Recently, there seems to have been a surge in interest from young men to wear some type of headgear.
It could be a snappy straw hat reminiscent of something Frank Sinatra may have worn. Or it could be a hat that resembles a bear’s head with fur, eyes and everything (yes, one of those appeared in my classroom in the last few years).
I am not sure why the sudden interest in hats and caps once again, but I am content to have lived long enough to see hats return to the world of acceptable fashion.
Men’s hats have always been a fashion statement, and until the past few decades, it was an essential item of clothing you did not leave your home without. There is even the recent commercial showing the vagaries of the times when men suddenly abandoned the derby for extremely tall hats — that is, until they could catch on fire, cause you to fall, or some other preposterous situation.
But if you were a man in the 19th and early 20th century, you wore a hat. It could be the top hat emblematic of Abraham Lincoln, the derby worn by dandies, the working man’s cap seen in all type of factories, and even a deerstalker cap worn by Sherlock Holmes. Photographs from the period show all types of hats, and a gentleman would not be caught outside without it unless swimming.
That love for hats spilled into the local economy. Just like there were shops for ladies’ gloves or stockings, there were stores that specialized in selling men’s hats.  The business section of the 1902 City Directory lists 12 dealers in men’s hats and caps. All of the stores were in downtown Binghamton, except for one in Johnson City.
The list covers almost everything from A to Z in hatware: Burt & Bennett, Corner Hat Store, Ellis & Eckman, I.I. Goldsmith & Sons, J.B. Jameson, Kearny Brothers, A.B. Livingston, A.A. Lord & Sons, Nelson A. Noble & Co., George M. Ricks & Son, J.H. Tolles, and Charles A Weed & Co. Of course, some of these stores also sold other types of men’s clothing, but most focused just on headgear.
Beyond the sale of hats, there were other hat-related businesses that helped to maintain our hat craze. Three companies — J.H. Johnson, Kearney Brothers and J.H. Tolles — were also listed as manufacturers of men’s hats. F. M. Johnson was even listed as the area’s hat bleacher. Yes, that’s right, hat bleacher — someone who could bleach men’s straw hats and ladies’ bonnets. Finally, we had our own wholesaler in the John Ray Clarke Co.
Of course, women also wore all types of hats. If you ever watch some of the old Hollywood musicals like “Easter Parade” or “Hello Dolly,” you will see all types of hats, from simple to ornate and large hats that often overtake the heads of those who wore them.
The same tradition was found in this area, and until the 1960s, women would not be caught dead going to church on Sunday without a hat. This was especially true at Easter time, when you would wear your finest — particularly if it was purchased just for that occasion.
But hat time began to fade after World War II. Society was changing, and fashions began to reflect that change. Of course, men could still be found wearing the traditional fedora, which had made such a statement in the middle of the 20th century. But it was not uncommon for the style to get more casual.
Caps rose in popularity by the 1950s and ’60s. While the baseball cap used to be found only on the diamond, it became almost ubiquitous by the 1980s to the current day. (Although there seems to be some type of dysfunction going on, as young men get confused and wear the hat the wrong way.)
In the 1970s and ’80s, hats seemed to nearly disappear, but now, they are making a comeback. That could be good news for me, as maybe finally, someone will buy me that deerstalker cap I’ve always wanted. I would even tip my hat to you.
Gerald Smith is the Broome County historian. Email him at historysmiths@stny.rr.com.

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