When the hat was a necessary fashion statement

"Every time we see an outdoor photo from the 1920s and early 30s, we think: Look at all the hats! This 1930 photo taken by Margaret Bourke-White in the Garment District of New York City captures what we're talking about! So why all the hats...and where did they all go? Well - back then, people walked almost everywhere, so the hat protected people from the sun and wind; however, as automobiles became the norm in the mid 1930's, the hats became an unnecessary, awkward hassle to carry. And by the 40s, they almost disappeared entirely."

Old photo archive

Crowd at a baseball game,1930s. Getty Images


Even the newsboys had hats.