The brims are back!

Ebony, April, 2005 by Kevin Chappell

WILL SMITH regularly wears one. So do Outkast's Andre 3000 and NBA superstar Shaquille O'Neal. In fact, many of today's male fashion trendsetters, celebrities and professional athletes have made hats an intricate part of their wardrobe.

An old staple in men's fashion, the hat is making a big comeback, becoming one of the hottest fashion accessories for men--celebrities and everyday Brothers in 'hoods who never leave the house with out something on their heads.

Make no mistake, it takes a certain amount of bravado to wear a hat. This is the possible explanation as to why i Brothers were primarily responsible for reviving the hat in the male market. Wearing a hat is all about attitude, says Craig Marberry, author of the book Crowns, which examined the custom of church hats. "A hat is a fashion accessory that speaks long before the wearer says a word," he says. "It's a statement that speaks as soon as a man walks into a room. It's like the exclamation point to a fashion statement."

Whether it's a Kangol, Fedora, Homburg, beret or cowboy hat made of felt, fur or wool, Brothers are now wearing headgear with everything from formal suits to sweat suits, with everything from dress shoes to sneakers.

It's a new take on a fashion accessory with deep roots in the history of Black culture. "It goes back to African tradition," Marberry says. "Just as church hats are important to women, men are beginning to place increased importance on hats."

At the turn of the 20th century, hats were an essential part of a man's wardrobe. For the well-heeled, stepping out without a hat was equivalent to leaving the house naked, as a hat was a sign of prosperity and high social standing. With hats also came a list of etiquette guidelines that laid the groundwork for exactly when and where a man should tip, don and shed his hat. Back in the day, a man removed his hat in an elevator, but only if a woman was present. A man tipped his hat when his wife entered the room, and took off his hat during the national anthem.

But as the years passed, hats slowly lost their appeal as men started revealing their hairstyles with pride. By the "60s, whatever attraction Black men had left for hats had gone. The Afro made sure of that. Now, more than 40 years later, entire generations of men have no idea of the proper hat protocol. As a result, as men's headwear has regained much of its popularity, more casual rules have taken shape. So casual that when it comes to hat rules, fashion experts say it's okay for a man to simply follow his instincts.

Ask just about any Sister, and she's likely to say that a confident Brother in a nice hat is extremely sexy. Because as much as headwear is used to keep a man's head warm in the winter and cool in the summer, hats--with styles as unique as the individuals themselves--also speak volumes about those who wear them.

Hats hint at the essence of the wearer, giving a peek into the soul of the Brother underneath it. As more and more men look to differentiate themselves by donning their favorite head wear, many are finding that hats offer the perfect way to round out a stylish look and add a polished touch to any fashionable outfit. Since the last time hats were in vogue, the number of Blackowned, well-established clothing lines has increased exponentially. These designers are able to quickly react to emerging trends, and even spur interest in a particular fashion. They are expected to play an important role in the rebirth and redefinition of the hat.

For Brothers who are thinking about "hatting up" for e first time, fashion experts advise the following: A tall, slim man should avoid hats with narrow brims, and he should wear his hat with a slight tilt. Shorter men should wear hats with turned-up brims and tapered crown (it makes them look taller). Larger men should look for hats with low crowns, preferably tapered with an extremely narrow brim.

But no matter what hat a man chooses or how he chooses to wear it, proper hat care remains important. Unlike other fashion staples, hats, if properly maintained, will last for decades. Experts say never handle a hat by its crown. It leaves fingerprints and deteriorates the fabric. Instead, pick up a hat by the brim, and adjust it on your head by holding the front and back of the brim. Anytime a hat is taken off, set it upside down on its crown so that it won't lose its shape.

And never, never, never leave a hat inside a hot car, closet, or anywhere else that gets hot. It will shrink!