The wholesale hats market is booming. That’s because more and more people are wearing hats all the time, not just on certain occasions. Take off your hat to let someone pass by? Don’t bother—it will just go back on your head. Hats are also big fashion items, whether you’re looking for a ball cap or a beret.
When England’s queen Elizabeth wore a hat, it was not just an accessory to cover her head, but also to give the impression that she was chic. The queen’s headdress dominated fashion at that time, which made hats become an essential accessory for women. The trend spread throughout Europe during the Renaissance period. Hats were worn by women of all classes in Spain, France and Italy as well as Germany and England. For a long time, hats for men were considered purely utilitarian, but not anymore! These days, men are increasingly turning to hats for their personal style. In short, there is a growing market for headgear of all kinds.
The history of the hat is an interesting one. The word hat comes from a prehistoric Indo-European root that means “cover.” Fancy hats appeared in Western civilization during the Renaissance period of the 14th and 15th centuries. Men at this time wore very high headdresses. But it was not until 1660 that hat making became an established trade in London when Charles II ascended to the throne. His mother, Queen Henrietta Maria, was the queen of France. She brought Parisian fashion to London. To please her, Charles II wore French style hats. The style caught on among men and soon became popular among women as well. This is how the term “tip” or tuft was used for men’s hats at that time.
Hats for women increased in popularity after the American Revolution—the period when the crowns of hats were made larger and fancier to match the newly established sense of individualism among women in society during these times. Hat-making became one of the most profitable trades in the U.S. during the 19th century.
The hat industry was dominated by American women until the 20th century. Then, in 1901, the American Hat Company built a factory in La Marolle, France. Then came World War I. The French government imposed customs duties on imported hats, thereby threatening America’s prominence in the hat market. Since then, people have been wearing hats to convey their individuality and their moods. Nowadays, anyone can select from different styles of hats to correspond with his or her personality or style—and it’s not just ladies anymore!
A growing number of men are wearing hats to look stylish and sophisticated without having to worry about bad hair days. There are so many types of hats to choose from, men have a hard time choosing just one.
The hat industry is very competitive. When a new style appears, others quickly follow suit. But there are some trends that endure for years. The most popular ones include the bowler, trilby and fedora. Another trend is the “no hat” look, in which people wear no hat with any kind of headgear.
When it comes to fashion, it’s important to keep up with changing styles with the times. Hats offer you the opportunity to dress up every day. There are various ways to wear hats, depending on your style and what kind of hat you choose.
The broadest range of styles is available in the hat stores. You can even buy hats that look like headdresses. From simple to decorative, all sorts of varieties are available for both male and female customers. There are any number of companies selling different sorts of hats for men, including manufacturer Giorgio Armani, brand Gucci and designer Louis Vuitton. The Prada hat collection is also popular among many trendy young men, including Paris Hilton and Justin Timberlake. Celebrities like Tom Cruise, Brad Pitt and Eminem wear all different types of hats for different occasions.
