Hattitude
October 6, 2014 9:23 AM Subscribe
A throwback gem. You have to know how to wear a hat," Bernard Shannon said.
Shannon, owner of Bernard's Wear at 9017 S. Commercial Ave., was wearing a beige applejack cap angled over his left eyebrow. He moved past the racks of fedoras, bowlers and newsboy caps crowding his small hat shop to point to a sign by the cash register with the company's motto: "To wear a hat you must possess Hattitude."
"Always cock it," Shannon, 62, explained in his gravely baritone, placing a black wool fedora on a visitor to demonstrate. "If it's not cocked, it means you're just learning." He gestured to celebrity posters that share the shop's walls with hundreds of snapshots of customers trying on hats.
"You see Al Capone? Cocked. You see Steve Harvey? Cocked. Billy Dee Williams: Cocked. Frank Sinatra: Cocked."
"All men are created equal," [the sign] says, "until they get dressed."
"All men are created equal," [the sign] says, "until they get dressed."
This post was deleted for the following reason: It looks like this isn't actually freely available, sorry. -- restless_nomad
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jinx
posted by Thorzdad at 9:29 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
jinx
posted by Thorzdad at 9:29 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
To continue reading this PLUS story? Cocked.
posted by stenseng at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
posted by stenseng at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]
OK, here is where I am supposed to voice my opinion on hats (and hipsters).
I give up. I am in favor of men wearing pants, but I don't care what they wear on their heads. Although I have to wonder about Pharrell "Smoky Bear" Williams. What up wit dat? And he doesn't cock it. But then, neither did Smoky.
posted by kozad at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2014
I give up. I am in favor of men wearing pants, but I don't care what they wear on their heads. Although I have to wonder about Pharrell "Smoky Bear" Williams. What up wit dat? And he doesn't cock it. But then, neither did Smoky.
posted by kozad at 9:30 AM on October 6, 2014
and here I am wondering if I should pick up a Stormy Kromer (Made in Michigan!) or ask someone to knit me a wool Steve Zissou cap for this fall.
posted by rebent at 9:31 AM on October 6, 2014
posted by rebent at 9:31 AM on October 6, 2014
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I guess all men are created equal until they either get dressed or they sign up for Chicago Tribune PLUS accounts.
posted by EmpressCallipygos at 9:29 AM on October 6, 2014 [1 favorite]