Neil Steinberg, Author of Hatless JACK, Keynotes Hat Industry Dinner

The 98^th Annual Headwear Association Dinner at Tavern on the Green in New York City featured a talk by Neil Steinberg of The Chicago Sun-Times.  Mr. Steinberg entertained the hatters with industry stories and anecdotes.  His knowledge of the hat trade and its history comes from the research he did for his book Hatless JACK: The President, the Fedora, and the history of an American Style.  http://VillageHatShop.com reviewed the book when it was first released [reprinted below for the HAT BLOG]:

In our business there is an awful lot of hand wringing about the good old days when all well-dressed men wore hats. Hatters opine and whine about President Kennedy’s refusal to wear hats resulting in a devastating effect on the industry. Neil Steinberg in Hatless JACK sets the record straight by debunking the notion that JFK ruined the hat business. Instead, Steinberg places Kennedy’s aversion to hats in the context of a trend in hatlessness that had been gaining momentum for decades. This well-researched and entertaining book is full of information and anecdotes pertaining to the historical importance of hats in American culture. Hatless JACK: The President, the Fedora, and the History of an American Style gives ever-more credence to what hat people understand – a hat is much more than just another article of apparel.

I for one would like to thank Mr. Steinberg for his invaluable contribution to our industry.  The more we learn about headwear and its history, the better we can serve our customers, employees, and communities.   

Fred Belinsky

http://VillageHatShop.com

http://Berets.com

Comments

[Chris Taylor]

I am addicted your your hat blog. I enjoy reading others opinions on fashion, especially Men's Fashion. Thanks for the inspiration for my fashion blog.

Taylor...your fashion consultant
www.TwinTaylors.com

[Fred]

Hey Taylor -

Thanks for your kind words. Good luck with your site.

- Fred