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Here the young man is wearing what is called a
"boater" - i.e., a straw hat with a brim, flat top, and a wide
silk band around the crown. The band could be striped in some
cases as part of a club designation (like a necktie). These
hats were dressy and were considered sporty. They were mainly
for spring and summer wear, and would not have been worn much
during the fall and winter months. Men wore them with dark jackets,
white flannel trousers, and sometimes two-tone shoes (brown
and white, or black and white). In some English schools and
universities, these hats were worn with blazers as part of a
uniform or club wear (such as rowing and tennis clubs). Or men
used to wear them in the summer for things like country-club
outings, even golf --although men didn't wear these hats when
actualy playing golf, just to and from the golf club or sporting
events. Some men even wore them for business during warm weather.
They were considered mainly young men's wear. These hats had
class connotations. You wouldn't see them much among working-class
men.
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