by jon » Sat Aug 20, 2011 6:07 pm
What hit me about the first picture is the low percentage of hats on the 30+ year old men in the audience.
I don't remember the exact year that they began to disappear, but until at least 1957, hats were still the fashion for men in Vancouver. I'm sure that ironworkers on the Second Narrows Bridge project picked up their coat and hat from the job site lockers before leaving each day. My point being: hats seemed to be in fashion for all men, regardless of their line of work.
This picture, to me, looks like it came from the exact time when hats suddenly were no longer fashionable, and the last few had yet to put their hat in the closet for good.
As I say, just my impression.