Once upon a time hats were an integral part of western dress and there were many types of hats depending on the social status of the wearer of the hat. Socially affluent people used to wear hats that had hard tops, were larger in size, and were dome shaped as if the style of the hat somehow reflected the distinction of the man from the commoners while the dome symbolized the power and wealth he possessed. On the other hand, the ladies hats had flowers that were usually brightly colored and had a large rim attached to it to provide protection from the sun and looked quite fragile. Sometimes there was a pin that was used to pin the hat up on shoulder. Since these hats used costly materials they were expensive to make. The hats used by members of the royal family and were distinctly different from the hats that were worn by the local landlords. The hierarchy of hat wearing has always been maintained.
The pirates, who were normally at sea, used different kinds of hats. The merchants were allotted a kind of hat that was the emblematic of his social status. When a person was honored by the king or a Higher Majesty he was given a hat. To put down the hat in front of one was the way honor was shown. On the other hand, taking the hat off meant that the person wanted to surrender. At the same time it was disgraceful for a lady to go about without a hat. In all old Hollywood movies there are examples of different kind of hats for different occasions. As time passed there was a change of tradition and the wearing of a hat has changed from a social symbol to a common fashion accessory. The hat has lost his gender and has taken the name and shape of being a unisex fashion.
Except for some aged person, who prefer to wear a hat to either prevent cold or to prevent hair loss, hats are commonly used by the younger generation to look more trendy fashionable, and funky. Hats are now used in outings, during corporate activities, while fishing, and during other outdoor activities. In the world of marketing, especially in the world of promotional marketing, hats have acquired a new importance as a corporate gift. Now it is given to the customers as a kind of promotional launching program. Hats that are embedded with the logo of the company are being used by employees. The hat has become the latest type of brand promotion. People who get hats as gifts will usually retain them for their utility value. To enhance the amount of time the wearer keeps the hat, companies are making different kind of hats with elegant shapes, color, and of different materials so that their promotional activities reach as many people as possible. There are many types of hats available in the market. These include corporate logo hats that are embossed with the logo of the company. There are many types of corporate hats that follow ladies’ fashions, some of which are bigger in size and some are smaller in size. Hat manufacturing companies are now making the designer hats to keep the trend alive and to stay up to date.