[Steven Mear]

I must admit to having ears like radar, and I'm of an age where I think that my kids would laugh at me if I turned my cap back to front, so I seldom wear baseball caps and never wear them the "wrong way". I'm not sure that turning them around improves my spey casting technique in any event.

But where/when did this fashion/trend start? Back in the early 90's I assumed that it may have been introduced by people who had been in the services (brim hitting rifle sight), but an American banker that I met in the UK assured me that in the US that this wasn't the origin. I know of one guy who famously used to wear his headgear back to front (and for Brits this has nothing to do with the Gloucester regiment that was honoured with two cap badges!).

Any response?

Steven

 

[MJC]

I turn mine around as the light fads in the evening because my eyes don't seem to gather light as good as they used to. Getting that bill out of the way give me a little more light and some extra fishing time.

 

[pescaphile]

Good question. I always thought that it started shortly afteer being a catcher had somehow become cool.

I use land-surveying instruments now and then and turn my cap around to look through the gun.

I don't have a clue about where the chain and the hood ornament came from though.

 

[Philster]

I always assumed it came from emulating folks who had to wear it backwards. Auto mechanics, carpenters, biker messengers and other laborers when "working class chic" was something white collar guys aspired too because of the emasculation of the american male between the 1950's and now.

My favorite example of this fashion trend was a couple of years ago, in a major metropolitan area when I saw a guy walking into a nordstroms wearing carpenter pants, and carhart jacket, yellow timberlands, and a tape measure attached to his belt. The funny thing was that the tape measure was affixed with a zip-tie. Wouldn't want it to fall off and spoil the whole look :chuckle:

 

[Steven Mear]

This wasn't intended as a frivolous question. As a Brit who moved to Norway and had to learn a new language and culture (and there are huge differences), one also becomes aware of aspects that are transatlantic in origin. For years I had accepted the version that my American acquaintance (in fact at Simon Gawesworth's base in Devon)gave me: that this was a statement of rebelliousness - the guy on the block who was different.

And then..... I looked at my copy of Fine and Far Off .....and there is a photo of Alexander Grant wearing his bonnet back to front!

Regards
Steven

 

[MJC]

that this was a statement of rebelliousness - the guy on the block who was different.

And then..... I looked at my copy of Fine and Far Off .....and there is a photo of Alexander Grant wearing his bonnet back to front

If the first sentence is true I will have to wear my hat backwards from now on.:whoa:

As to Mr. Grant, from my reading of Fine and Far Off I have come to believe he was also rebellious or at least "at odds" with many of the excepted angling practice of the day. I love him and think he was very "cutting edge"!

 

[McIntyre]

And then..... I looked at my copy of Fine and Far Off .....and there is a photo of Alexander Grant wearing his bonnet back to front!

Only proofs that it really gives longer casts to wear the cap back to front. You have discovered Grant's biggest secret

 

[fredaevans]

Great thread. Only time I turn my 'ball cap' back to front is when I'm casting with a strong wind to my back or 'up-stream.' Gives the errant fly a larger target to aim at ..... :saeek:

 

[Rookiespey]

I also wore my hat backward from little league baseball playing the catcher position because of the mask. It also happens when I put to much of a curve in the bill & occasionally hits my glasses so I flip my hat back from habit more than anything else.

 

[Eddie]

I am under the impression that the only time it is cool to wear a ball cap backwards is when...uhhh...going down town.

 

[Hammer]

guns n roses

it seems if my memory serves me,caugh/hack///,,that `Axel Rose' from the band guns and roses came along with a hot album or two and some music videos =late 80's=?and then every young man in town started `doing that' (look at me i'm a rebel),,i used to want to slap `their' hats back into proper position when talking with `one':hihi: ,,,thinking to myself(when my daughters get older they better never bring THAT stupid looking fool home),seems like the trend has subsided in this area,,,,,as for Grant,maybe he needed to see the tip of his 22' without straining his neck:chuckle:

 

[MJC]

hEY tIGER...

Which direction is your hat pointed when you have your welding helmet on?:lildevl:

 

[Hammer]

i don't wear one

for the work i do on these new heaps;a quick spotweld or two of the tinwork is enough to hold the two ends of the car together,:devil: ,,i close my eyes and `let `er rip',just like spraying paint and speycasting:lildevl: ,,,if i'm doing some critical welding,like on a boat trailer:hihi: THEN i don the helmet and get serious!

 

[MJC]

Whats that yer sayin? Your gluing those panels on with "bondo"? :saevilw:

 

[JDJones]

got that part right

it seems if my memory serves me,caugh/hack///,,that `Axel Rose' from the band guns and roses came along with a hot album or two and some music videos =late 80's=?and then every young man in town started `doing that' (look at me i'm a rebel),,i used to want to slap `their' hats back into proper position when talking with `one':hihi: ,,,thinking to myself (when my daughters get older they better never bring [THAT stupid looking fool home),seems like the trend has subsided in this area,,,,,as for Grant,maybe he needed to see the tip of his 22' without straining his neck:chuckle:

Aside from the occasional times when due to occupational neccesities, it is more of a rebelious thing. Fish'n Tiger got it right. Pi$$e$ me off. Only thing worse, and it seems to be an oregon thing at least around here, is to keep the hat on at the dinner table. Even in a restaurant.:tsk_tsk:

 

[MJC]

Pi$$e$ me off. Only thing worse, and it seems to be an oregon thing at least around here, is to keep the hat on at the dinner table. Even in a resaurant.

JD, If you come to Idaho you will be pissed off a lot, unless you don't eat.:whoa: :whoa:

 

[JDJones]

hats

JD, If you come to Idaho you will be pissed off a lot, unless you don't eat.:whoa: :whoa:

Reminds me of a joke I once heard about how to tell whether an Ozark Hillbilly was from Missouri or Arkansas......
One of them (take your pick) had scars all over his face from trying to learn to eat with a knife and fork.:chuckle:
There used to be a steak house in So. Ca. that would cut your tie off when you came in the door. They hung all those cut off ties from the ceiling. Past-tense. Out of business. I try real hard to avoid places like that.

Waders, on the other hand, could be considered acceptable restaurant attire, as long as the boots don't have cleats.:smokin: But hats should be hung on a hat rack. Backwards even,,,,if that's what turns you on. But not at the table. Didn't yo momma teach yo any fetchins at all:chuckle: :chuckle: :chuckle: ?

 

[Snap-T]

it seems if my memory serves me,caugh/hack///,,that `Axel Rose' from the band guns and roses came along with a hot album or two and some music videos =late 80's=?and then every young man in town started `doing that' (look at me i'm a rebel),,i used to want to slap `their' hats back into proper position when talking with `one':hihi: ,,,thinking to myself(when my daughters get older they better never bring THAT stupid looking fool home),seems like the trend has subsided in this area,,,,,as for Grant,maybe he needed to see the tip of his 22' without straining his neck:chuckle:

Careful about slaping their hats. If you think they look stupid, they must think you look stupid. You slap their hats and they may try to loosen your belt so you could sag with'em. Then instead of Hammer they would be calling you nail. :chuckle: Kidding.

Me I wear my hat backwards when ever the hell I want. So does my 63 year old football coach father. I do it because I want to do it.

What's the problem with a hat on backwards? Disrespect is offered, it is not free. Therefore, to disrespect the backwards fool must be thinking about you when he wears the hat. I highly doubt that is the case. SOOOO, no disrespect. Where the disrespect lies is acctually with those who drop shame on people who where them backwards. That is intentional, therefore it is an offering of disrespect.


You know...Next lets start a thread about why older flyfisherman need wading staffs and further the division between people with common interests.

 

[Hammer]

well snap-t

didn't mean to rile you up but at least we know you're still alive!:whoa: ,you dissapeared from the boards ,where your hat any way you want as long as the check clears:smokin:

 

[Snap-T]

hammertime

I'm not pissed off.....I think this is just a REALLY stupid thread. What the heck does it have to do with Spey fishing? As little as the fact that I didn't where underwear today, and who wants to talk about that???????