Portland’s fashion can only be described as weird, wacky, and wild. It is a city full of eccentric art and expression, with a vibrant hat scene to boot. Those familiar with the Dr. Seuss tale “The 500 Hats of Bartholomew Cubbins” will find it akin to everyday Portland’s ensembles.
Franklin junior Terrien Merrill says whimsical hats are “very Portland.” Beyond the eccentric appeal, many people also wear these hats out of necessity, as a practical choice for Portland’s cold and often rainy weather. From a stylistic standpoint, Portland’s diverse choice of headwear are emblematic of the deep thrift store culture in the city. Over time, many residents have grown to recognize and adapt to Portland’s unique fashion, including local students.
Not every hat is a statement piece, and just the average baseball cap or beanie still has its place on the heads of Portlanders. Merrill, who commonly wears baseball caps, notices students wear “beanies more often than normal hats,” adding, “Beanies are part of the stereotypical Portlander [style] that most people would think of.” Merrill adds, “I think hats are popular because it’s a different way you can wear something to express yourself.”
Portland’s hat style has developed over the years — as styles tend to do — but one store in particular can be counted on to keep it consistent. Located in Downtown Portland, John Helmer Haberdasher is one of Portland’s oldest hat stores, and exemplifies consistency and uniquely showcases Portland’s legacy. Shale Wion has been an employee at John Helmer for two years. Wion explains that he decided to work for John Helmer in part due to the store’s long-standing family legacy. The store has stayed in the Helmer family’s ownership for decades, and is currently owned by John Helmer III. The store primarily sells hats that were “popular in the 20s, 30s, and 40s,” Wion explains.
Wion’s job is to help customers find a fashion that “fits well for [them] and [their] personal style.” He says that many John Helmer customers build connections and relationships with the staff who help them find their hat style of choice. “It’s kind of a thing that’s long gone, but we still have that here, and a lot of people that come to our store search for that old world sensibility,” he says. “We get everybody coming in [to the store] for everything. [There is] such a variety here, not just one trend.” Wion has lived in Portland for his entire life, and explains that “Portland has a very unique clothing culture.” He continues, saying, “Portland has always been an outlier in fashion.”
Global fashion trends have an impact in Portland as well. “Trends change much faster because of the internet,” Wion says. “I think I see a larger trend towards brim[med] hats and beanies,” fitting with Portland’s “hipster style.” Weather also plays a big role in the hats and beanies Portlanders wear, and because of this, John Helmer employees alternate which hats are on sale seasonally. Wion explains that spring can be a difficult season to sell hats, because of Portland’s unique weather patterns. He details, “Spring is a transitional period from wearing warmer clothing and warmer hats to lighter clothing and hats.” Wion feels that many Portlanders still wear their winter hats and clothing during this time of the year because “so many are used to Portland’s colder weather.”
With an ever-growing hat scene, it’s no surprise that Portland’s hat styles range from old school fedoras to beanies and the common baseball hat. There are many hat and fashion stores throughout Portland, allowing residents to easily experiment with new styles of hats and clothing. With so many different styles, there’s no telling what hats you might see on any given day in Portland. Portland’s hat scene can fit anyone’s needs, whether it’s a hipster beanie or a fashionable wide-brimmed hat; the possibilities are endless.
