The 5 Towns Jewish Times
December 10, 2020
The accompanying picture was not Photoshopped. It was taken at President Kennedy’s inauguration. He did wear a top hat at least until he was actually sworn in, when he took it off.
That brings us to the topic under discussion. I recently received an interesting email: “Did you ever discuss the inyan of former yeshivaleit who now daven without hats and jackets?”
Without being judgmental, let’s tackle the subject matter.
In the 1920s, 30s, 40s, 50s, and all the way through the early 60s, everyone wore a hat. It is a debate among historians as to whether President Kennedy’s example caused the nation to stop wearing hats or the general non-conformity climate in the 1960s. The issue is discussed in Neil Steinberg’s book Hatless Jack: the President, the Fedora, and the History of American Style.