Quote Originally Posted by Phil View Post
One aspect of "flat-cap" wearing that has not yet been explored is its association with the class system, the British (particularly southern British) obsession with classifyiing people according to their upbringing, employment, place of residence and their accent. Broadly speaking this comprises:-
1. Upper class - the lords and ladies, royalty etc. a privileged group of people who cling desperately to their money and position in society, generally by the means of excluding anyone not selected by an accident of birth. They are quite happy to wear whatever headwear is handy because they know you can't be one of them whatever you wear and like to "slum it" occasionally. Americans will recognise the similar one-time habit of socialites there visiting Harlem to revel in the misfortune of others.
2. Middle class - these are wannabee lords and ladies but, sadly, despite having been fortunate to have been left some land and cash by Daddy, unfortunately he didn't manage the blue-blooded genes. They never stop trying, however, and are the greatest sticklers for all forms of behaviour so as to appear as if they might, just might, possibly on a good day with the wind behind them, be mistaken for nobility. They would never be seen dead in a flat cap, however, which is seen as one of the the ultimate defining badges of the next class which is -
3. Working class - these are the people who actually DO things as opposed to those who inherited things. They have not been in the fortunate position of being left some land and money by Daddy but have, instead, had to roll up their sleeves and earn the filthy stuff by the sweat of their brows. And they wear flat caps - an unmistakeable badge of their lowly status.
So, if I understand:

1. Upper class are/were bad because they inherited money/property, but they probably don't care about flat caps.

2. Middle class are just a bunch of social climbers who wouldn't be caught dead in a flat cap because they might be mistaken for the next group.

3. Third Class are the most virtuous of all because (by an accident of birth) they didn't/haven't inherited money/property. The flat cap, therefore, is a proud symbol of having to work for a living because they're not like the evil rich people (who do nothing) or the social climbing middle class (who are simply trying to appear to be something they're not).

Your post is insulting on so many levels. It could be, Phil, that it has nothing to do with class envy and is simply a matter of taste.