When did everyone stop wearing hats?
It was everywhere. Men, women, and even children did it every time they left the house. If you see old newsreel footage of men in the office or on commuter trains from the advent of the motion picture camera to the early ‘60s, nearly everyone is wearing a hat. Hats were just as common for women in that era. For a woman to go out without a hat in the first half of the 20th century was akin to going out without clothes.
The funny thing is that everyone’s headgear is so similar in the old-timey footage that it makes previous generations look like big-time conformists. Then, in the early ‘60s, everything changed, and men and women started to go out in public with their hair exposed. Why did such a big aspect of fashion seem to change overnight?
Warmbru Curiosity investigated the question recently in a popular YouTube video. Warmbru’s channel is a lighthearted look at some of the more unusual people and events from our history and how they have influenced the world in which we live.
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Why did people stop wearing hats?
Warmbru says fashion changed dramatically after World War II, when people in developed countries began to care less about expressing their social status. “This was especially true among the younger generation the rise of youth culture in the 1950s and 1960s emphasized rebellion against traditional norms, including formal dress codes,” the YouTuber says.
Don Draper from AMC's "Mad Men" Image via "Mad Men" AMC
Another big reason for the change in fashion was technology. Cars became the preferred mode of transportation for many after World War II and indoor environments became more hospitable. “People spent far less time exposed to the elements as people increasingly moved to urban areas and started using cars,” Warmbru says. “The practicality of wearing hats diminishes. Hats can be cumbersome in cars and on public transport, improvements in heating and air conditioning reduce the need for hats to provide warmth.”
Warmbru adds that President John F. Kennedy, elected in 1960, rarely wore a hat and his decision to go bareheaded became associated with modernity. Further, in 1963, the mop-topped Beatles proudly flaunted their hatless heads as they shook them while singing, “Wooooo.” Hat-wearing among women began to decline around the same time as the restrictive and complex headgear clashed with the burgeoning women’s liberation movement.
John F. Kennedy with his family Image via Wikicommons
The decline in hat purchases meant that manufacturers closed and the headgear became harder to come by. This reduced availability further contributed to the decline in hat-wearing. As fewer people wore hats, there became a greater demand for high-quality hair products and services. “Why spend a fortune at the hairdressers or the barbers just to cover the end result with a hat?” Warmbru asks.
Ultimately, there were many reasons why people stopped wearing hats. It appears that it was a combination of technology, influential people such as Kennedy and The Beatles, and the overwhelming mood of change that swept most of the Western world in the 1960s. But if one thing is true about fashion, it goes in cycles. So, it seems that hats may be ready for their big comeback.
This article originally appeared last year. It has been updated.
Sandra visiting E’s family in Georgia (2023)
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Levi Strauss Foundation
Sandra McAnany isn’t one to sit on the sidelines. A 58-year-old grandmother from Wisconsin, McAnany spends her days teaching soft skills classes to adults and spending time with her family. Outside the classroom, however, she’s taken on a role that’s helping people in a big way: serving as a humanitarian parole sponsor and personally taking on the financial responsibility of supporting families fleeing from persecution, violence, and instability.
Since 2023, McAnany has welcomed 17 migrants—11 adults and six children through the CHNV humanitarian parole program, which allows individuals and families from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua and Venezuela to live and work temporarily in the United States with the support of an approved sponsor.
“Everyone has their own views and perspectives, but every person I sponsored is thriving and doing well here,” McAnany said.
McAnany didn’t know any of the parolees before sponsoring them, but she had a commitment to helping families from Venezuela specifically, hoping to reunite them with their families who were already living in the United States. After “praying a lot along the way” and communicating with the applicants through WhatsApp, she decided to apply as a sponsor and help them settle into the United States.
“I have a bedroom and a bathroom in my basement,” McAnany says. “My door is open and will always be open for any of the people I sponsored, if they ever have a need for housing.”
Sandra’s granddaughter, E’s daughter, and another friend at an indoor park (July 2025)
At the time, McAnany decided to volunteer as a sponsor to make friends and help other people through hardship. Now, her mission has grown: Seeing how humanitarian parole programs have changed her parole beneficiaries’ lives—as well as her own—for the better.
Humanitarian parole: A long history
Humanitarian parole programs are nothing new. Since 1952, both Democratic and Republican administrations have used humanitarian parole to provide a safer, lawful pathway for noncitizens to enter and live temporarily in the United States. In recent years, through different programs, people from Afghanistan, Ukraine, Cuba, Haiti, and other countries have been able to come to the U.S. to escape urgent crises in their own countries, such as political instability or war.
Coming to the United States through humanitarian parole is no easy feat. The process has its own strict criteria and involves extensive applications and vetting for both beneficiaries and their sponsors. Parolees don’t need to qualify for any other immigration benefit like asylum, but they need to meet the standard for humanitarian parole and successfully pass vetting requirements.
According to Refugees International, 532,000 people have been granted parole through the CHNV program.
A life-changing experience
From the moment she met her first parole beneficiaries at the airport—two families —McAnany already knew it would be a life-changing experience. “It immediately felt like family, like we were lifelong friends,” she said. But she could also sense that it was a culture shock for the parolees. On the way home from the airport, McAnany pulled into a nearby McDonald's and encouraged them to order dinner. Hearing the word “Big Mac,” the families smiled in recognition.
Despite the culture shock, McAnany’s parole beneficiaries had to adapt quickly to life in the United States. Once they were settled, McAnany worked “nonstop” to help the families acclimate to their new lives, answering questions about school and vaccinations while also helping them create resumes, search for jobs, and find English classes online.
It was through this process that McAnany realized just how resilient people could be, and was amazed “not only how hard it was for individuals to leave their loved ones behind, but the amount of work they did to come to the country and remain here.” McAnany also realized how fortunate she was to have her own family living nearby. “I can’t imagine any one of us leaving a country and being apart for an unknown length of time,” she said.
Eventually, and as circumstances changed—one of the parolees found a new job in another city, for example, and was able to move out. But no matter the length of time they spent with each other, McAnany says that with every parolee they formed a bond built for life. One woman, who she refers to as ‘E,’ has even become “like an adopted daughter.” McAnany has traveled to Georgia, where E now lives, three times to visit her.
Uncertain ground: What’s next for humanitarian parole programs
Despite being a critical part of immigration policy in the United States for the last 73 years, humanitarian parole programs are under threat. Immigrant justice nonprofits Justice Action Center and Human Rights First are currently suing the federal government to protect humanitarian parole programs and allow parole beneficiaries to remain in the country for the duration of their parole. McAnany is a plaintiff in the lawsuit.
One of the ladies Sandra sponsored from Venezuela and her partner during Sandra’s first visit to meet her (December 2023)
Participating in the lawsuit has only further bolstered McAnany’s belief in and support for humanitarian parole programs. She hopes the lawsuit will be successful, she says, so that parole beneficiaries and their families can finally have some stability.
“We don’t know what the future is,” she says, “but I want to be optimistic and hopeful that every person I sponsored will be able to stay here safely in the U.S. and continue to thrive.”
This article is part of Upworthy’s “The Threads Between U.S.” series that highlights what we have in common thanks to the generous support from the Levi Strauss Foundation, whose grantmaking is committed to creating a culture of belonging.
Some of Gen Alpha's slang terms are as nonsensical as they sound.
As a Gen Xer, I have vague memories of adults getting confused looks on their faces when my fellow youth uttered phrases like "That's totally rad" or "Gag me with a spoon." Slang has always befuddled older generations—in fact, that's a primary feature of slang as a phenomenon—but something about slang is shifting with Gen Alpha.
There's a lot of overlap with Gen Alpha (born after 2010) and Gen Z slang, of course, with both using terms like "sus" (suspicious), "no cap" (no lie), "mid" (mediocre), and "bet" (sure, I agree). Some Gen Alpha slang is pretty fun, using terms like "rizz" (charisma), "aura points" (likeability), and "sigma" (good/cool) to describe people's positive qualities. But Gen Alpha has also started coining slang that is unique in that it seems to have no real meaning at all, which is even confusing to some Gen Zers.
Skibidi toilet Giphy
My Gen Z daughter and I were walking by a playground one day when a kid around maybe 9 or 10 years old shouted out, "Skibidi toilet!" in our direction. If you're wondering what that means, don't bother. It doesn't mean anything, literally. It has an origin in a bizarre video series, but no meaning. Another nonsensical Gen Alpha-ism at the moment is "6 7." Not "sixty-seven," just "six seven." Why? It apparently originated from the song "Doot Doot (6 7)" by the rapper Skrilla, which alludes to a basketball player who is 6'7", but the phrase itself, when used by Gen Alpha, doesn't really mean something specific. It's just something they randomly say.
What's with the nonsensical slang? While slang may seem confusing outside of the generation that coined it at first, slang words generally have a specific meaning that can be gleaned. With Gen Alpha, it appears that specific slang has no meaning—simply saying this nonsensical slang is a way to signify being part of the "in-group." In other words, the kid yelling "skibidi toilet" wasn't making a direct insult, but rather it was essentially him saying, "I'm young and you're old, and I'm going to confuse you with this nonsensical slang term to reinforce the fact that I'm young and you're old."
Gen Alpha are today's elementary schoolers and middle schoolers.Photo credit: Canva
Linguist and cultural expert at Babbel, Esteban Touma, tells Upworthy that part of what makes Gen Alpha's slang different is the fact that they were born into a world with a fully formed online culture.
"Gen Z still has some members who can recall a time before social media, and many Millennials remember a time before the Internet even existed," says Touma. "Gen Alpha simply doesn’t have that frame of reference."
As a result, most Gen Alpha slang originates in online games, social media, and meme culture, spawning and evolving at lightning speed compared to older generations.
Niche online culture is influencing Gen Alpha's slang more than previous generations.Photo credit: Canva
"Previous generations had to almost 'agree' on what was going to be slang because pop culture was more monolithic," says Touma. "For example, we as Millennials had to watch Anchorman or Napoleon Dynamite, agree they were funny movies, and take our slang from there. But now, each pre-teen and teenager has their own microcosm of culture in their pocket. And because the platforms that are pushing culture forward are fast-moving–like Twitch and TikTok–a phrase can go viral in a matter of hours. Gen Alpha also shows less attachment to traditional spelling and grammar, giving their language and slang a lower barrier to entry than previous generations."
Yaron Litwin, CMO at Canopy Parental Control App, tells Upworthy that Gen Alpha's slang expressions can be "ephemeral, purposefully misspelled, and heavily ironic." Some refer to meaningless slang like "skibidi" and "6 7" as "brainrot" humor, where the absurdity and nonsense are the entire point.
One possible underlying reason nonsense slang appeals to Gen Alpha is that everyone now spends a lot of time online. Since we're all online, adults are catching on to youth slang more quickly than they used to. There are even teachers who share what slang is currently popular among kids, making it harder for it to remain with the "in-group."
@mr_lindsay_sped Which one is gonna live longer? #67 or #41 ? #genalpha #genalphaslang #teachersoftiktok
If older folks can't figure out what these terms mean, they'll give up on trying to use them, which helps the slang retain its purpose as a youth culture identifier. Slang already comes and goes quickly thanks to the Internet, but keeping it confusing also keeps grownups from ruining it.
"The slang is driven by algorithms which are constantly in flux," Litwin says, "and when a word or expression becomes too popular, especially as it is picked up by older generations, it becomes 'cringe' and fades away—at least for Gen Alpha."
Using slang that is nonsensical and meaningless, or that has such obscurely ironic usage that it's hard to know how to use it, makes it less likely that cringy adults will start using it.
Well played, Gen Alpha. So very sigma of you.
via Canva/Photos
A woman talking to people she just met.
It’s essential to make a great first impression with someone, whether it's a job interview, buying someone a drink at a bar, or serving someone a meal at a restaurant. The problem is that people form a concrete judgment of someone in just seven seconds, which can be incredibly hard to shake.
“Human beings are built to size each other up quickly,” Psychology Today says. "These first impressions are influenced by a number of factors, such as facial shape, vocal inflection, attractiveness, and general emotional state. People tend to get attached to their initial impressions of others and find it very difficult to change their opinion, even when presented with lots of evidence to the contrary.”
While it can feel impossible to combat such a snap judgment, Sally Hogshead says that when we interact with people for the first time, we should only have one question on our minds: “How can I add value to this person?” Hogshead is a New York Times bestselling author, National Speakers Association Hall of Fame speaker, chief executive officer of How to Fascinate (Fascinate, Inc.), and a former advertising executive.
A man handing a woman his business card at an event.via Canva/Photos
Ask yourself: How can I add value to this person?
It makes sense. When someone meets you for the first time, they don’t know anything about you. The other person is asking themselves the big WIIFM: What’s in it for me? It feels a little negative to suggest that everyone is out for themselves, but we only have so much time and effort to give to others. What can you bring to the table?
“You want your listener to come away from the conversation feeling good about their investment of time and energy,” Hogshead writes for Inc. “The key here is to add value to every interaction, so that you’re not just occupying conversational space.” Hogshead adds that we don’t have a lot of time to gain the other person's attention, so it’s best to start strong. “Here’s the problem with that approach: Today, the average attention span is about nine seconds. Every time you introduce yourself, you have about nine seconds to engage your listener. When it comes to first impressions, a weak start leads to a poor impression.”
A man and woman sharing a drink at a bar.via Canva/Photos
If you’re not adding value, you’re taking up space
Value will vary depending on the situation and your desired social outcome. When approaching someone for a drink, you can add value by boosting their self-esteem with a compliment. “I think you have really lovely eyes,” or “Is that an old-fashioned you’re drinking? You’ve got great taste, they make good ones here.”
At a networking event, you can introduce yourself and discuss a recent development in the industry. “Hey, I’m Lisa. Have you heard about how Acme Paper Company is using AI to learn the best trees to cut?” Or, “Hey, it’s Malcom, is your company having trouble figuring out which trees to cut? I’ve found a cool new way to save you time and labor costs.”
You can also add value to any person by allowing them to share their thoughts and experiences. When you show genuine interest in someone and let them talk about themselves, they will almost always find you likable. Research has found that asking the first question in a conversation, followed by two follow-ups, dramatically increases your likability.
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It can be disheartening to realize that people often make snap judgments about others that are difficult to overcome, but it’s great to know that, by focusing on how you can benefit another person, you can pull down that wall and give yourself a second chance to make a first impression. Everyone has something valuable to bring to the table, whether you’re inexperienced and can make your superiors feel great by asking them questions or by being able to share your experiences with others to make their lives better. Just know that everyone is open to meeting those who can make their lives better, and you can often be that person.
Image via Canva/Henry Becerra
How to properly pronounce and use the words 'caramel' and 'carmel.'
Fall is the season of sweet and crisp caramel apples, and as the treat becomes popular again, so does the longstanding debate about how to pronounces the sweet treat's delicious coating. Is it carmel (car-mel) or caramel (car-a-mel)?
According to the Merriam-Webster Dictionary, "caramel" is "a usually firm to brittle, golden-brown to dark brown substance that has a sweet, nutty, buttery, or bitter flavor, is obtained by heating sugar at high temperature, and used especially as a coloring and flavoring agent."
"Carmel" is a proper noun that denotes a town or place. As Professor Paul Brians at Washington State University and author of Common Errors in English Usage explains, "Take Highway 1 south from Monterey to reach the charming seaside town of Carmel, of which Clint Eastwood was formerly mayor. Dissolve sugar in a little water and cook it down until the sugar turns brown to create caramel."
@mythical Cara-mel or car-mel?
So how do you properly pronounce caramel? Whichever way you pronounce it is technically right. June Casagrande, author of The Joy of Syntax: A Simple Guide to All the Grammar You Know You Should Know, writes: "The pronunciation 'carmel,' with two syllables, is every bit as acceptable as the three-syllable pronunciation. In fact, the two-syllable option comes first in Merriam-Webster’s dictionary, which may indicate it’s more standard."
Different dialects across the United States have led to the difference in pronunciations in the United States. Back in 2013, Joshua Katz, then a doctoral student in linguistics at NC State University, created a map based on research from a Harvard Dialect Survey by Bert Vaux and Scott Golder that showed which regions pronounced caramel with three syllables or two syllables.
How people in the United States pronounce caramel.Image via Reddit/sauihdik
Regional preferences are clearly laid out. "Car-a-mel" was more commonly used along the East Coast and South, while "car-mel" dominated in the Midwest and West.
Many people online discussed the different ways they pronounce it in the Reddit thread r/words. "The letters are there for a reason," one commented. "There are three syllables. Pronounce them! :)"
life will GIF Giphy
Others were passionate about the two-syllable caramel pronunciation. "Cahr-mel, but I’m also in the midwest. I’ve never heard a person say 'cah-rah-mel apples' or 'cah-rah-mel corn' but I have heard people say, when talking about them on their own, 'cah-rah-mels.' I admit I probably say it wrong and I don’t care, cah-rah-mel sounds stupid to me."
And some admitted to saying both, and being confused. "For me it's context dependent. CAHRmul sauce, but ice cream topped with CAR a mel. So, depends if it's in use as an adjective or a noun," one wrote. Another quipped, "I'm from the Midwest and use them both but it's context sensitive. Car-a-mels are candy, Carmel is sauce or flavoring. Why? I don't know, it just sounds right to me." Another shared, "But what about if you caramelize onions for cooking. 'Carmelized' sounds better to me than 'caramelized'. Googling seems to agree."
And one summarized the debate with a sweet story: "The debate on this is so relentless between my husband and me that it was literally included in our wedding vows. I say carmel, he says caramel," they wrote.