Hats carried deep social and political meaning in 17th- and 18th-century England. Refusing to remove one could amount to open protest against authority. New findings detail how this everyday item shaped identity, hierarchy, and even safety.
Centuries ago, men and boys were expected to doff their hats to superiors both indoors and out. Historian Bernard Capp notes that this rule reinforced social order until the 1640s and 1650s, when it turned into a visible act of defiance during the English Civil War period. Leveller leader John Lilburne planned to keep his hat on before the House of Lords, while Digger figures William Everard and Gerrard Winstanley refused to uncover before General Fairfax, calling him their equal. Charles I himself wore his hat throughout his 1649 trial.