When I see red hats today, I really only think of one thing, one person. The MAGA community has had somewhat of a monopoly on red hats for the last few years. Many people who wear them do so as a show of support for Donald Trump. So anyone who didn’t want to be associated with him has been left with the choice to be mistaken as a supporter or avoid red hats altogether.
Fashion is a form of communication. There is an expectation that, in certain social situations, fashion will be used as an identifier. Take employee uniforms, for example. If you shop at Target and want to find an employee, what would you do? Simply look for the red shirt. And while colors may vary, the same is true for many other businesses. A similar thing can be said about sports fans. Wearing a certain team’s colors or jerseys tells those around you who you’re rooting for without you having to say a single word.
That is what the red hat has become for many: a silent form of identification. Both Trump supporters and those who oppose them have a reaction whenever they see a red hat. Many people have stopped wearing red hats in general to avoid being associated in any way with Trump or MAGA supporters.
So, has MAGA ruined red hats forever? Will they become another item that is forever intertwined with a specific political movement? Some crafters are saying no.
A popular yarn shop in Minnesota, Needle & Skein, has released a pattern for a hat inspired by the red hats worn during World War II. To protest the Nazi occupation and rise of fascism across Europe, Norwegians in the 1940s wore knit red hats with a tassel. These hats became so popular as a sign of resistance that the Nazis banned the hats and made it illegal to wear, make, or distribute them.
The modern pattern, aptly called the “Melt the ICE Hat”, is being used to protest ICE’s actions across the country. Crafters across the United States are taking part, with many posting their progress and final products on social media. Both a knit and a crochet version of the pattern are available, and all the money made from sales will be donated to local immigration aid organizations.
Fashion has power. Hopefully, Americans can successfully transform red hats from a symbol of fascism to one against it.
It’s time to take back the red hat.
