A Newsboy Hat's Journey: From Newsies to Mario and Beyond

The newsboy cap has come a very long way.

A Newsboy Hat's Journey: From Newsies to Mario and Beyond

                      

The Journey Begins:

Long before Mario and Luigi donned their iconic newsboy it had quite a history. The newsboy and Gatsby style hat is very similar to a flat cap. It is also known as a baker boy, Apple, eight quarter, or cabbie. It has the same overall shape and a stiff peak like a flat cap but the body is rounder and fuller. Newsboy and Gatsby style hats are also paneled with a button on top as well as a button attaching the front to the brim. The hat at first was synonymous with the early news boys that sold newspapers on the street corner. The newsboy hat was associated with the young boys who sold newspapers but they were not the only ones that adopted this hat style. The hat was worn all throughout North America in the late 19^th and 20^th century by both boys as well as adult men. The newsboy cap was loved by all people and all classes, especially the “lower class.” Many early photographs from this time period depict someone wearing this classic hat style. Just like wearing a baseball cap did not mean that you were a necessarily a baseball player, the same was true that just because you wore a newsboy cap did not make you a news boy. The news boys might have helped this hat style grow in popularity but this hat was soon worn by other professionals such as dock workers, high steel workers, farmers, artisans, beggars, and other professions. This hat style began with the lower class but was soon adopted into the upper class as well. What started as a simple inexpensive hat style eventually led to construction of higher quality caps. These were worn by the upper classes for use in their leisure activities like golf. F. Scott Fitzgerald was the author of a popular book called the Great Gatsby. One of the characters was Jay Gatsby. The novel was so popular that a new style of hat was born. The hat became known as a Gatsby style cap. This has is similar to the flat cap style but is simpler featuring a more pronounced bill. Nowadays you will be hard pressed to not see hundreds of newsboy style Mario hats on costumes all across the country.

The Evolution of Style

The newsboy cap is a hat style that not even the hipsters can ruin. A newsboy or Gatsby style hat can be found today is many styles, colors and designs. These caps have been referred to as baker boy, golf cap, cabbie, or driving caps. All these styles maintain that same classic design but add tweaks for both style and comfort. Gatsby cap, ascot, Apple, and 8 quarter styles remain popular to this day. Not many people have heard of this hat style but the ones that love it are very passionate about it. It has been one of the most popular hats for men in the last decade.

Modern History:

The newsboy and Gatsby cap style has been around for over a century now. The style has changed and evolved while also staying true to the integrity of the original design. It has graced the heads of early news boys, factory workers, farmers, beggars and artisans. It has been popularized by famous literary characters. It has evolved from being a cap worn by the lower class, to becoming a very popular hat of the affluent upper class. The newsboy and Gatsby style cap will continue to evolve in both style and function. We will continue to be on the cutting edge of current hat styles and trends. This hat has been around for over a hundred years and newsboy, Gatsby and other flat cap styles will be around for another hundred years. Believe it or not but Mario has been around since 1981 years and his iconic red cotton elastic newsboy hat is still worn as a Halloween costume every year, now that's staying power. Mario isn't the only one having all the fun, his slightly younger brother Luigi, created in 1983 has his own iconic green cotton elastic newsboy hat.

 

Hat Care:

These 5 tools will become your cap's best friend.This is a delicate hat style and as such requires delicate care. Look for a soft bristle brush to help you delicately remove stubborn stains. Be sure to use circular patterns when cleaning you hat to gently remove dirt and stains. Try to not get your cap overly wet and if you hat becomes wet simply shake off the excess water and let air-dry. Using these tips as well as the ones listed below you will be sure to keep your hat looking stunning for years to come

 

Here are some common hat care tips:

• Every hat will develop its own personality and style with time. Small marks on the hat are all part of the hats life cycle and only add to its authenticity.
• All hats can be treated with a waterproof spray if necessary
• Some hats might shrink if they are exposed to high heat, or left out exposed to sunlight
• A stiff brim allows your hat to be shape the way that you would like, but some hats feature a flexible brim that allows the hat to be crushed.
• If you do not have a hat form, place the hat on a bowl while it dries to keep its form.
• The dishwasher is another viable option for washing a hat but can sometimes fade the colors of the hat,
• Dry cleaning is also a cheap and effective way to keep your hat clean
• If you are completely lost about hat care check the tag to find washing instructions

Have you Seen Me?: The Story of Where's Waldo

He once was lost but now he is found.

 

Here are some little known Waldo facts

 

Waldo Origin Story

Waldo was created by an artist name Martin Hanford. He was trying to write a book that would showcase his artistic talent. He created the character Waldo to help provide a link between each scene in the book. His earlier editors thought his book filled with only crowd scenes would be lacking a them and direction. Basically Waldo was an afterthought. Handford was mostly looking to showcase his talent for creating busy crowd scenes. However early fans of his work were drawn to the fun and unique character and he has evolved and grown for more than 25 years now.

The story of Waldo is simple, a distinctly dressed man wearing a red and white striped beanie and striped clothing begins a world wide journey around the world and other exotic locales. He visits everyday places like the beach, ski slops, the zoo and even The Land of the Waldos. The books invited the readers to find the uniquely dressed Waldo among the crowded scene. At the start of each page is a postcard from Waldo explaining his travels and some hints about the picture.

 

This is what happened when Asia got a hold of Waldo

Waldo's Tool's of the Trade

Waldo is not traveling empty handed. Everywhere that he travels he carries with him 12 special items.

1. Walking Stick
2. Kettle
3. Mallet
4. Cup
5. Backpack
6. Sleeping Bag
7. Binoculars
8. Camera
9. Snorkel
10. Belt
11. Bag
12. Shovel

                                                                       

            
The Where's Waldo Cast of Characters

Waldo Might Be Lost But He is Not Alone

Waldo might have started off his journey alone, but he would not be alone for long. He would later be joined by several new characters. His first female companion would be Wilma but she was soon replaced by her identical twin sister Wenda. Wenda dressed just like Waldo with a striped beanie, and red a white striped shirt and wire framed glasses. He would soon find his nemesis named Odlaw, which you might have noticed is "Waldo" spelled backwards. He wears yellow and black striped clothing and his wire framed glasses have a blue tint to them. Also unlike Waldo Odlaw has a sinister mustache. He is sometimes seen trying to steal Waldo's magical walking stick. Another companion for Waldo in his travels was Woof. Woof is Waldo's dog, he is one of the hardest characters to find in the series. Wally's mentor of sorts, was Wizard Whtebeard. According to the story he was the one to send Waldo on this journey to find himself. He is recognized for his long white beard, blue wizards hat and red cloak. Eventually Wally's popularity grew to the point to where the Wally Watchers were created. They were Waldo's devoted fan-club and actually were featured in the Ultimate Fun Book.
         

                                        

Man of Many Names

Waldo originated in England but is known by different names in all of the countries that he has been introduced to.

• French=Charlie
• Hindi=Hetti
• Norway=Willy
• Croatia=Jura
• Denmark=Holger
• Czech=Valdik
• Estonia=Volli
• German=Walter
• Hungarian=Villi
• Italian=Ubaldo
• Korean=Wolli
• Vietnamese=Van Lang

                                     

                                                

Taking Waldo Fandom to a whole new level

Lesser Known Waldo Facts

• The book was shortly banned because there was a nude women on the beach in one of the scenes
• There is no formula for finding Waldo, he could be anywhere.
• Scientists have studied people searching for Waldo and have studied the brainwave patterns associated with it
• There are only 7 main books in the series, however many spin off versions have been produced.
• In 2011 3,872 people broke the World Record in Dublin for the most people gathered together dressed like Waldo.
• There was a Google Earth project called "Where on Earth is Waldo" where art students painted Waldo templates and encouraged people to put them on their roofs so that they would show up on Google Earth, and you could find him just like the books. http://whereonearthiswaldo.wordpress.com/
• The original character had round glasses, and a pom pom red and white striped beanie. Waldo's creator Hanford describe him as being like a "trainspotter" which was a phrase used in England in the 1980's describing someone who was a bit daft (Kind of silly or foolish, some might say, lost)
• The NES (Nintendo Entertainment System) version of Where's Waldo is considered one of the worst video games of all time.
• Some actually have gotten a Waldo Scene tattoo

He is not a hard man to find

Waldo: From 1987-2014

Waldo has become a huge part of the popular culture of the past 25 years. Anybody under the age of 30 will most likely have fond memories of the garish yet memorable lost traveler. Many people choose to dress up as Waldo every year and decide to don the red and white beanie, the striped shirt and the black wire rim glasses. Waldo has become the kind of character that stands out while blending in. These Waldo costumes can be found online and sometimes in stores. Some people make their costumes but it is better to save your time and buy Waldo Costumes from trusted online retailers. Click here for more great costume ideas including Wenda costume sets and the complete Waldo Costume set including the shirt, glasses and beanie.