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Word of the Day: Old hat
Today we’ll be looking at the term old hat.
No, I’m not referring to what your grandfather wears on his head when he goes to the grocery store.
Old hat is a term used to describe something that has been done before, no longer interesting or exciting.
Occasionally, old hat can also refer to something that’s been worn out – physically or emotionally.
In the design world, anything old hat has been around for a long time and has become commonplace or predictable.
In the fashion industry, it means clothing and accessories that are no longer in fashion and have developed a dated appearance.
Well, I guess, in this sense, I may be referring to what your grandfather wears on his head.
When it comes to cars, old hat means designs that have been out of use for a long time.
One of the major challenges we have with calling something old hat is that there are only so many possible styles and designs.
This means that what was in vogue last year is old hat now but will be the hottest style in a few years.
Look at the miniskirt, for example.
Every generation of women since the 60s has worn them, yet the miniskirt has also been old hat for every age.
See what I mean?
Almost every car now comes with a standard push-button start, yet it’s nothing new when it comes to vehicles and is actually old hat.
Cadillac first introduced a push-button start into the market back in 1912.
What was once old hat has become new again.
So, you see, your grandfather’s hat may come back into style again, even though he never will.
Flesch-Kincaid Readability Test
This post is understandable by someone with at least a 7th-grade education (age 12).
On the Flesch-Kincaid reading-ease test, this post scores 71.
The easier a passage is to read, the higher the score on a scale of 0 – 100.