As a kid growing up in Little Rock, Ark., Chris Moore admired his father and uncles in their cool brimmed hats.

So he was peacock-proud to get his first -- a handsome gray felt lid -- in the eighth grade.

That was more than 45 years ago, and he has been wearing hats since. The TV and radio host for WQED and KDKA (1020 AM) stands out as one of the few prominent men in Pittsburgh who wears hats as frequently and naturally as other guys wear jeans.

"I'm all for hats," said Mr. Moore, 59, of Stanton Heights. "I've been trying to bring them back single-handedly for years."

Although brimmed hats have never gone out of style, they began a long, slow decline as a men's fashion accessory somewhere around the early '70s.

Some blame President Kennedy, who bucked a trend among presidents when he went hatless for his inauguration and basically his entire presidency. Later, as menswear became more casual, more guys began reaching for caps rather than brimmed, dressier headgear, causing sales to plunge, department stores to slash orders and manufacturers to pare production. Gone were the days when it was routine for American men to wear brimmed hats, whether they were dressed casually or suited up.

But now, fedoras, panamas, bowlers, derbies and other brimmed styles appear to be staging a comeback, thanks in no small part to famous hat-wearing celebs such as Usher, Neyo, Justin Timberlake and Johnny Depp. Growing concern about sun protection also appears to be fueling the resurgence, as well as another interesting development: the market influence of trendsetting young female celebs such as Britney Spears, Alicia Keys, Ciara and Christina Aguilera, who make bold fashion statements by topping off menswear-inspired clothes with a fedora.

"They're starting to be popular again," said fashion trend forecaster David A. Wolfe, noting that a men's hat store opened this summer in the trendy Chelsea neighborhood of Manhattan.

When buying a brimmed hat in Pittsburgh, men can find the most options at discount retailers such as Burlington Coat Factory, vintage stores such as Eons in Shadyside or one of the few men's hat shops such as Headgear, Downtown, in the Fifth Avenue space formerly occupied by Tucker and Tucker men's hat store.

More shops are opening that specialize in hats, caps and other men's headwear. One is Specialty Hats, which opened last year at 4025 Butler St. in Lawrenceville.

Greg "H.G." Whitted, buyer for Specialty Hats, said he's seeing more interest in brimmed styles among men as young as 25. He credited it to pop singers and music videos.

"There's definitely been an increase, especially with the younger ages," he said.

The store carries Dobbs, Stetson, Capas and Stacy Adams and several other lines. There are a few styles by comedian-actor Steve Harvey, who is known for flashier hats and clothing and has influenced the demographic of middle-age black men among whom he is popular.

Some customers buy hats for sun protection, Mr. Whitted said, adding that a young woman recently bought a men's straw brim for sun protection -- even though the store has a few women's styles.

Like anything else, a good hat can be costly.

While $55 is considered a moderate price at Specialty Hats, some styles range up to $450. Winter hats made of felt, suede or leather and with heavier, more costly materials cost more than summer styles.

Heather Hannan, a Macy's spokeswoman who works with 114 stores in Pennsylvania and eight other Midwest states, said the merchandiser's male customer tends to be more interested in caps than brimmed hats.

There is a celebrity influence in terms of dressier hats, she said, but "beyond that, there really isn't much."

"I don't think it's viewed as a necessity. I think before, when a man didn't wear a hat, he was violating a fashion law. But I don't think that's the case anymore, because I think fashion rules kind of have been relaxed a little bit."

MODA, a men's specialty store in Shadyside, stocked brimmed hats for spring and summer by Paul Smith, Diesel and D squared. They ranged from $80 to $265 and were snapped up by guys in their 20s and 30s -- and a few women.

"They sold out," said owner Michael Barone.

European designers, who tend to set fashion trends globally, have shown men's brimmed hats in collections for next spring and summer. Salvatore Ferragamo sent straw fedoras down the runway and Missoni showed hip zigzag bucket hats.

Through fall and winter and into next spring and summer, Don Patterson of Penn Hills will be wearing brimmed hats from his sizable private collection. Although he wore hats as a youngster, he stopped in the '80s -- and then picked them back up again in 2000.

"Hats give me an air of confidence," said Mr. Patterson, 47. "You feel good, and you feel like you're looking good."