I do not accept or believe there is spiritual growth simply because one wears a black hat. To say that is to imply that those who do not wear a black hat, do NOT have spiritual growth. It is PRECISELY that elitist and non-inclusive thinking that bothers me so much. Plenty of guys do not wear hats at all, and are spiritually deeply connected to learning and living Torah.
Blackhatwannabe – Mazel tov on ALL your spiritual growth, however it manifests itself. If you b’davka want to manifest it in a concrete way by wearing a black hat, kol hakavod.Just make sure that what is INSIDE your head matches the symbol of what is ON your head, and that will be the spiritual growth that you seek.