How do folks react to your hat wearing?

In my literary workshop i've received compliments about my maidana, my teacher asked me if it is alargo marsino. Later there were comments about the style of wearing hats. And comments about religious meanings about wearing a hat. I'm not religious but very mystic, as i love a lot the greek-roman myths or nordic, even hindu myths. And Folklore of course. As an amateur writer i try to revive the romantic and gothic literature. I love Poe, Bécquer, le fanu and Dickens.

I went to the UPS store today to get the office mail. There was a large crowd with a long line that had to snake back and forth to be able to get everyone inside. I was wearing a charcoal wool overcoat and a recent black Stetson Whippet. I got several compliments and comments from those I was next to in the line. "Why don't men wear hats like that any more?", "where do you find a hat like that?", "I wish my husband would trade ball caps for a nice hat", and a "my grand-dad dressed like you and always was classy". I also had a guy in his late 20's tell me that he had decided he was going to get a nice fedora since Bruno Mars and some others had made it OK to wear a hat like mine to be worn by a guy under 50.

"Why don't men wear hats like that any more?"

For a question such as that, my boilerplate response would be: "We still do."

Regards,
J T

I'm a geezer, therefore pretty much invisible in public - especially to younger people. I seldom get comments on my hats but the few I have received have all been positive.

I'm not quite sure if I got a reaction so far or not. One guy sang "o sole mio" when I passed by with my Borsa - but I didn't recognize if he started the show only for me or if he just had a lucky day.

Except that nobody really cares. I live in a part of the city that's a bit alternative, so people dress how they want and everybody is fine with that. In addition to this i really feel comfortable when wearing one of my hats because I love every single one of them. Maybe my smile while having a hat on makes people think they suit me anyway.

A dash to the supermarket for a forgotten item brought an unusual comment today. The rain was persisting down, the best rain resistant hat that I have is a Stetson Sovereign, that, therefore, was my choice. A guy at the shop called me Indiana, "Not exactly original," I replied, before softening and wishing him a happy new year. He picked up on my tone and seemed quite genuinely interested. He commented further about Indiana Jones so I scribbled down Herbert Johnson, adding Swaine Adeney Brigg and told him to look them up. "So what sort of hat is your's," he enquired. I showed him the hat lining: "John B Stetson," he read aloud. "That's the hat maker," I told him, "can you see the hat style's name?" "Sovereign?" he queried. "Correct," I said. He then confided that he thought that Stetson was a hat name and was quite surprised that it was a hat manufacturer, then just to confuse things I explained that it was a Fedora. He wrote that down on the piece of paper that I had previously scribbled on. So, what do you think? Do we have a new hat convert, or not? Here's what he saw:

It's really interesting, I never get any comments either good or bad. I think people may be afraid too. I think it's because I look like a cross between Al Capone and and Odd Job.

basbol13 said:

It's really interesting, I never get any comments either good or bad. I think people may be afraid too. I think it's because I look like a cross between Al Capone and and Odd Job.

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Back in the days when a subcontractor & I would frequently fly Southwest Airlines with their open seating he would always take the window seat & I would take the aisle seat, stretch my legs out, put a scowl on my face & my western hat in the seat between us. If you've ever flown on those cattle calls you know how crowded they can be. Even as the plane would fill up not once did we ever have anyone ask if the middle seat was taken.

I almost never get the Indiana Jones thing, but many many years ago I did get a "detective" comment from a toddler at my son's day care. The one time I did get the Indian Jones comment, my reaction was to say "Hardly, I prefer to think I'm channeling my inner George Raft." Of course not knowing who Raft is usually shuts them up.

Got my first Indy comment last night, my friend said something like " you can get a bullwhip for it too". That was after he asked me where I got it like Where did you Get that Hat?? He showed me his hat which I judge was a wool "ranger" sort of hat with a Mallory liner and Stetson on the sweat. I had my BGCD.

Thank you for sharing.

Xylophile said:

Got my first Indy comment last night, my friend said something like " you can get a bullwhip for it too". That was after he asked me where I got it like Where did you Get that Hat?? He showed me his hat which I judge was a wool "ranger" sort of hat with a Mallory liner and Stetson on the sweat. I had my BGCD.

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Mallory was acquired by Stetson in the mid to late 40s ... it was most likely a Stetson hat

I got a nice comment from a lady at church today. She said she loved the look... Penman steel felt fedora, blue cashmere jackeg and charcoal cashmere overcoat. I love my Penman and my cashmere!

FedOregon said:

I got a nice comment from a lady at church today. She said she loved the look... Penman steel felt fedora, blue cashmere jackeg and charcoal cashmere overcoat. I love my Penman and my cashmere!

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I actually got some positive comments at church this morning as well. It pays to celebrate National Hat Day!

moontheloon said:

Mallory was acquired by Stetson in the mid to late 40s ... it was most likely a Stetson hat

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Yeah, Stetson actually kept a model called the Mallory after they folded the name. Not a great hat IMHO.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

I may have mentioned the first part of this interaction before. If so, here it is again... and the rest of the story.

I teach the 11 year old kids' Sunday School class at church. It consists of classroom time and then ends with sharing time with songs and lessons for several classes of kids that range from about 7 to 11 years old. About 2 months ago, as we were waiting in line before going into sharing time, a young man about 9, named Porter, looked at my hat and asked excitedly, "Is that a fedora?" I answered, "yeeessss." And with grand fervor and expectation, Porter then asked, "Can I have it?"

Well, I had to answer no but I've been keeping my eye out for a hat that he might like, and one that might fit him. A couple of weeks ago I was wearing a hat that's a little tight on me and I plopped it on Porter's head just to get an idea of fit and hat size.

So in the last week or so, our good FL friend DOGMAN posted for sale a really nice 60's ??? Stetson Royal Deluxe, dark brown with a nice bow, some feathers, a bit of a stingy brim but very nice proportionally and at what I was hoping was a good size at 6-7/8.

Without going back to check, I believe the hat was first posted at $30 shipped, then lowered to $25 and then $22... at which point I saw the ad, looked over the hat and asked to buy it for my young friend. Sir DOGMAN, upon finding the hat was a first hat for a young man knocked a few more dollars off the price and shipped it by F-16 fighter jet to Oregon. No kidding, I've never seen a hat get to me so fast.

I believe it's a grand understatement to say both DOGMAN and I were excited about the prospect of gifting this cool Royal Deluxe Stetson to Porter. I sent a text to Porter's Dad to give him a heads up, and he was thrilled about it too. He'd had no idea about the conversation between Porter and I and initially asked how much he owed me. I assured him there was no cost at all, that it was a small gift for Porter because he seemed so excited about fedoras, which I collect and wear all the time.

We tried to connect during the week and kept missing each other so I arranged to meet Porter and his Dad immediately after church, away from other kids who might feel left out. As much as I'd like to, I just can't afford to provide hats to every interested child in the congregation.

Normally, Porter is a pretty talkative kid. His words, phrasing and general sentence structure makes him sound more like an adult than a young boy of 9. Anyway, we went to my car directly after church let out and I made small talk about the hat. I opened the trunk of the car, opened the masterfully created hatbox that DOGMAN had put together for shipping, and pulled out the hat.

Porter stopped talking. His bespecked eyes were wide and searching. I nearly chuckled, but pulled the hat out, explaining what a nice hat the Royal Deluxe is. I showed how it can be worn with the brim up, or snapped down in "true" fedora fashion. I then placed it on his head and was thrilled to see that it fit perfectly.

We started walking back to the church and I turned to look at Porter. He still wasn't talking, so I asked him, "are you stoked!?" He paused and then said, "I don't know what that means." I smiled and said, "Happy? Excited?" And Porter said, "yyyyyyyyyyyeeeeeeeeeeeeaaaaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhhhhhh" with a real loud, almost guttural hiss. His smile was as big as a crescent moon, but I think I was happier than he was, just to see him so "stoked" about his new hat.

A big thanks to @DOGMAN, and to all the Professors of Fine Hats here on the FL. This was such a cool experience. My words just can't describe it in sufficient detail to convey it all....

No pics, just because I don't think it's cool to post pictures of other parents' children on the internet.

That is absolutely the coolest thing I've read on the FL, Fed. So great of you and DOGMAN.

Such a mensch, you are.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

I'm sure many of you know, giving something - especially to someone who is so appreciative - is so rewarding.

A guy at work told me to watch the Kindness Diaries on Netflix. I spent all Friday morning watching those episodes and crying through the whole thing. I'm not sure I know exactly what mensch means, but I believe I agree with you, Jim, if it means softy, pushover, or something along those lines....

I almost gave away my old "beater" LL Bean/Stetson "Moose River" hat to a stranger at McDonalds once. My wife asked me if I was crazy, LOL. He walked by me and said something like "I really like that hat!" When I saw him later, sitting there with his young kids and wife I just had the urge to walk over and give him my hat.

We were heading home after a visit to Mike at NW Hats. In the trunk of the car was my brand new Pecan 100% beaver fedora and the conversion Mike did for me with my old Stratton western to a nice Outback style hat. I felt like, I have 2 new hats in the car... why not give this guy a hat he clearly likes?

Anyhoo......

Doug , That is Awesome ! DOGMAN is incredibly kind and generous , also ! If he wears the Hat , his friends will be wanting a lid likewise , and your kindness and generosity will never be forgotten . He'll tell his grandchildren my Sunday School Teacher wore Hats and I loved them , and he gave me one , I was hooked from then on , and besides the Hat it taught me something deeper that touched my life . ... Blessings and acts of kindness , freely given , showing GOD's Love in giving HIS Only Begotten SON for us . Everything pointing to the GREATEST GIFT EVER ! Kindness and Generosity Abound on The Lounge ! That's So Wonderful @FedOregon and @DOGMAN , Blessings to you !

Kids love Hats . My friends' children were always wanting to wear mine , so for Christmas , I bought the boys (3) (well 2) a Stetson Pony Express for the next to the youngest boy age 6 , a 3X Resistol for the oldest boy age 8 , and the ALWAYS AWESOME @BobHufford (Thanks Again Bob !) actually gave me a OR clone Centennial (Nice Hat) in a 6 1/2 for the youngest ! Perfect Fit ! The weird thing , I didn't get a Hat for the 11 year old girl , and she said , I would like a Hat , too . (Who knew ?) I said I'll get you whatever you would like . She wanted a Western Hat Tan-ish color (not too light or too dark , just right < Goldie Locks) . I measured her , 7 1/8 , and started looking . Who knew , 7 1/8 Hats are about as sought after as 7 3/8 , but I finally found one that she liked the color of (Silver Sand)(girls are pickier than guys) , and gave it to her Sunday after Sunday School . She Loves It ! Success ! It was a US Forest Service Official Regulation Western by Stetson 4X I think .

I know I wore Hats before I could walk , and never stopped , so now we are passing on the Style and Benefit to the next generation , and hopefully teaching even more in the process .