Best flat cap for London member?

[Edward]

what did you think of the quality of the newsboys in the cashmere/tweed for your GBP 25 and what array of sizes?

I'm pleased with the ones I bought. I'd consider them more of a Spring / Autumn hat (I'd want the heavier Gatsby style for the current colder weather), but they're definitely a nice hat. The sizing is the less exact s/m/l/xl style, and they do come up small - I'm generally a medium in everything (a 57 is just bang on for me), but I had to go up to a large in these. Medium might have been fine if I'd wanted a tight fit that sat high on the head, but the large looked a lot better. Quality-wise, they stand up against any similar hat I've experienced. The tweed I would naturally expect to be much more durable, but I certainly don't feel that the cashmere hats need to be treated with kid gloves. I'd expct mine will get a lot more wear come the spring - ideal companion for a leather jacket when you just don't want to wear a fedora, on windy days, and whatever.

[Topper]

Number of styles available from Christys' if you need anything specific please give me a call.

http://www.christys-hats.com/viewtweedcaps.php

pip-pip
Doug

[londonboy]

How much are Christys caps? Does anyone have any other leads, maybe to a Scottish or Irish store?

[londonboy]

I bought a Cashmere Gill from Lock Hatters. Their service was excellent, and the salesperson showed me the little nook where they display the hats of Admiral Nelson and the Duke of Wellington, and the Queen Mother's hat block. Their cap had the softest, lightest cashmere, and the most comfortable construction. I was told it was sewn by Mr Gill, their capmaker of over thirty years.

Although Lock's hats are perhaps not of very high quality, excepting possibly their bowlers, I think their caps are actually made in England and still quite remarkable.

Bates carried a very small selection of Johnstons cashmere caps. These were nice, but the construction was stiff, particularly the brim, and these ended up not fitting very well. The sizing was eccentric, too.

Christys emailed me that they do not sell cashmere caps.

The Convent Garden stall caps were okay for the price, but they were very coarse and of average construction. I decided that I have only one head to put a hat on, and went with what I felt was most comfortable.

Thank you all for your assistance, and thank you again to AlanC for his original suggestion of Lock's.

[Edward]

Sounds great. Enjoy!