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Akubra Overload

Orangegrad

Practically Family
Messages
918
Location
Northeast, OH
Bieng a Stylemaster fan, I own 3, and depending on the predominate colors of clothing you'd wear it with, my choice would be either the Acorn or Mid-Brown as both colors work well with earth tones or Blues/Grey/Blacks. The Moonstone is really more of a light sort of Powder Blue color. Here's a pic of the Mid-Brown which I wear with just about ALL colors and either with suits or casual clothes. John Helmer up in Oregon carries it here in the US. I got my Acorn and Grey from David Morgan in Seatle.

Well, I really like the mid-brown. That's a color that I hadn't seen before. I think I prefer the mid-brown to the acorn - many thanks for posting the photo.
 

djd

Practically Family
Messages
570
Location
Northern Ireland
046v.jpg


My Fed IV on the Orient Express (well, the British part of it!) earlier this year
 

djd

Practically Family
Messages
570
Location
Northern Ireland
Thanks guys :)

Yes the orient express was a great experience - we just did lunch and were in it for half a day basically just from London down to the coast and back. The food was superb and the original 20s and 30s carriages are stunning. A very expensive day out but worth it.

There weren't many fedoras on the train and my old fed IV was the best of them.
 

Orangegrad

Practically Family
Messages
918
Location
Northeast, OH
Thanks guys :)

Yes the orient express was a great experience - we just did lunch and were in it for half a day basically just from London down to the coast and back. The food was superb and the original 20s and 30s carriages are stunning. A very expensive day out but worth it.

There weren't many fedoras on the train and my old fed IV was the best of them.

I haven't been to Europe since 1979 when I was a college student. My wife the same. Our daughter will be in Spain in two years during her sophomore year of college. We're planning to visit our daughter in Spain, then go up to Norway to visit family friends. And then I'm thinking about one leg of the Orient Express, though not sure which portion would be most interesting. My interest was piqued several months back watching an episode of Hercule Poirot filmed on the train. I suspect that, as you suggested, the cost will be a bit steep - but I will probably only have this opportunity once.
 

djd

Practically Family
Messages
570
Location
Northern Ireland
Certainly worth doing if you can! I don't know what vintage the European carriages are? The thing I like most about the British Pullman bit of it is the they're refurbish original rolling stock. These carriages never travelled further than the coast though as they're wider than those used on the continent.
 

Orangegrad

Practically Family
Messages
918
Location
Northeast, OH
I'm ready to purchase an Akubra, and I'd appreciated some advice choosing the correct size. I've measured my head several times. Each time it measures exactly 22" - long oval. What I found is that on the two vendor sites that I am considering purchasing from, their charts provide different information. On one vendor's site, my 22 inch head falls between a 7 and 7 1/8. And so they recommend a 7 1/8. On another vendor's chart, a 22 inch head falls between 6 7/8 and 7, and they recommend I purchase a 7.

In Cleveland we have one hat shop. I have purchased an inexpensive Capas straw there - size 7 1/8. I've tried on a few Borsalinos, and found the 56 too small, and the 57 a really good fit. But are Capas and Borsalinos sized similarly to Akubras?
 

djd

Practically Family
Messages
570
Location
Northern Ireland
My Fed IV runs slightly large compared to other hats I have. Fed IV a bit big, AB Henry a bit small, HJ Poet very small, AB custom a little bit small, Austrailian Model from Schubert Hats- just right. Each one was a size 60cm!
 

monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
I'm ready to purchase an Akubra, and I'd appreciated some advice choosing the correct size. I've measured my head several times. Each time it measures exactly 22" - long oval. What I found is that on the two vendor sites that I am considering purchasing from, their charts provide different information. On one vendor's site, my 22 inch head falls between a 7 and 7 1/8. And so they recommend a 7 1/8. On another vendor's chart, a 22 inch head falls between 6 7/8 and 7, and they recommend I purchase a 7.

In Cleveland we have one hat shop. I have purchased an inexpensive Capas straw there - size 7 1/8. I've tried on a few Borsalinos, and found the 56 too small, and the 57 a really good fit. But are Capas and Borsalinos sized similarly to Akubras?

Having bought and worn Akubra's for over 30 years now, I would recomend getting one size up in their hats as they tend to "fit down " to your head size with sweat and rain, which are NOT a bother to them, and you will find they will fit perfectly. Most retailers can provide felt strips to help pad them out while you wear them at first. ( David Morgan and The Bluewater group do so with out you asking here in the US.) What model Akubra are you looking to purchase and from who ?
 

Saint-Just

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Ashford, Kent - UK
Is it acceptable to have the brim re-cut slightly? And is it something most hatters will do?

Or does it throw the balance of the hat off? I was thinking of a fed IV, with about 1 cm cut off all round...
 

Saint-Just

One of the Regulars
Messages
196
Location
Ashford, Kent - UK
I had seen the photo in the visit to hatco sticky, but didn't know if it could be done. Thank you for putting my mind at rest.

As probably many newbies, I struggle with the options for my first "serious" hat purchase, torn between second hand on the bay or on line shop, without having handled any so I only judge from photos which is far from ideal. Hence the (probably) ridiculously trivial questions... :eek:
 

Orangegrad

Practically Family
Messages
918
Location
Northeast, OH
Having bought and worn Akubra's for over 30 years now, I would recomend getting one size up in their hats as they tend to "fit down " to your head size with sweat and rain, which are NOT a bother to them, and you will find they will fit perfectly. Most retailers can provide felt strips to help pad them out while you wear them at first. ( David Morgan and The Bluewater group do so with out you asking here in the US.) What model Akubra are you looking to purchase and from who ?

I am looking at purchasing a Stylemaster. I understand that David Morgan is a popular source, and by their standards a 22" head would size up to a 7 1/8. The other vendor is John Helmer - they are the only US vendor that carries the mid-brown (more like dark brown) Stylemaster. I received an email from them suggesting that I purchase a size 7. So not sure which size to purchase.
 

monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
I am looking at purchasing a Stylemaster. I understand that David Morgan is a popular source, and by their standards a 22" head would size up to a 7 1/8. The other vendor is John Helmer - they are the only US vendor that carries the mid-brown (more like dark brown) Stylemaster. I received an email from them suggesting that I purchase a size 7. So not sure which size to purchase.

I have 3 Stylemasters and have purchased two from David Morgan and my Mid-Brownfrom John Helmer. ( funny about that color, it is imported by DM but they don't retail it out of their store, just wholesale to other hatters. :) ) I wear a 59 and order the 60 and after a few good rains and sweatings all fits well :) I like a hat to fit down on my head and during the winter when I wear my felts my hair is worn slightly longer so it all works out well. If you get the Mid-Brown your gonna like it as it is a good go with everything, dress up, dress down color for that hat. My avitar is a pic of my 5yo grandaughter wearing my Acorn Stylemaster :)
 

Orangegrad

Practically Family
Messages
918
Location
Northeast, OH
I have 3 Stylemasters and have purchased two from David Morgan and my Mid-Brownfrom John Helmer. ( funny about that color, it is imported by DM but they don't retail it out of their store, just wholesale to other hatters. :) ) I wear a 59 and order the 60 and after a few good rains and sweatings all fits well :) I like a hat to fit down on my head and during the winter when I wear my felts my hair is worn slightly longer so it all works out well. If you get the Mid-Brown your gonna like it as it is a good go with everything, dress up, dress down color for that hat. My avitar is a pic of my 5yo grandaughter wearing my Acorn Stylemaster :)

I emailed John Helmer, and the email I received back suggested I get the size 7. They do not have that in stock. They do have the 7 1/8 mid-brown in stock, and I'm thinking I might just purchase that one. I do like the mid-brown color.
 

thespoiler

One of the Regulars
Messages
105
Location
Virginia
I am looking at getting an Akubra CEO in either Burgundy or Green, size 57 . I have yet to see a picture of either color hat and hate to order without out at least looking at a picture. If anybody has a photo I would certainly appreciate your posting it or directing me to an online source.....

Thanks
 
Last edited:

dannyboy_883

New in Town
Messages
34
Location
Canberra, Australia
New Fed IV

Just got my fed, I took off the bow and changed it a bit, don't know why...

But here are some examples...
old..



new..




and a couple of the bash..





Kinda makes me want a Fed in every colour now!

Cheers,
Danny
 

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