FAQ on Brands, Etc.?

[Flyboy]

I've looked through the archives (though probably not as thoroughly as I ought), and I've found some good information in several threads, but has anybody put together a single, unified FAQ talking about different brands, styles, vintages, and such? I'm seeing all kinds of terms, styles, brands, and such, but I have no idea what I'm really looking at. Can somebody point me to a good primer on fedoras in particular, and men's hats in general?

 

[budward]

I'll second Flyboy's request. I'd also like to know if there's a primer on styles of fedoras correlated with particular decades--e.g., brims wider/shorter in 20s/30s/40s, and same question re crown height & hat colors. All that may be included in the sources that Fly asked about, though.

Also, in honor of the day I must add: :beer:

Happy Green to you all.

 

[artboynyc]

I'll third the motion. I'm unqualified to create a FAQ, but I have some idea of what I'd like to see.

1) Best brands or makers (with brief description), both vintage and new, and where to get them;
2) Explanation of the difference between types of felts (beaver, nutria, hare, etc.);
3) Explanation of what to look for in the hat's details (sweatband, liner, bow, ribbon, etc.)
3) Definitions of types of styling (ie, welted edge, Cavanagh edge, etc.) and bashing (teardrop crown, center crease, etc.);
4) General guidelines as to what style of fedora fits what type of face.; and
5) General guidelines as to hat care and maintenance.

All these fall under the basic categories of what to look for in a good hat, where to get a good hat and how to treat a good hat.

I know a lot of posters on this board feel that the only way to go when getting a new lid is to go vintage or custom-made -- and I certainly don't know enough to disagree with that -- but I am curious as to what the criteria they're using are. I used to own a vintage Borsalino (sadly lost) and I could just tell it was an amazing hat, but if I had to answer why, I'd just say, "'Cause it looked so purty." (I talk like that under duress.)

I know there's enough expertise on this forum for somebody to come up with a really great FAQ on the subject. (And some of the hatmakers on this forum might be really interested in having at least part of this FAQ at hand for potential customers, I would think.)

 

[NivlemRulz]

Wow this is an old thread I came across in the search view, but it is the exact questions I wanted to ask. I'm up to four hats in the collection and moving forward I want to be a little more knowledgeable. Why did no one respond to this thread?

 

[RBH]

I believe the answers are here....

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?52584-Links-To-Important-Hat-Forum-Threads

and yes you will have to look in the threads to find them.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Reading the forum everyday and learning and reading and asking questions has been my best learing experience. As I am sure everyone else here has done the same. There are many great threads that Rusty has pointed out.