Full Brim vs. Stingy Brim

[Mr Vim]

Well, I think it worked...

Looking good Sir, looking good. You said Optimo did that ribbon for you?

Oh and as far as Stingy versus full... I started off with Stingy brims then I moved into full brims. I wear both but now a days I lean towards full brims on more occasions.

 

[hatophile]

Looking good Sir, looking good. You said Optimo did that ribbon for you?

Oh and as far as Stingy versus full... I started off with Stingy brims then I moved into full brims. I wear both but now a days I lean towards full brims on more occasions.

I concur with Mr. Vim. I had a decent collection of vintage hats with medium brims I got rid of :eusa_doh: about 15 years ago because I felt uncomfortable wearing them regularly. Then about 7 years ago, I started to wear hats more frequently to limit sun exposure. I started with 2" or less brims, and short crowns (which didn't really help with sun anyway except for the bald spot on top).

After a couple of years, those started to look too small, so now I've graduated to about 2 1/2 to 2 3/4 and feel very comfortable in them. I guess I've "grown into" larger hats. I like the way I look now in the larger brims, I don't think I have anything less than 2 1/4 size now.

By the way, MV, while I am a thin-ribbon fan, I do like the way that OR came out with the wider ribbon. :eusa_clap

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

danofarlington, Mr.Vim, hatophile,

Thanks gentlemen. That Stetson was an OR from about the 70s or 80s that I got off ebay for about $20. I have a few ORs so I decided to take it down to Optimo here in Chicago and change out the ribbon. I like how it turned out.

 

[TheBeak]

Thanks a lot guys.
I've established my favorite style at this point would probably be a snap-brim with teardrop crease, and possibly a 2 1/4" brim. For what it's worth, here's a cheap stingy I picked up the other day (don't mind the background).

I really dont know anything about anything, but I think you look better in this hat than the black hat you posted earlier. Not sure what it is but I think it fits your face better.

 

[scottyrocks]

I really dont know anything about anything, but I think you look better in this hat than the black hat you posted earlier. Not sure what it is but I think it fits your face better.

And I tend to agree with this. However, I would like to see you in a more traditional fedora with similar dimensions, such as:

Color and exact brim dimensions are up for discussion, of course . . .

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I like a full-brim, 40's, 50's style. Stingies are nice, but they look better on Kojak than on me.

 

[Wolfwood]

Isn't it funny how our wives don't like us to look like dorks.I think it might be a good idea to pay attention.I can assure you my wife would hate that hat on me.

I guess they don't like to see the "You married that!?" look on other women's faces...

 

[dnjan]

I like the black hat above but I don't care for the stingy brim when worn UP like this picture.

I'm sorry, but to me it looks like a clown hat.

Cliff

In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.

 

[danofarlington]

In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.

Yes, I go along with that (not that Cliffnopus has to follow suit). My local hatman told me 20 years ago that hats are supposed to be seen as more or less level when viewed from the side. I took that to be the convention in the big hat years, since he was around then, and so I have worn mine that way, and now see it as the right way. Others can do what they want, but I adopted the conventional convention.

 

[CharlieB]

I like a full-brim, 40's, 50's style. Stingies are nice, but they look better on Kojak than on me.

Agreed. I also tried on a Homburg once - my wife hated it. I stick to wide brims.

 

[Alex]

I'm going to hat store soon, so I'm pretty excited to see what would look best on me and what would meet my tastes. I like a full brim best, but thanks for all the feedback. Hopefully I can find one that works best and isn't too expensive.

 

[John in Covina]

In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.

I don't know where it is but there is a dissertation in one of the threads on how you wear your hat as to your personality and mood.
A tipped back hat in the movies was often associated with the happy go lucky type.

 

[Scotus]

I agree with John as well. The stingy brims are in fashion now for the younger set, but I think they look "not quite right" on older men. However, bands can get by with more extremes in fashion than the man on the street.

 

[jlee562]

In addition to the brim being snapped up in front, I am really not a fan of the tipped-back hat.

Maybe it's my personal preference but I think stingys look better tipped back. That's usually how I wear mine:

60's Resistol "Gotham I" in "orbit" grey.

 

[John in Covina]

However, bands can get by with more extremes in fashion than the man on the street.

People in the entertainment field wear clothes to make a statement or as costumes fairly often.

From photography of earlier times stingy brims evoke the image of the cool nightclub performer - jazz musician. It has seen a revival with musicians that has gone on for quite a while and was then picked up by the MYV crowd as a cool music statement, moved to the youthful entertainment personalities and then mimicked by those that are influenced by the preceding personalities and want to appear to be be hip and cool. (While i am not a stingy brim fan i also get a little annoyed at the idea that so many people that are wearing these have no concept of the connection to earlier times. However I am also hopeful that some will use this as a step in the right direction to grow in heir knowledge and maybe learn more about hats.)

 

[zetwal]

Putting aside brims over 3 inches (which tend to move into the western realm, or that of religion or such), I think that fedora brims are better divided into three widths, not two. You don't jump from stingy brims to wide brims. There is a middle terrain as well. To my eye, fedora brims fall more or less into the following groups.

1 7/8 and less are stingy (or narrow)
2 to 2 1/2 or so are middle width
2 5/8 to 3 are wide

Since it's a matter of perception and opinion, others may draw the lines at other places. For example, someone else may put stingy brims at 1 3/4 or less and middle brims at 1 7/8 to 2 3/8. But I think the general observation that brims don't jump from stingy to wide would be agreeable to most.

 

[scottyrocks]

zetwal, I agree with your stingy-to-middle categorization. I dont consider a two inch brim stingy. The upper range I hadnt given much thought to.

 

[John in Covina]

The look of a hat has to do with the look or facial proportions of the person wearing it and also the proportions of the hat itself.

How tall the crown is, whether the crown is tapered all works into the full effect.

So there is much more than just brim with in the works as to whether a hat will look good or not on a person.

Every once in a while i see a rendition of a real zoot suit fedora styled hat that looks pretty cool to me.

 

[daizawaguy]

I feel that a few photo`s posted here of the `fashion` type stingy hats (new materials, new construction (non blocked), modern colors) may give the impression that stingies are a "trend" or that stingies are associated with the 1960`s and musicians.

Take a look at the (1920/30`s?) photo, and I`ve circled what I think could be classified as stingy brims...

 

[daizawaguy]

Looking at this again, I`ll take back that claim for the one on the extreeme right - I`d put that at 2 1/2. But the ones in the middle and the third from the right...I`d say those were stingy`s...