Slim Portly
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,283
- Location
- Las Vegas
I never thought I would be saying this but I am the proud owner of a custom-made hat.
One of my co-workers has taken notice of my appreciation of hats. It turns out that he himself has a large collection as his step-father is a hatmaker. He told me that his step-father had started a hat for him long ago, but he was not crazy about the style and it has been sitting in a box, unfinished, ever since. He asked me if I would be interested in it. I told him that I appreciated the offer but I could not afford a custom made hat. He said that I could have it as a gift and that his step-father would finish it to my liking.
Of course I accepted his gracious offer and a few days later he brought it to me as is. It was a beaver felt hat, silverbelly in color, with a flat 2 1/2 inch brim and a perfectly molded teardrop crown. The crown was completely horizontal, and when pushed out was just over 5 inches; the edge of the brim was raw cut. There was a 1 inch grosgrain ribbon in complimentary color with a 4 1/4 inch bow. As there was no liner yet, the hatter's marks were still visible on the inside:
16920 (a stock number?)
5X (beaver content?)
7 3/8 (size?)
1500 (?)
2 1/2" (obviously the brim)
Even though the hat was apparently intended at one point to be a size 7 3/8, it sits just a bit low on my size 7 1/4 head, meaning of course that with the sweatband in it should be a perfect fit.
It was my intention to take pictures as soon as I got home, but my hands could not keep themselves away from it. First I bent the back of the brim up and the front down. Then I dry-bashed a nice diamond into the crown with the back lower than the front. The diamond edges took well dry but the center of the teardrop does not want to come out without steam. Lastly I attempted side dents but I'm not pleased with their shape just yet.
I wasn't crazy about the color of the ribbon at first but the more I look at it the more it grows on me. I can't decide what I want to do with the edges of the brim. I actually like them just as they are!
I just called and left a message with the hatter and I am waiting to hear back about making an appointment to bring it in to be finished. Please give me any suggestions that may help me at this stage, and if not then just feel free to tell me what a lucky son of a pistol I am!
Oh yes... my friend's name is Buster, and I have named the hat (and added the pin) in his honor.
One of my co-workers has taken notice of my appreciation of hats. It turns out that he himself has a large collection as his step-father is a hatmaker. He told me that his step-father had started a hat for him long ago, but he was not crazy about the style and it has been sitting in a box, unfinished, ever since. He asked me if I would be interested in it. I told him that I appreciated the offer but I could not afford a custom made hat. He said that I could have it as a gift and that his step-father would finish it to my liking.
Of course I accepted his gracious offer and a few days later he brought it to me as is. It was a beaver felt hat, silverbelly in color, with a flat 2 1/2 inch brim and a perfectly molded teardrop crown. The crown was completely horizontal, and when pushed out was just over 5 inches; the edge of the brim was raw cut. There was a 1 inch grosgrain ribbon in complimentary color with a 4 1/4 inch bow. As there was no liner yet, the hatter's marks were still visible on the inside:
16920 (a stock number?)
5X (beaver content?)
7 3/8 (size?)
1500 (?)
2 1/2" (obviously the brim)
Even though the hat was apparently intended at one point to be a size 7 3/8, it sits just a bit low on my size 7 1/4 head, meaning of course that with the sweatband in it should be a perfect fit.
It was my intention to take pictures as soon as I got home, but my hands could not keep themselves away from it. First I bent the back of the brim up and the front down. Then I dry-bashed a nice diamond into the crown with the back lower than the front. The diamond edges took well dry but the center of the teardrop does not want to come out without steam. Lastly I attempted side dents but I'm not pleased with their shape just yet.
I wasn't crazy about the color of the ribbon at first but the more I look at it the more it grows on me. I can't decide what I want to do with the edges of the brim. I actually like them just as they are!
I just called and left a message with the hatter and I am waiting to hear back about making an appointment to bring it in to be finished. Please give me any suggestions that may help me at this stage, and if not then just feel free to tell me what a lucky son of a pistol I am!
Oh yes... my friend's name is Buster, and I have named the hat (and added the pin) in his honor.
) a neutral hue that would make it more 'flexible' when it comes to matching it to a range of outfits. 
