New guy needs help to find his first fedora

[Clint_Southwood]

Hi everyone,
I'm new here and I'm trying to find a good fedora style for my first hat. I like fedoralover's in his Avatar and I sent him an email. He was very helpful by suggesting ebay and Art Fawcett. But, here's where I need everyone's help. I was checking out vespasian's thread "Positive role models for hat wearing. Thin on the ground?" where he had a link to his website and I really like the fedora that Johnny Depp is wearing as well, but I can't find one anywhere. Does anyone happen to know who makes it, the model, and where I can find one? I appreciate any help that you can provide.
Thanks

Here is the link:http://www.thegoldenera.net/current_famous_hat_wearers.html

 

[fedoralover]

The looks of that fedora Depp is wearing greatly resembles a Borsalino. If it's not it could be a custom made one. If it's a new borsalino, that style is $265.00 at John Helmers and you gotta trust me when I tell you that I would not pay $65.00 for it.

fedoralover

 

[Raindog]

Hi Clint,
If I were trying to get a similar hat I'd probably look at Akubras hats first.
I'd go for one of their aussie cowboy styles and trim the brim down and add a ribbon if I needed to to match Depps. The crown height if probably the most important thing to try and emulate. A good firm to deal with is.....

http://www.hatsdirect.com/akubra_hats.html


Jeff.

 

[MK]

.

Hi Clint,

I aggre that Johnny's fedora looks like an older Borsalino. What part of Oregon are you in?

 

[fedoralover]

Just to look!

Here's a link to a store that sells ones like Depp is wearing. They are $250.00 not including shipping. But if you buy one you are going to be suspended from the lounge for not listening and made to sit in a corner with a tapered hat on your head.

http://www.petersbros.com/BORSALINO_FELT/Default.htm

fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

The hat Depp is wearing very much resembles a Borsalino model called the"Alessandria." (As Fedoralover noted, while I was busy cranking this out.) Thin ribbon, tall crown, straight-sided, etc. A new one will set you back about $250. I own a few. Many here will tell you that the newer ones are no match for the vintage jobs, and I wouldn't dispute that, but mine have held their shape well over a number of years and many hundreds of wearings in all kinds of weather. Old ones come up on eBay every now and then, but, you know, buying on eBay can be something of a craps shoot. Old Stetson Open Roads and Stratoliners are quite similar as well. (Don't let the traditional cattleman's bash fool you. ORs look right with a fedora pinch, too.) Go to Optimo's website (the Optimo in Chicago, not the one in Arizona) and check out a model they call the "Four by Four." I've never dealt with Optimo, but others here say favorable things about them. Just be prepared to pay big.
The look of Depp's hat has a lot to do with how it's bashed. New Borsalinos in that style come open crowned, so you can bash 'em the way you like. Stetson's current Open Road comes from the factory only with the cattleman's bash, and the felt is as stiff as a frat boy on a Friday night. The prevailing view here is that they're junk. But you can find nice old ones pretty much everywhere, provided you like 'em in various shades of gray. You can, usually, rebash an old hat the way you'd rather have it, so don't let first impressions scare you away. You can clean 'em and steam 'em and massage 'em into the shape you like.

 

[fedoralover]

Here's a pic of one of mine that closely resembles Depp's. His looks like a darker brown but the shape is pretty close.

fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

All right, Fedoralover, tell us more about that lid. How old is it, you figure? And how'd you find it? And for how much? Is it as purty in person as it is in the picture? It looks quite pliable.

 

[fedoralover]

I'm guessing late 40s early 50s. It is in immaculate condition and yes the felt is very pliable, thin but very dense. This was the mother of all Goodwill finds. Yup, I found it at Goodwill and bought it for $4.49. Needless to say, that was a very Good day for me.


fedoralover

 

[tonyb]

They're must be some great Goodwill stores down there in Duckland. I haven't found such a deal at the local Goodwill in, oh, 25 years or so. But that doesn't keep me from trying. Among my first hats were two Stratoliners bought for something close to what you paid for that hat in the picture, and yes, I bought 'em at Goodwill. But that was something like 30 years ago. If only I knew then ... sniffle.

 

[Clint_Southwood]

Thanks everyone for the excellent information. There is enough here to help me well on my way. This site and you guys are awesome!!:cool2: Hopefully I will find what I'm looking for so I won't have to resort to buying a new Borsalino, because I don't want to be suspended from the lounge for not listening and made to sit in a corner with a tapered hat on my head! Pretty funny fedoralover Tonyb, where would I take a hat to be "bashed", to someone like Art Fawcett? Also, is "bashed" the technical term meaning to reshape the crown? I'm quite the novice here. MK, I'm in Bend, Oregon. Thanks again guys.

 

[Andykev]

You are closer to him than I

How far are you from Eagle Point Oregon? Near Medford? Art is there. He can craft you a nice hat, from rabbit to beaver, and maybe he's got a vintage or two.

 

[fedoralover]

It's about a 3 to 3 1/2 hours drive to Arts from Eugene. Clint, bashing is a term used to describe shaping the crown. If a fedora comes "open crowned" it means it looks like a bowl and you put in the shape you want.

fedoralover