Brown hat, grey suit?

[Randal]

I just ordered a charcoal grey pinstriped suit. Can I wear my dark brown Fed IV with it? Or do I need to but another hat? What color?

 

[gtdean48]

Did you just ask this bunch if you should buy another hat? You did, didn't you? Did you see the thread by Tango Yankee? Do you think you'd ever hear an answer of "No" from this mob?

 

[gtdean48]

Seriously though, you can usually go brown hat with navy suit but it is hard for dark brown hat with gray suit. IMHO...

 

[Hat Head]

I always find this link helpful in these discussions.

 

[Bird's One View]

I don't have a problem with a brown hat and gray suit, but if it will make you feel better, buy another hat.

 

[Fletch]

Seriously though, you can usually go brown hat with navy suit but it is hard for dark brown hat with gray suit. IMHO...

There may be something to that. In the mid 30s Apparel Arts, IIRC, counseled that the best all-around hat for any color suit was medium brown with a black band. But at the time, grey suits were not as popular as blues and browns, and AA's advice may have reflected that.

Try and find medium brown with a black band today, BTW. Or any other color hat with a band other than black. Or any color band other than brown. You'll need to spend some bank, or affix your own band.

A color I particularly like with charcoal grey is taupe (medium brownish grey), altho hatters don't care for it nowadays.

Self banded Borsalino, vintage 1980s.

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

When I saw the headline of this post I immediately pictured a chocolate brown hat with a medium to light, warm grey suit color. That would be very tasteful in a '40s sort of way. But the dark brown hat with either charcoal or a cool grey suit, probably not so much.

 

[WEEGEE]

Self banded Borsalino

Fletch that Borsalino looks great on You!!!


I think brown and gray work depending on the shades!!!

 

[Torpedo]

Hi,

I very much agree with Gene, Weegee and GTDean.

A warm/earth tone medium grey suit could go well with a dark (chocolate, coffee) brown hat; this is one of those combinations that seem odd, but that actually work (a navy suit would, too); but I do not think a cool tone grey (steel, charcoal) suit can combine pleasantly with a dark brown hat.

At least this is my opinion.

Regards!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

I more or less agree with what's been said. The right brown and the right gray will work together. I have seen charcoal grays that have a very earthty quality, rather than the usual cool undertone. My advice would be to either;
1. Wait until you see the suit color against the hat color in person before deciding.
or
2. Use this as an excuse to buy another hat, and hope that the suit will work with both!!!

 

[Randal]

Thanks for the replies. I'll post pics of the two together when I gat them both in the mail. Both the suit and hat have already shipped.

 

[Bird Lives]

Grey suit with a dark brown hat can work great, depending on the suit and hat...

I'm resurrecting this thread, because a friend just asked me this same question. And as we sit here and discuss this, he goggle and got this thread...

I goggled and got a couple pics....so I'm putting them here, just incase someone else goggles this in the future..

The following is a grey 2 piece suit with a light blue shirt and navy blue silk knitted tie, and a dark brown fedora...

My vote....is that this combination works pretty well....

 

[TheDane]

With a Rolleiflex around the neck most combinations can be pulled off

 

[Frunobulax]

Well, to be complete, we must recognize that fellow's ability to carry off sartorial splendor like no other.

On topic. I've never tried the combo, but it seems to work.

And Randal never did treat the lounge to pics of his acquisitions.

 

[RJR]

Well, to be complete, we must recognize that fellow's ability to carry off sartorial splendor like no other.
View attachment 52415

On topic. I've never tried the combo, but it seems to work.

And Randal never did treat the lounge to pics of his acquisitions.