What Hat Are You Wearing Today ?

[The Lost Cowboy]

Hi hat trust. Following up on @The Lost Cowboy ’s suggestion I decided to go with the 3” forward and back brim narrowing to say 2.75” with deep curl which should narrow it even more as you are correct a Federation IV on a dining table is a difficult thing to park. Felt is now ordered.

Your thoughts please.

Below is a mockup of one without deep curl and one without. The 230gram western weight beaver should be able to support such a setup. Brim probably not full 3” on the front or the 5.5” height making it look shorter. The joys of AI it often does what it pleases

View attachment 724140

Now crown blocking. Thoughts please. Remember aiming for maximum formality but that means to me strong crown with deep defined creases. I am happy to be corrected.

My front runner a low to mid range Panama View attachment 724137

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Akubra Bogart style similar but softer

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Panama take on I think what is called a tear drop crown extremely well defined in fino fino grade. Love it but maybe two casual?

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Softer version in Akubra Style master which is similar to my Stetson Stratoliner.

View attachment 724147

Cheers and thanks in advance. Happy to look at other crown styles.

Also, your blocking choices are naturally going to be limited to the blocks your hat maker has in your size. This seems obvious once it's said, but I certainly didn't think of that until I tried to order a very boxy crown and the best I could get was a 52 block (which is the Open Road block).

So be sure to communicate with your haberdasher and ensure he or she understands what you are looking for and is able to deliver.

 

[Good Lukes]

Good morning, I am back from my trip visiting family in NYC. Hopefully, somebody missed me ... but maybe I don't want to know the answer to that. I will be going live again at 11am EST for today's installment of Hat Chat while wearing my Selentino Queen. Please feel free to pop in and let's talk about anything hat-related.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Resistol 7X on a caffeine run.

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

Resistol 7X on a caffeine run.

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And some really old RB Aviators.
Very nice Jack.
B

 

[Hurricane Jack]

And some really old RB Aviators.
Very nice Jack.
B

Thanks Bowen. Definitely the oldest pair of B&L RB’s I have in my collection. 1940’s I believe (B&L Aviators came out on gov’t contract in 1937). All original lens with nickel silver frames, original nose pads & brow bar.

I have a pair of 1940’s American Optical Aviators which I believe were gov’t issue to my dad when he was 18 yrs old.

 

[RickP]

Do you have a special tool for trimming the brim?

I've got a couple of the M&F Western brim cutters like they sell in western wear stores. One in 1/8" and one in 1/2". Someday Ill get a proper Rounding Jack, but these work fine for just trimming off a set amount off the brim edge. Tool had a rounded inside flange that you fit over the edge of the brim and then just snap the cutting edge down through the felt.... just carefully follow the brim edge until you meet up where you started the cut. They used to make one in 1/4" but they seem to be rare these days

 

[Pellie]

I've got a couple of the M&F Western brim cutters like they sell in western wear stores. One in 1/8" and one in 1/2". Someday Ill get a proper Rounding Jack, but these work fine for just trimming off a set amount off the brim edge. Tool had a rounded inside flange that you fit over the edge of the brim and then just snap the cutting edge down through the felt.... just carefully follow the brim edge until you meet up where you started the cut

View attachment 724188

Cool. I've never seen tools like that

 

[VoodooSan]

Hi hat trust. Following up on @The Lost Cowboy ’s suggestion I decided to go with the 3” forward and back brim narrowing to say 2.75” with deep curl which should narrow it even more as you are correct a Federation IV on a dining table is a difficult thing to park. Felt is now ordered.

Your thoughts please.

Below is a mockup of one without deep curl and one without. The 230gram western weight beaver should be able to support such a setup. Brim probably not full 3” on the front or the 5.5” height making it look shorter. The joys of AI it often does what it pleases

View attachment 724140

Now crown blocking. Thoughts please. Remember aiming for maximum formality but that means to me strong crown with deep defined creases. I am happy to be corrected.

My front runner a low to mid range Panama View attachment 724137

View attachment 724135

Akubra Bogart style similar but softer

View attachment 724141

Panama take on I think what is called a tear drop crown extremely well defined in fino fino grade. Love it but maybe two casual?

View attachment 724146

Softer version in Akubra Style master which is similar to my Stetson Stratoliner.

View attachment 724147

Cheers and thanks in advance. Happy to look at other crown styles.

This is all personal taste, of course, but I like the deep curl and the mid-range Panama crease.

 

[VoodooSan]

Thought Id go a bit more western this morning. Some kind of Stetson.... No tags, hat ribbon, or sweatband when I got it. Trimmed off just a bit of the brim to clean up some rough edges and got a new sweatband sewn in. added a nice braided horsehair band and it was good to go.


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Very nice, Rick, and I absolutely LOVE that hatband!

 

[VoodooSan]

Resistol 7X on a caffeine run.

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Simply perfect.

 

[RickP]

For me, the classic formal look is less creasing. Think homburgs: they were often worn with just a center crease. Or the most formal: the top hat, no creases.

I recently steamed the side dents out of a western and love it with only a center crease. You might try that, and if you don't like it you can always add side dents or front dents or switch the center crease to a teardrop, etc.

Ill agree that some western conversions look great with the side dent steamed out and only redone with a center dent. Looks way better than the generic steamed in dent that 99% of modern western hats have. Older styling just looks better

 

[jeffgarf]

Going with a 4X (4X what? Who knows?) Stetson OR today .

 

[Ent]

Hi All.

Good points. I am tossing up between simple deep homburg crease maybe with subtle notches to distinguish it from a homburg though I have noticed homburgs nowadays tend to have acquired notches thus blurring the line. Or the mid range Panama crown. Assuming the felt can get the crispness of the Panama I would go that way else the Homburg route.

Not sure what tools the hat maker has so I will check.

Thanks for your comments and feedback.

Cheers

 

[Pellie]

Akubra Capricorn

 

[RickP]

One of my favorites this morning, A 3x Stetson in a pale green with rose tint ribbon and edge binding. Modest brim and fairly light dress weight felt. Quite a few miles on this hat lol

 

[Good Lukes]

Good morning, I will be going live again at 11am EST for today's installment of Hat Chat while wearing my His Excellency University made by Men's Hats, Inc of Baltimore, MD. Please feel free to pop in and let's talk about anything hat-related.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

Stetson 3X red liner on a morning caffeine & recycling run.

 

[VoodooSan]

Akubra Capricorn
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Oh, I like that one a LOT!!

 

[VoodooSan]

One of my favorites this morning, A 3x Stetson in a pale green with rose tint ribbon and edge binding. Modest brim and fairly light dress weight felt. Quite a few miles on this hat lol

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Always love seeing that one, Rick!

 

[Pellie]

Oh, I like that one a LOT!!

Thank you Mark!!