Recommend a hat?

Flyer36 · Aug 16, 2008

Hello,
I was wondering if anybody could recommend a hat that would fit my face type? Up until recently I've always wore ball caps, here lately I cant seem to bring myself to wear one of those things.

I guess I'm worried I'll go from looking like this.

To this..lol

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks
Rob

1911 Man · Aug 16, 2008

Any number of tasteful fedoras would be great. I have a slender face, and find that I can still wear one even with a 2 1/2 inch brim. Akubra is a good place to start for less money. Art Fawcett is a great place to start for a little more money. What exactly were you hoping for in asking? Recommended brands, or if we thought you would look good in one? I don't think anyone looked worse off by dressing a little nicer

Garrett · Aug 16, 2008

How tall are ya? Taller crowns and wider brims tend to look better on people with a little more height. Shorter folks look better with shorter brims and shorter crowns. Face shape and body type also play a role. Ultimately up to you though, you'll be just fine.

Flyer36 · Aug 16, 2008

1911 Man, I'm looking for opinions on what styles would look better on me. I completely agree people could benefit from dressing nicer (I know I could..lol) The hat would mostly be an everyday hat. I'd love to have a nice dressy hat but it wouldn't stay that way long in my business. I'll definitely check out Akubra .

Garrett, I'm fairly short, I'm only 5'7. Some of the hats I've seen have crowns taller than I am.

Thanks!
Rob

1911 Man · Aug 16, 2008

Ok, that narrows it down. I still recommend an Akubra, they have fedora models with shorter crowns, although I can't remeber names. One of the more common ones is the Federation IV available at www.hatsdirect.com

The newest Fed (IV) has a shorter crown than the last version, but I believe it is still 5.5 inches. I think they have some that are 5 even (?). The good thing about Akubras is they come open crown, so you can bash them yourself with a low front tear drop bash, which makes the crown look a little shorter.

I live in Salt Lake, so I have dealt with John Worthington at JW hats ( jwhats.com ). He is a wonderful man and sells a 100% rabbit fur felt hat for $115, and you can get it custom made with the colors you want, size you want, etc. You can't order direct from his website, but you can call him and tell him what you want. He told me he can make a fedora with either a 5 or 5.5 inch open crown. He also uses western weight raw bodies for his fedoras (he calls it the "Tycoon" model) so they are thicker and heavier. You mentioned hard use, these would stand up to some hard use. His turn around time on a custom hat is also only a week or two. He bashes his fedoras with a nice low front teardrop, (the front crown on one of mine is only 4 inches), so if you're looking for short, there you go. JW gets his raw bodies from the same company as Art Fawcett and Mike Moore of Buckaroo Hatters, so he has all the same colors available, and scores of ribbon colors and widths.

I think we're allowed some leeway with regard to rules. I am only 5'10, and slender, but my current use fedoras both have 5" front crowns after bash, so they are tall, but they seem to look okay. The other neat thing is if you bash a hat, and it looks too tall or too short, you can pop iy out and re-bash it.
Scroll through the 1000's of pictures we've all posted. Look at the hats that you like, and the faces they're on. Compare face shapes to your own, if you see something you like on a face similar to yours, it will probably look great on you.

Good luck, and welcome to the Lounge.

kaosharper1 · Aug 16, 2008

Miller hats has a good guide for the type of hat to wear for various faces. You look like a dead ringer for the "long slender face" they illustrate. Take a look there. Here's the url:

http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html

Humphrey Bogart's face was shaped like yours, IMHO. you can use that as a guide as well.

Flyer36 · Aug 17, 2008

1911 Man, Thanks for the great info. I'll have to check out Mr. Worthington's hats for sure.

kaosharper1, Thanks a bunch for the Miller hats guide. I think that will help alot in selecting a hat.

As soon as I decide on a hat I'll be sure to post some pics of it.

Thanks again
Rob

Justdog · Aug 22, 2008

Hats

A nice steele grey fedora with nice height crown. A decent brim width panama. An open road. Think you would look good in any of those. Get a half decent quality fur felt off the start. What size are you?

Flyer36 · Aug 22, 2008

I actually just bought a gray Dobbs on Ebay. With any luck it will be here this week. Heres a pic of it.

Lemelisk · Jan 12, 2020

Hey my dudes, so I'm considering putting down some decent money on a hat that will actually last. My last hat was an el-cheapo $20 hat that I loved, but after getting soaked a few times it got all wonky and had to be tossed (it was a fedora-ish hat, not sure what kind). Is it reasonable to look for a hat that will survive constantly getting wet/abused? I work in forestry, and I live in a tent 6 months of the year - generally whenever I'm not wearing a hard hat, I wear a regular hat - moreso for camp life/light work, so it won't go through complete hell. I do want to actually switch away from ball caps to a "good looking hat" of some sort, but I am kinda worried because most of them seem to be not actually all that practical durability wise - and I don't want to stick to cheapo hats that just need to be regularly thrown out - it really concerns me that many manufactures tell you not to wear hats in heavy rain. Do any manufactures exist that make traditional hats that will actually stand the test of time when used in terrible weather day in - day out? I have to assume that people of the past actually wore hats in the rain - my other hat that got wrecked, was fantastic to wear in the rain aside from the whole hat dying thing. I can't stand modern outdoor hats aesthetically.

My preferences would be along the styling of a bowler/derby hat or campaign hat or most flat-ish brimmed traditional designed hats. If I can find something that will actually last for a real long time in challenging conditions I would consider spending up to 200 canadian rupees for something online, or 250 in a physical store (obviously cheaper is always better if quality is comparable - If I could find something for under 100 that would be stellar - quality/durability is the most important thing to me, but canadian manufacture is worth a premium to me if quality doesn't go down, american manufacture second - but overseas manufacture still wins out if quality and durability is higher) Any manufacturer or specific product recommendations are greatly appreciated

Or is looking for a traditional hat that will stand abuse and the test of time a fools errand?

Thanks for your time/input.

Héctor Fernández · Jan 12, 2020

I'm not an expert, but based on your needs, I will like to suggest you look into Akubra hats. They seem to get great reviews from those who wear them outside under extreme weather conditions.

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Zombie_61 · Jan 12, 2020

Two names will likely come up: Tilley, and Akubra. Over the decades both companies have earned a reputation for producing durable hats--Tilley from man-made fibers like nylon and polyester, Akubra from rabbit and hare fur. Take a look to see if anything strikes your fancy.

Edit: ^ See? Akubra was already mentioned while I was typing.

deadlyhandsome · Jan 12, 2020

Lemelisk said:
Hey my dudes, so I'm considering putting down some decent money on a hat that will actually last. My last hat was an el-cheapo $20 hat that I loved, but after getting soaked a few times it got all wonky and had to be tossed (it was a fedora-ish hat, not sure what kind). Is it reasonable to look for a hat that will survive constantly getting wet/abused? I work in forestry, and I live in a tent 6 months of the year - generally whenever I'm not wearing a hard hat, I wear a regular hat - moreso for camp life/light work, so it won't go through complete hell. I do want to actually switch away from ball caps to a "good looking hat" of some sort, but I am kinda worried because most of them seem to be not actually all that practical durability wise - and I don't want to stick to cheapo hats that just need to be regularly thrown out - it really concerns me that many manufactures tell you not to wear hats in heavy rain. Do any manufactures exist that make traditional hats that will actually stand the test of time when used in terrible weather day in - day out? I have to assume that people of the past actually wore hats in the rain - my other hat that got wrecked, was fantastic to wear in the rain aside from the whole hat dying thing. I can't stand modern outdoor hats aesthetically.

My preferences would be along the styling of a bowler/derby hat or campaign hat or most flat-ish brimmed traditional designed hats. If I can find something that will actually last for a real long time in challenging conditions I would consider spending up to 200 canadian rupees for something online, or 250 in a physical store (obviously cheaper is always better if quality is comparable - If I could find something for under 100 that would be stellar - quality/durability is the most important thing to me, but canadian manufacture is worth a premium to me if quality doesn't go down, american manufacture second - but overseas manufacture still wins out if quality and durability is higher) Any manufacturer or specific product recommendations are greatly appreciated

Or is looking for a traditional hat that will stand abuse and the test of time a fools errand?

Thanks for your time/input.

Even the best vintage hats show wear, and if your looking for a hat to take abuse I’m not sure fur felt will fit the bill best.

Akubra makes a solid hat that many use when the weather is worse than what we they want to subject finer hats too. If you don’t want a waxed cotton type of hat, you should look at Akubra. I’d also look at Stetson: maybe something from the outdoors line? Just be aware that if you regularly soak fur felt it’s not going to stay looking pristine.

If you don’t mind used hats, you can find campaign hats cheap and they are sturdy and take reasonable abuse well. They’ll usually have extra holes for straps, badges, and ventilation.

http://www.hat-co.com/perch//resources/f18-stetson-outdoor.pdf

https://everythingaustralian.com.au/headwear.html

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Lemelisk · Jan 13, 2020

Thanks for the replies everyone

I looked into akubra & the stetson outdoor lines and they look pretty good - I'll probably will go with one of them - I happen to have a retailer near me that stocks akubra's so we shall see

"Just be aware that if you regularly soak fur felt it’s not going to stay looking pristine."
Out of curiosity, will fur felt be able to mostly maintain it's shape/structure with repeated exposure to rain and whatnot? It doesn't bother me in the slightest if it fades or gets discouloured or shows alot of wear as long as it mostly maintains it's overall form and function (I will never wear it with a suit, so it's fine if it gets a bit ratty)

johnnycanuck · Jan 13, 2020

Lemelisk said:
Hey my dudes, so I'm considering putting down some decent money on a hat that will actually last. My last hat was an el-cheapo $20 hat that I loved, but after getting soaked a few times it got all wonky and had to be tossed (it was a fedora-ish hat, not sure what kind). Is it reasonable to look for a hat that will survive constantly getting wet/abused? I work in forestry, and I live in a tent 6 months of the year - generally whenever I'm not wearing a hard hat, I wear a regular hat - moreso for camp life/light work, so it won't go through complete hell. I do want to actually switch away from ball caps to a "good looking hat" of some sort, but I am kinda worried because most of them seem to be not actually all that practical durability wise - and I don't want to stick to cheapo hats that just need to be regularly thrown out - it really concerns me that many manufactures tell you not to wear hats in heavy rain. Do any manufactures exist that make traditional hats that will actually stand the test of time when used in terrible weather day in - day out? I have to assume that people of the past actually wore hats in the rain - my other hat that got wrecked, was fantastic to wear in the rain aside from the whole hat dying thing. I can't stand modern outdoor hats aesthetically.

My preferences would be along the styling of a bowler/derby hat or campaign hat or most flat-ish brimmed traditional designed hats. If I can find something that will actually last for a real long time in challenging conditions I would consider spending up to 200 canadian rupees for something online, or 250 in a physical store (obviously cheaper is always better if quality is comparable - If I could find something for under 100 that would be stellar - quality/durability is the most important thing to me, but canadian manufacture is worth a premium to me if quality doesn't go down, american manufacture second - but overseas manufacture still wins out if quality and durability is higher) Any manufacturer or specific product recommendations are greatly appreciated

Or is looking for a traditional hat that will stand abuse and the test of time a fools errand?

Thanks for your time/input.

I will also say Akubra. If you are a smaller head size and you don’t need factory nice, hit eBay and see what comes up. I have two I bought that were in good condition and cheap.
Johnny

Frunobulax · Jan 13, 2020

Lemelisk said:
Thanks for the replies everyone
I looked into akubra & the stetson outdoor lines and they look pretty good - I'll probably will go with one of them - I happen to have a retailer near me that stocks akubra's so we shall see

"Just be aware that if you regularly soak fur felt it’s not going to stay looking pristine."
Out of curiosity, will fur felt be able to mostly maintain it's shape/structure with repeated exposure to rain and whatnot? It doesn't bother me in the slightest if it fades or gets discouloured or shows alot of wear as long as it mostly maintains it's overall form and function (I will never wear it with a suit, so it's fine if it gets a bit ratty)

With proper care it should be possible to keep it's shape. Repeated soaking, though, is the sworn enemy of this. Therefore, you would be advised to learn to care for the hat after it has been "abused." Such things as proper storage when wet, regular brushing and normal maintenance, etc. Any hat can lose it's brim flange over time and may need to be re-flanged or at least straightened out. Investing in a couple of tools can be helpful in maintaining your hat, such as a brim flange, steamer, brush, and maybe a stretcher or a band block.

moehawk · Jan 14, 2020

You may also want to look into fur felt hats designed for use by law enforcement, like state troopers and rangers. They would be made to stand up to rough weather. Stratton is a company that makes a lot of these kind of uniform hats in America. They can sometimes be found on the secondary market. Park service hats would be another, as well as Scoutmaster hats.

deadlyhandsome · Jan 14, 2020

moehawk said:
You may also want to look into fur felt hats designed for use by law enforcement, like state troopers and rangers. They would be made to stand up to rough weather. Stratton is a company that makes a lot of these kind of uniform hats in America. They can sometimes be found on the secondary market. Park service hats would be another, as well as Scoutmaster hats.

I have a couple of these hats. The felt is thick, hard, and a bit rough, but it can take some real abuse too. As a bonus, they usually can be found in great shape and at very reasonable prices in the secondary market. You can also buy them new without breaking the bank.

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1961MJS · Jan 14, 2020

Hi,
My first hat was a Stratton from Levin's in Downtown StL. I ended up giving it away to another scout leader who was a 7 3/8 wide oval (what the hat was), while I'm a 7 3/8 really long oval. There are a few hat stores in the Saint Paul area, I'd go to a few of them, and decide what size and style to get. Akubra is a good place to start because they're less expensive. I'd suggest that any felt hat (bunny or beaver) would turn the rain nicely, but don't rush out to blow the big $ right off.

Actually try on hats before your order from Akubra, you may find something local anyway.

Later

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