What Cap Are You Wearing Today?

Tukwila said:

Great caps today, Eric. I am sure going to miss Jonathan if he decides to stop making caps... I still have another suit coat I wanted to send him to make another 8/4 crown cap for me... a Donegal tweed. I LOVE his caps. He offered to make me a 2nd cap from the diamond tweed material when I ordered my heavy winter cap from him, but I just didn't have the money then... now I am real sorry I didn't go ahead and put it on a credit card, but I just wasn't sure how my surgery would go and if I might need access to those funds. Ah well, I hope he knows how much he'll be missed. A great guy and a fantastic cap maker.

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jonesy86 said:

I was hoping to get a Cordova Cap as well.

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Hey guys. I did not reply quickly as I have been musing about this on-going challenge thru my daily living of the global pandemic and the resulting shut-down of my business. I am struggling with the struggle and the anxiety of knowing that a 1,000 families as well as my employees are hurting. My delay was needed to compose my thoughts as I am aware that this is a public forum and is seen by many outside of our group of daily contributors. Two audiences, aficionados and public.

This we know: The barriers are so very high for the cap artisans. Their prices must be higher in order to appropriately reward their talents, time, supplies and resources. The caps are not plentiful in the world and aside from the low probability of seeing one in person, word of mouth and seeing it on social media are the choices. The rewards are measured not necessarily in money get genuine pleasure and satisfaction out of seeing someone appreciate my work by using it every day. I hear from the cap makers how the criticisms of price, speed and availability are their most received comments. Nothing new in my typing for you guys. Hopefully perspective for the public.

This is what I do: I place orders. Just like many of us do. Many, but not enough! I feel for the artisans. My choice has been to support them through my pocketbook. Yes I have received many truly spectacular caps and benefit from wearing them frequently. A first world problem of many caps to be sure. Deliberately ordering from them vs. any other source has been my choice. The world of expert skilled artisans needs support.

For a few of these folks this troubled times may indeed be impetuous to cease. I too hope that Jonathan Cordova and the other artisians can see a way forward and continue. I offer them my support, loyalty, respect and compassion. Our support is not enough for many of them. I struggle with this.

In troubling times I can be measured by the actions I take. Challenging times for certain.

Be safe, be strong and see you on the streets soon, Eric -

My new wool-blend tweedcap in autumn colours, again.

Short Balding Guy said:

Hey guys. I did not reply quickly as I have been musing about this on-going challenge thru my daily living of the global pandemic and the resulting shut-down of my business. I am struggling with the struggle and the anxiety of knowing that a 1,000 families as well as my employees are hurting. My delay was needed to compose my thoughts as I am aware that this is a public forum and is seen by many outside of our group of daily contributors. Two audiences, aficionados and public.

This we know: The barriers are so very high for the cap artisans. Their prices must be higher in order to appropriately reward their talents, time, supplies and resources. The caps are not plentiful in the world and aside from the low probability of seeing one in person, word of mouth and seeing it on social media are the choices. The rewards are measured not necessarily in money get genuine pleasure and satisfaction out of seeing someone appreciate my work by using it every day. I hear from the cap makers how the criticisms of price, speed and availability are their most received comments. Nothing new in my typing for you guys. Hopefully perspective for the public.

This is what I do: I place orders. Just like many of us do. Many, but not enough! I feel for the artisans. My choice has been to support them through my pocketbook. Yes I have received many truly spectacular caps and benefit from wearing them frequently. A first world problem of many caps to be sure. Deliberately ordering from them vs. any other source has been my choice. The world of expert skilled artisans needs support.

For a few of these folks this troubled times may indeed be impetuous to cease. I too hope that Jonathan Cordova and the other artisians can see a way forward and continue. I offer them my support, loyalty, respect and compassion. Our support is not enough for many of them. I struggle with this.

In troubling times I can be measured by the actions I take. Challenging times for certain.

Be safe, be strong and see you on the streets soon, Eric -

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Well said sir. I wish you... and your business well upon its return.

Short Balding Guy said:

For a few of these folks this troubled times may indeed be impetuous to cease. I too hope that Jonathan Cordova and the other artisians can see a way forward and continue. I offer them my support, loyalty, respect and compassion. Our support is not enough for many of them. I struggle with this.

In troubling times I can be measured by the actions I take. Challenging times for certain.

Be safe, be strong and see you on the streets soon, Eric -

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Well said, Eric. Anyone who is in business for themselves has my admiration. Hard times, for sure. I hope this all smooths out and gets back to normal.

I've been wanting a garden variety tweed Hanna cap in brown, for some time. I balked at their 69 Euros, remembering when I paid less than thirty in the late nineties. So I have recently spent a lot of time on Ebay, holding off until I found just the right cap for me, and at only $18 I couldn't resist. It just arrived:

Blackthorn said:

I've been wanting a garden variety tweed Hanna cap in brown, for some time. I balked at their 69 Euros, remembering when I paid less than thirty in the late nineties. So I have recently spent a lot of time on Ebay, holding off until I found just the right cap for me, and at only $18 I couldn't resist. It just arrived:
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Nice... looks great on you

Thanks Joe

Blackthorn said:

I've been wanting a garden variety tweed Hanna cap in brown, for some time. I balked at their 69 Euros, remembering when I paid less than thirty in the late nineties. So I have recently spent a lot of time on Ebay, holding off until I found just the right cap for me, and at only $18 I couldn't resist. It just arrived:
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Excellent Hanna cap. The trimmer draped brown tweed looks sharp.

My Thermos kept the coffee warm during my late afternoon yard project. Cordova Cap was my "yard cap."



Best, Eric -

Short Balding Guy said:

Excellent Hanna cap. The trimmer draped brown tweed looks sharp.

My Thermos kept the coffee warm during my late afternoon yard project. Cordova Cap was my "yard cap."

Best, Eric -

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Thank you, Eric, and nice cap yourself!

Wigens pub cap

Bfd70 said:

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Wigens pub cap

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Well done

Bfd70 said:

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Wigens pub cap

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Your Wigens looks at home paired with a leather jacket.

A cap morning. A couple of outside jobs and then grilling some beakfast were completed in caps.



be safe, be strong and see you on the street soon, Eric -

Just arrived from down under in time for a brisk walk around the lanai before it starts raining again.

jonesy86 said:

Just arrived from down under in time for a brisk walk around the lanai before it starts raining again.
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Oh, that looks awesome, Jonesy! My caps from Keith have made it to the mainland, but not quite to my abode... I love the hemp!

Tukwila said:

Oh, that looks awesome, Jonesy! My caps from Keith have made it to the mainland, but not quite to my abode... I love the hemp!

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Thanks, it is the perfect weight for this climate, I wonder how it will handle rain. Yours can't be long now, I look forward to seeing them.

jonesy86 said:

Thanks, it is the perfect weight for this climate, I wonder how it will handle rain. Yours can't be long now, I look forward to seeing them.

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There are posts here on the lounge speaking to the ruggedness of the Stratoliner hemp, one member using it as a fairly abused work hat. I think he even washed the dirt out if it, let it dry and went right back to wearing it with no problems. His faded a bit in the sun, but that's it. They hold up. Hemp is a real durable fiber and should do well. You could lose some shape to the cap, though... I'm not certain about that. But making sure the cap is in proper form before hanging up to dry goes a long way in covering that concern.

I can't wait for mine...

Tukwila said:

There are posts here on the lounge speaking to the ruggedness of the Stratoliner hemp, one member using it as a fairly abused work hat. I think he even washed the dirt out if it, let it dry and went right back to wearing it with no problems. His faded a bit in the sun, but that's it. They hold up. Hemp is a real durable fiber and should do well. You could lose some shape to the cap, though... I'm not certain about that. But making sure the cap is in proper form before hanging up to dry goes a long way in covering that concern.

I can't wait for mine...

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Love the hemp cap appearance. Thank you guys for sharing the real life cap wearing experiences with hemp. I will listen, watch and learn as you fellows wear the caps.

I ate some brunch outside in my Cordova cap. This cap is very easy to reach for and wear.



Be safe, be strong and see you on the street soon, Eric -

jonesy86 said:

Thanks, it is the perfect weight for this climate, I wonder how it will handle rain. Yours can't be long now, I look forward to seeing them.

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It is a great looking cap Jonesy86. It does not have a leather sweat? Is this a comfort choice for hot weather?

Curious, Eric -

Short Balding Guy said:

It is a great looking cap Jonesy86. It does not have a leather sweat? Is this a comfort choice for hot weather?

Curious, Eric -

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I got into an interesting discussion with an executive assistant at Ortega hats in Cuenca about the preference of using leather or fabric for sweatbands. They always add fabric sweatbands to their Panama hats. They admit Americans like the leather sweatbands, but they feel the leather actually MAKES you sweat whereas the fabric sweatbands breath and you don't sweat or sweat less.

I also know Brent Black says leather is better at protecting the hat fabric IF you are going to be sweating a lot, but even then you can have salty sweat go through the sweatband and stain the hat.

In the case of these hemp caps from WDH, IIRC Keith states he also uses a hemp sweatband on them.

Short Balding Guy said:

It is a great looking cap Jonesy86. It does not have a leather sweat? Is this a comfort choice for hot weather?
Curious, Eric -

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I think Keith was going for the lightest hot weather hat possible.