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How do folks react to your hat wearing?

J

johng70

New in Town
Messages
30
Location
Ohio
It's panama season here in the Midwest. I get some looks when I'm out at Walmart or similar. But, invariably I do get compliments. A couple weeks' back, I was at a birthday party - lots of 20-somethings and 3 different people complimented me on the hat or hat/outfit. One guy asked me how much to buy my hat - I told him "no chance" with a smile. I didn't want to burst his bubble by explaining how much such a hat costs. I think that's a big part of it though - like any other clothing - there's a difference between an authentic Montecristi and a $40 tourist hat that just looks like a Panama.

The other aspect, to me, is the hat really does need to coordinate with the outfit. Just like a good looking tie looks bad with a suit/shirt it doesn't coordinate with, so too does a hat. Which is why I need to keep buying more hats so I have more versatility in how I pair them :)
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
johng70 said:
It's panama season here in the Midwest. I get some looks when I'm out at Walmart or similar. But, invariably I do get compliments.
Click to expand...
If you are ever at a loss for a witty retort, keep the Jeweller & Diamond merchant, Harry Winston in mind. He said:
"People will stare, make it worth their while."
Winston offered that piece of advice to sufferers of vitiligo. It's good for anything that draws attention, especially if that attention is accompanied by a negative comment.
vitiligo_184.png
Being a psoriasis sufferer myself, I know full well the unpleasant remarks vitiligo sufferers endure.
 
Bill Hughes

Bill Hughes

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,126
Location
North Texas
GHT said:
If you are ever at a loss for a witty retort, keep the Jeweller & Diamond merchant, Harry Winston in mind. He said:
"People will stare, make it worth their while."
Winston offered that piece of advice to sufferers of vitiligo. It's good for anything that draws attention, especially if that attention is accompanied by a negative comment.
View attachment 343171
Being a psoriasis sufferer myself, I know full well the unpleasant remarks vitiligo sufferers endure.
Click to expand...
I've only had one unpleasant remark (at least that I could hear) in all my years of wearing hats. I kinda chuckled and smiled. The person who offered the remark asked if I found his remark funny? I replied "no - but it is humorous that you think I care about your opinion."
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
Bill Hughes said:
I've only had one unpleasant remark (at least that I could hear) in all my years of wearing hats. I kinda chuckled and smiled. The person who offered the remark asked if I found his remark funny? I replied "no - but it is humorous that you think I care about your opinion."
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You don't have to attend every argument that you are invited to is a policy that I have always found effective. Nothing like seeing someone seething because of being ignored.

Tina & I have been to a funeral today, that of a dear, cherished friend. His one request was for us to, as he put it: "Dress the Part." At some venue, Brian, our friend, had said to Tina, about her appearance: "Now that's what I call a little black dress." She wore it for him today. I too wore something that Brian once said, "That blazer could have me accused of the sin of covet." For you my friend. This is how we turned out for Brian.
Brian's funeral 009.JPG Brian's funeral 010.JPG

Getting home this evening Tina asked me if I could go out and get a few provisions, she hadn't been able to do her weekly shopping. Still dressed in my finery, I walked around an almost empty supermarket selecting the items on Tina's list. A mother in her forties was shopping with her teenage daughter, I was almost out of earshot but just close enough for the young lady to say; "Mum, I wish Dad would dress like that man." Mother glanced a look towards me and told her daughter to, "Dream on."

When I regaled Tina with my tale, upon returning home she said, "sounds like that young woman has standards."
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
Tiki Tom said:
As noted, I’m just a few DAYS from retirement… and it is unseasonably HOT here in Vienna. Also very sunny. So instead of my normal suit and tie, I went to work in a pair of khakis, an Aloha shirt, and a Panama hat. Security guard looked me up and down and said “it sure beats working!”

Amen to that.
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Love it, I can give you a Panama and Aloha shirt, although the Panama is not the archetypal shape.
carmen miranda shirt 003.JPG
But khakis, not for me. Now if you like baggies:
baggies 003.JPG
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
Blare said:
A random woman approached my wife and said…. “I don’t mean to sound fresh… but your husband looks great in that hat. (a *probably 30s Midnight Blue Dunderry). It’s so rare to see a man who knows how to wear a proper hat these days”
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Looking at your avatar, I'm surprised it's only one woman. Forgive me for stroking your ego, but you do wear a hat with a dash of style. Some might call it swagger, personally, I call it self confidence. You probably get more compliments, but modest fellow that you are, you're not inclined to share them. Anytime you want a job...........................
 
Blare

Blare

Messages
10,949
GHT said:
Looking at your avatar, I'm surprised it's only one woman. Forgive me for stroking your ego, but you do wear a hat with a dash of style. Some might call it swagger, personally, I call it self confidence. You probably get more compliments, but modest fellow that you are, you're not inclined to share them. Anytime you want a job...........................
Click to expand...
Well thank you very much… my wife would probably say don’t encourage him :rolleyes: I found this one amusing as she was essentially asking permission to give the compliment while she was already doing so. Very sweet.. I/we thought.

forgive me I didn’t grasp your last line.
 
Last edited:
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
Blare said:
Well thank you very much… my wife would probably say don’t encourage him :rolleyes: I found this one amusing as she was essentially asking permission to give the compliment while she was already doing so. Very sweet.. I/we thought.

forgive me I didn’t grasp your last line.
Click to expand...
I should have made it more clear. In my working life I was a manager in what was, a big international company. Whenever we were recruiting those who turned up looking like they took a pride in their appearance always got themselves noticed. That was my implication about your deportment.
 
Blare

Blare

Messages
10,949
GHT said:
I should have made it more clear. In my working life I was a manager in what was, a big international company. Whenever we were recruiting those who turned up looking like they took a pride in their appearance always got themselves noticed. That was my implication about your deportment.
Click to expand...
Very much appreciated
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
"You add some unique pizzazz to this place." That's what I was told by a supervisor in the supermarket that we shop at. My first reaction was to say, "Are you taking the pizzazz?" But I thought better of it. It seems my hats and shirts are on a par with our Hawaiian shirts & Fedora thread. What do I say to that? I smiled, said thank you, to which the lady said, "I rather like your shoes too."

This was the shirt and hat that got that reaction, and I had better add the shoes too. Pizzazz! I'm really flattered by that.

travel shirt brown fedora & baggies 001.JPG shoes 13.jpg
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
We have been to a funeral today, someone very special, it's personal so I don't want to dwell on it. Like most modern funerals it wasn't about mourning, tears yes, but laughter too. The widow had asked for no black attire, in fact she had asked the women to wear something floral. One of my shirts might have been just too much so I texted the widow with my chosen outfit. She sent a charming, complimentary text back saying that it was perfect. The head of the funeral cortege, a lady who wore the customary black top hat, was also complimentary, saying how she misses the days when mourners made an effort.

I've posted this previously, but Tina's handiwork, she made the trousers and waistcoat/vest, and she also found the vintage blazer at a stall at some event we were at. It was far to big, but her dexterous skill with a needle and thread soon put that right.

maroon blazer grey baggies 006.JPG maroon blazer grey baggies 007.JPG
 
Blare

Blare

Messages
10,949
GHT said:
We have been to a funeral today, someone very special, it's personal so I don't want to dwell on it. Like most modern funerals it wasn't about mourning, tears yes, but laughter too. The widow had asked for no black attire, in fact she had asked the women to wear something floral. One of my shirts might have been just too much so I texted the widow with my chosen outfit. She sent a charming, complimentary text back saying that it was perfect. The head of the funeral cortege, a lady who wore the customary black top hat, was also complimentary, saying how she misses the days when mourners made an effort.

I've posted this previously, but Tina's handiwork, she made the trousers and waistcoat/vest, and she also found the vintage blazer at a stall at some event we were at. It was far to big, but her dexterous skill with a needle and thread soon put that right.

View attachment 363131 View attachment 363132
Click to expand...
I’m sorry for your loss. Looking quite dapper.
 
GHT

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,347
Location
New Forest
We met my niece's baby yesterday, she is eighteen months old and because of the pandemic we have not been able to see her. My niece's husband has kept us updated with photos but oh how this wretched virus has changed lives.

It was a most enjoyable three hours with our young family members. My niece's husband tentatively asked me if I felt conspicuous wearing a hat. My niece laughed, "with his baggy trousers, two tone shoes and sports blazer, I would think that being without a hat would make him more than conspicuous."

Later, out of earshot, the young man confided in me that his premature hair loss was his reason for asking and he apologised if I felt annoyed for his hat comment. "Try wearing a cap," I suggested, "but don't reverse the brim, and if you feel comfortable with that try wearing a straw hat when it's sunny, that way you build up your confidence and you won't have a sense of being self conscious." "That's a good idea," he said, and then asked what the hat was called that I was wearing. "It's known as a fedora," I told him. " I love it," he said, wistfully adding, "if only."

How curious it is that what some wear is to conform, not to be ridiculed and yet secretly, they envy that which they wish to do. He's not the first fellow that I have spoken to who has that sense of self consciousness about his attire and specifically hat wearing.

blazer 002.JPG
 
steur

steur

Messages
17,901
Location
Nederland
GHT said:
We met my niece's baby yesterday, she is eighteen months old and because of the pandemic we have not been able to see her. My niece's husband has kept us updated with photos but oh how this wretched virus has changed lives.

It was a most enjoyable three hours with our young family members. My niece's husband tentatively asked me if I felt conspicuous wearing a hat. My niece laughed, "with his baggy trousers, two tone shoes and sports blazer, I would think that being without a hat would make him more than conspicuous."

Later, out of earshot, the young man confided in me that his premature hair loss was his reason for asking and he apologised if I felt annoyed for his hat comment. "Try wearing a cap," I suggested, "but don't reverse the brim, and if you feel comfortable with that try wearing a straw hat when it's sunny, that way you build up your confidence and you won't have a sense of being self conscious." "That's a good idea," he said, and then asked what the hat was called that I was wearing. "It's known as a fedora," I told him. " I love it," he said, wistfully adding, "if only."

How curious it is that what some wear is to conform, not to be ridiculed and yet secretly, they envy that which they wish to do. He's not the first fellow that I have spoken to who has that sense of self consciousness about his attire and specifically hat wearing.

View attachment 370170
Click to expand...
Good to be able to see the family once again in a normal setting. The other part of the story is very recognizable; I've have had several people commenting in a similar manner: they would love to wear a hat, but their sense of self consciousness prevents them from doing so. And I get it; it does take a bit of courage to stick out from the crowd. But only a little bit: let others think what they will. Let's keep on giving the good example!
 
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