MN Jones' Montecristi

I posted this over at COW and thought I should post it here too...

When we were in Chicago, I ordered a Montecristi while visiting Optimo. Well this past Thursday, it arrived! This is a gorgeous hat and I think hit's the Belloq look quite nicely while still looking good on me. Here's some pictures of it. Now before you go totally nuts on me... :wink: no this isn't a $1000 or $2000 Montecristi, but it now holds the title as the most expensive lid in my collection...









And here are a couple I took of the Indy Brown I got from them back in October...





I can now state for a fact Optimo has a wonderful eye for what looks good on you and makes a beautiful fedora or whatever else you noggin' may fancy! I am now... a true believer! Ha! Now this in NO WAY means I love my Peter Bros or Lee's fedoras any less. Just another way of saying that fedora collecting is dangerous to your (wallet's) health!

WOW

I love their straws....for they balance so well and look even better. I have two Montecristi Super Fino's...one a fedora and the other a plantation/fedora pinch. I also have one of Optimo's Montecristi regular fino, and that was about $275 a couple of summers ago. It is my wear every day in the summer time hat. Of course not when I sometimes wear the Cuenca, and the woven honey colored milan straw. You see, some days you just can't wear a felt!

And you went with the sewn band, not the pugaree....next time consider that option. I did on the Cuenca as the straw is a bit sturdier. And I couldn't think of poking a hook hole in the straw on an expensive hat!

Congrats, the hat is beautiful!

Fine looking lid.

Yep, nice lid indeed. That's my next acquistion from Optimo. Is that the Belair style?

-Sergei

Montecristi Dimensions

Minnesota Jones,

Nice Montecristi hat. May I ask what the dimentions are on the hat. I am thinking that will be my next OPTIMO hat for this coming summer. I am already saving money for one.

I was also curious to find out what a pugaree band was that AndyKev mentioned.

Looks like you are set for the summer.

Look Under

The post SHOW US YOUR STRAWS in this "HATS" section of the forum, 12/8/03 I posted a photo of my hat with the pugarees.

The pugarees are simply a ribbon band that is changeable, so you can swap them out (kinda like a necktie) to change the entire look of your straw hat.

THey are made of silk or rayon, and fasten to the hat witha hook. The pugaree wraps around the hat and is secured with another little hook/pin that fastens to the pugaree itself. The pugarees come pleated usually and are any color, pattern, or design. Real cool and real 40's.

I have a vintage straw from the 40's that came with a peach and tan colored pugaree. I think they still sell pugaree bands at Barons last time I was there.

Not actually sure what style this is, we had discussed Belloq-like but still look good on me. It is a "Grade 20" Montecristi if that has any bearings. Now all I need is a "linen" suit....

Pen collector, I will be posting pics of my custom pugarees on my site soon. I don't post panama's or straws normally until around March but this year will be different. I'll post a pic on this thread just to show what they are .

When a hat is right, it's right. Those hats look right. Cheers