Gary White-The Custom Hatter

A number of weeks ago I made a trip to Buffalo to visit Gary at The Custom Hatter. I took in 5 hats that never fit very well and were in various levels of disrepair. I was there the day Lefty took the photos of Gary's shop. The five mashed hats on top of the case of ribbons in one of Lefty's photos were mine.

These are the results;

http://picasaweb.google.ca/sogood1230/Hat#5347721739651275234



This first hat is a Borsalino Velour. Vintage two tone ribbon. I had a second hat rebuilt which was the same except an underwelt on brim with a different ribbon.





The second hat I believe was a Shudder Bros. It is a blue grey colour with the original navy ribbon.





This third hat is a Stetson Playboy. The hat was unlined with a row of stitching on the brim. It still has its original black ribbon.





This last hat was a Lee made by Cavanagh with a Cavanagh edge. It has a dense but soft felt. The original black ribbon was replaced with a vintage, charcoal, textured ribbon. I am not sure how it shows on the photo but I really like it.

Gary was very good to deal with and I am happy with all five hats. Workmanship is very good. Fit is now perfect on each one. They all had a complete restoration. All but the Borsalino Velours and the Cavanagh were turned inside out.

I am happy to have such a great resource close to me in Toronto. I was so pleased I left Gary with three more hats and am having a custom hat made.

Sorry for the photo links. Tonight was the first time I have even used a camera in almost 30 years. Needless to say my computer skills are almost as out of date.

p(disappointment) now 0.15, -0.10

Those are very nice looking hats and I'm very glad to read that Mister White served you well. They look nigh pristine to my ill-trained eye. I don't know how badly they might have been worn when you brought them to Mister White, but they look well tended too. The proportions of that Cavanagh hat are marvelous.

I hope to visit him in later summer or early fall to commission a homburg and posts like this decrease the extent whereto I worry that it might be a gamble.

He is a fount of knowledge and a joy to deal with. The neighborhood where his shop is located is a little scary though. I'd like to photograph all the abandoned houses and buildings around there some day. Look past that and you'll find a premier hatter.

When were those pix taken? I think I see my hat in the making on the shelf.

They were taken April 18th.

I live in Buffalo and have two custom hats from Mr. White. He is a wonderful man, and a hell of a hatter.

jimmy pierre designs

Anyone have experience with Jimmy Pierre Designs (http://jimmypiercedesigns.com/index.mv)? I saw his name in a hat one of the Floungers is selling, so I want to know...

That would be, http://jimmypiercedesigns.com

I just happened to pickup my hat from Gary this week (clean, bash, trim a snowy river into a teardrop fedora). Just a great man, please to do business with and chat with.

My wife did happen to note on his board that orders placed now would not be ready until October. So Delthayre if you make the trip keep that in mind, and I promise with his stock of well-aged felts, ribbons, and expertise you won't be disappointed in the slightest.

I hope he's still in Buffalo by the time I can afford to commisison a custom hat from him.

JJWord said:

I just happened to pickup my hat from Gary this week (clean, bash, trim a snowy river into a teardrop fedora). Just a great man, please to do business with and chat with.

My wife did happen to note on his board that orders placed now would not be ready until October. So Delthayre if you make the trip keep that in mind, and I promise with his stock of well-aged felts, ribbons, and expertise you won't be disappointed in the slightest.

I hope he's still in Buffalo by the time I can afford to commisison a custom hat from him.

Click to expand...

Well, sir, POST some pics!

Here's what it looked like before if anyone is curious.

But here's what it looks like now after Gary worked on it. Had to find the time to take the pics...











Cleaned, blocked, brim trimmed, stretched, new lining, new ribbon, and new feather. There's still a little fade/stain to the felt in spots but nothing horrible. I can't complain one bit, I have a hat that's basically custom fit to my head and sharp for minimal investment. The man does amazing work.

As I said, hopefully Mr. White is still in Buffalo when I have the money saved up for a full custom. I'd love to have a black or charcoal gray fedora in beaver made by him.

custom hatter in PA..if ppl are interested

I am from PA, and recently stumbled across http://www.couturecreations.net/

Mary Ann who runs the operation and makes the hats etc was very nice via email. she sent me a few photos of her work, although I don't think i can post attachments yet. I will try and post some of her work.

If anyone has purchased hats from her please let me know.


By acybergentleman at 2009-06-30

Gary White, The Custom Hatter

I have had the pleasure to speak with Gary White, owner of "The custom Hatter". Located in Historic Buffalo, NY, USA. I have nothing but good to say about this fine gentleman. Gary is one of the finest hatters in the industry (if not the best), in more ways than one. Gary is a personable person, preferring to not do business by email. He prefers to speak across to his clients/customers (not down to them). He will send pictures of hats or hat bodies via text if you are looking for something special.

Gary has over 30 years of experience and teaches at a local school regarding the making of hats. The first time I met Gary in person he (secretively) immediately tried to figure out how much knowledge I had regarding hats, and then began to very casually teach me important facts regarding his profession and what to look for in a hat.

Once he was done showing me around his shop I was thrilled. He uses a turn-of-the-century machine so rare that fewer than ten exist in the world. He has all the tools needed to make many varieties of custom dress hats as well as theatrical. He is the only one of the top 4 hatters that has the hat block that I was looking for.

Gary was willing to spend as much time visiting with me as I liked. It seemed like we could have both talked for hours and I probably would have, but my son who drives for me (I have a war injury) was waiting in the car.

There were very many hat bodies and colors to choose from. Some of his hat bodies are 50 years old but still considered new because they have not been made into hats yet. How can this be? He bought about 1000 hat bodies from a hat factory that was going out of business. Unfortunately times were changing and hat factories started closing. These were special hat bodies. Hats that had been built with a Cavanagh edge. A hat with such an edge was considered in it's time to be of superior quality. Learn more about Cavanagh Edge hats here: http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?27312-The-Definitive-Cavanagh-Edge-Primer-* Here you will find some wonderful information regarding this type of hat. Brad Bowers did an outstanding job researching and writing about the Cavanagh Edge. If you like reading about hats, this will be a must for you.

While in his shop I picked up my hat that I had ordered from Gary 2 weeks earlier. I had asked for very exacting measurements, even sending a Borsalino hat to him to show him exactly what I was looking for. I was looking for a hat that had a tapered front but not too much taper on the sides. I also was looking for a hat that was EXACTLY 5 inches tall in the crown. I had asked another top hatter to make me a 5 inch crown but was given a 5 1/2 inch crown.

Gary's measurements were exact. The difference in 5 inch versus 5 1/2 inches is a deeper creased crown. Gary gave me what I was looking for, a hat that had a crown that was 5 inches tall exactly. He built the hat open crowned for me at my request. I put the hat on, and with two motions I was able to put the crease and dent into the hat perfectly. The hat touched the top of my head ever so slightly, but that is what I wanted and expected. I am so glad to have found a hatter that can make a tapered low crowned hat.

The hat is a low crowned, brown colored, Cavanagh edged, 100% Beaver hat with a perfectly shaped brim of 2 1/8 inches length. I am so pleased with it. Apparently others like it as well, as I have been receiving compliments and smiles from wearing it.

I have commissioned the building of two more hats to be made by Gary. I have done business with some of the finest hatters (Optimo, Art Fawcett, Gus Miller). Some of their hats I have either sold or given away and some of them I have kept and cherish. However, this first hat from Gary is by far my favorite due to color, fit, and texture. I like it even more than my Optimo 1000 which costs (you guessed it) $1000.00. Gary's prices are reasonable and range in the area of about $420-490 for pure Beaver. Once these two hats are done being built, I will be placing another order. He carries so many unique colors.
I have posted the 3 hats here:

Here is the first one that is finished. Brown colored, 5 inch crown, 2 1/8 inch Cavanagh Edge, matching ribbon color with a bow that was a surprise to me and designed by Gary. As you can tell by the crease in the top and the dents in the sides that I do not prefer for them to be deep and pronounced but rather, soft and flowing. Gary has the right hat block for me and will be making all my future hats. Size: slightly smaller than 7 1/8.

Part II

Here is the second hat which is not finished yet. It will be a Light Sand color, with a narrow dark green ribbon around the crown and brim. Same crown and brim dimensions as the brown hat. Not Cavanagh Edged. The hat will be 70% Mink and 30% Beaver. I sure hope it will be as soft as it sounds. Size: slightly smaller than 7 1/8.



The third hat Gary White is building me a 100% beaver, Cavanagh edge, Dark Olive color, Size: slightly smaller than 7 1/8.
With the taper I like from block # 518. Crown height is 5 inches, not 5 ¼. With a 2 1/8 inch brim. Ribbon: Black, 1 inch wide with a black, Hassidic, pleated bow. Open Crowned.


And of course, here is Gary:


Gary, Keep up the good work .........Dennis

Gorgeous edges there, DRB - I'd never really given Gary White too much consideration, but now I'm thinking I might have to buy a hat from him sometime in the future - hope he still has some edges left by then. -M

Gary White really does deserve to have his own thread just like the others. Maybe some other Fedora Loungers might want to post their "The Custom Hatter" pictures.

They had over 3 feet of snow in Buffalo. Gary is off work tomorrow due to a car accident but should be back to work hopefully soon.

Mulceber: he only has one left of the cavanagh edged 5" crown & 21/8 in. brim. However, you may very well have a different size in mind and find what you might want. I have become a big fan of Cavanagh Edged hats.

Very nice hats DRB! That cavanagh edge is fantastic!