First Hat - Need lots of advice

Rock31 · Apr 21, 2010

Hello all, first post

hope it's not to long and go easy on me!

I must say I am absolutely intrigued by this entire site and have been on it for a few days just reading through it when I have free time.

I really would like to get my first hat and need some advice on what type would fit me best so I can start shopping for one. My entire wardrobe needs changing but I am in the process of losing weight so I am going to hold off a while on that but I figured I could start with a proper hat. I am 27.

Here are some pictures I was able to dig up, only difference is I am down about 20 pounds so far from these pictures and now day to day if I am outside the house I wear a nice pair of jeans and either colored button down no tie or a white button down + tie. 90% when I go out for dinner/drinks it's a white shirt + tie with jeans.

Ignore the cheap flower prints, we went on our honeymoon to Hawaii, wife said no flower shirts so of course I bought one for each day we would be there.

I really like this style of hat but a dark color, would something like this work with my current attire of jeans and a button down?

Hope you don't mind I am using your picture Scott Wood:

Greyfox · Apr 21, 2010

Best advice that I can give you is to contact Art Fawcett at Vintage Silhouettes.

Not-Bogart13 · Apr 21, 2010

You are on the right track, sir. And welcome to the madness!

You have a fairly round face and broad shoulders, so the safe bet is to keep your hat brims over 2 1/2 inches wide (that's measured from the edge to the bottom of the dome, or "crown"). The style in the last photo should work for you, and there is no reason it can't work with jeans and a button-down shirt. I do it all the time.

I would recommend you take a look at your shirts and see what colors dominate the wardrobe (other than white) or what colors dominate your tie collection. Make a hat color choice that will match or compliment that. In the end, greens and browns can never fail you!

RBH · Apr 21, 2010

Glad to have you join us!
My suggestion is dont go with a custom .. yet.
We have several great hatters that belly up here at the Lounge. So the options are there.
BUT.. for a 'first' hat I suggest you get one from a hat shop. If you can go there in person even better. Try on all you can... then get the one you think you like.
Wear it all the time. Then after several months , you just might have an idea of what you might want from a custom hatter.
GOOD LUCK!!! And be sure to let us in on what you come up with!

fluteplayer07 · Apr 21, 2010

Welcome to the Lounge! Incidentally, we're in the middle of discussing hat dimensions vs. face shapes right here:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showpost.php?p=999273&postcount=8

This resource was just posted today, and already I can tell it will be very helpful. Enjoy, and happy hat hunting!

Rock31 · Apr 21, 2010

Thank you all for the advice. It is greatly appreciated and I will certainly check out that thread.

As for my wardrobe right now it consists mainly of green, brown shades and black. Like I said I am completely going to redo it once I lose all the weight (my reward to myself) it is about time I start dressing better

I am about 15 or so minutes outside of NYC so I can always check out a few stores there, in another thread I saw Worth & Worth and Hat Corner mentioned would one of those be a good visit? I am on a budget so definitely looking to score something under $120 if possible...any more suggestions for a NYC or NJ store?

fluteplayer07 · Apr 21, 2010

Rock31 said:
Thank you all for the advice. It is greatly appreciated and I will certainly check out that thread.

As for my wardrobe right now it consists mainly of green, brown shades and black. Like I said I am completely going to redo it once I lose all the weight (my reward to myself) it is about time I start dressing better

I am about 15 or so minutes outside of NYC so I can always check out a few stores there, in another thread I saw Worth & Worth and Hat Corner mentioned would one of those be a good visit? I am on a budget so definitely looking to score something under $120 if possible...any more suggestions for a NYC or NJ store?

I've heard amazing things about Worth & Worth, also. Looking at their site, they're not that cheap, though.

Rock31 · Apr 21, 2010

Just finished checking out their site and yea there is some room in my budget but I really did not want to spend $200+. It is still worth a look next time I am in the city though. I will check out the Hat Corner also, looks to be more in my comfort zone.

Salty O'Rourke · Apr 21, 2010

Rock31 said:
Just finished checking out their site and yea there is some room in my budget but I really did not want to spend $200+. It is still worth a look next time I am in the city though. I will check out the Hat Corner also, looks to be more in my comfort zone.

Bencraft Hats in Brooklyn is a big Lounge supporter, you might want to check them out as well.

Your only goal on your first visit to a hat shop should be to determine your hat size. I thought I'd figured my size out with a dress-maker's tape measure until I walked in to a store and tried on hats. The sales guy took one look at my head and said "you look like a 7 1/4 to me", which I am, and not 7 1/8 as I'd thought. This was at JJ Hat Center on Fifth Ave in Manhattan - great shop but expect 5th Ave pricing.

I didn't make it to Hat Corner but it sounds like a good place to get started.

WolfeMan · Apr 21, 2010

fftopic:

Not-Bogart13 said:
And welcome to the madness!

Well said!

Chinaski · Apr 21, 2010

Hey Rock31, welcome, and good luck in your quest for that first lid! A forewarning: This hat thing can be addictive, and everyone here is an enabler. Mark my words. lol

St.Ignatz · Apr 21, 2010

an old post from Mr. Bern

http://www.nytimes.com/2008/03/02/nyregion/thecity/02hat.html

Rock31 · Apr 21, 2010

Thanks again for all the suggestions. I am going to visit a few shows next week and see what happens!

Update and hopefully pictures of new hat to follow next week!

tonyb · Apr 21, 2010

Not-Bogart13 said:
You have a fairly round face and broad shoulders, so the safe bet is to keep your hat brims over 2 1/2 inches wide (that's measured from the edge to the bottom of the dome, or "crown"). The style in the last photo should work for you, and there is no reason it can't work with jeans and a button-down shirt. I do it all the time.

Good advice. All I'd add is that the size and "fullness" of the crown should also work with the hat-wearer's face and physique. A hat with a wide brim (2 3/4 inches or more, say) but with a low, tapered crown may still look a bit "off" atop a big guy's head, just as those full-on Indiana Jones style hats (wide brim, tall, straight-sided crown) can overwhelm the smaller guys.

As with all such guidelines, it's probably best to regard them as just that -- guidelines, not hard and fast rules. Many of us used to think that only one particular hat style was right for us, but then our horizons broadened. And you never know for sure how a hat (or any other item of attire) will look on you until it's on you.

tonyb · Apr 21, 2010

Rock31 said:

I see this and I think, man, picture this guy in a dark, conservative suit and a homburg and a big ol' Lincoln.

Rock31 · Apr 22, 2010

A good cigar would be nice also

And I admit I did have to google Homburg.

chippy · Apr 22, 2010

hehe (i got a different track), i was thinking , with all the palm leaves and colour flora in the background a linen jacket or dark jacket over white shirt and a panama hat would do the trick..come to think of it, it would fit right in with the current tropical shirt too !!

add in a nice drink, in a glass, your cigar if you smoke em and bobs your uncle

danofarlington · Apr 25, 2010

my thought on first hats

Rock31 said:
I really would like to get my first hat and need some advice on what type would fit me best so I can start shopping for one.

Ah yes, I was there about six or seven years ago when I came across a vintage Stetson Open Road at a flea market. It fit; looked good; and launched me to buy new hats on the Internet, all with good results.

A few observations about buying hats--first, you have to work out your own style. That's the big thing. To do that, I think it's useful to buy vintage or used hats, whether from EBay, or second-hand stores, because they're much cheaper. Buy some less expensive hats on the Internet. The less expensive, generally the less dressy.

Hats in my opinion can be really dressy and are very clothes-specific, forcing you to coordinate what you wear to suit the hat, if the hat is other than casual. If you want to use the hat for casual, I wouldn't go for a dressy fedora. I guess you could do that but to me they look misplaced on someone in casual clothes. The best dress hats I have, I usually wear with a suit or sports coat, because that's what they look best with.

RBH said earlier, don't go with custom hats yet. I agree with that. Don't invest in that until you know what you like, which may take a little while.

When you buy them, pay close attention to how dressy they are. A lot of hats for sale go well with casual, and if that's 90% of your use, then get one that can be casual. One kind that I like that straddles both casual and dressy is the Beaver Brand Heritage 1540 hat, which they have on their website and retailers carry. At least that's my idea of a good one. Another thing is to get a vintage Stetson Open Road on EBay. They are always for sale there. That's definitely casual, and has edginess to it. A lot of good things about that hat.

You'll find out about matching hats up with things when you buy them. Some hats just won't go with some shirts or coats, period. The only solution is to own several hats.

randooch · Apr 25, 2010

Welcome!

And be sure to chart your sartorial progress with lots of pictures.

fluteplayer07 · Apr 25, 2010

As reference, my 'everyday' hat that I wear with jeans and a polo top is a lighter brown Whippet. I also have various stingies for casual wear, too. I don't own any thin ribbons. I usually match my hats based off of color, as opposed to dimensions and stuff. I don't know; maybe others will scoff at me for it, but the Whippet-style fedora seems fairly all purpose to me. Is it a bit unorthodox to wear a wider-ribboned hat with casual dress? (Jeans+polo top or jeans+dress shirt)

My jumbled $0.02 for tonight.

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