A hat for every occasion?

[Samsa]

I've been searching the archives for a good hour now, and haven't really found anything precisely on topic. (Sorry if this is a repeat.)

I am curious as to what hats people wear with what clothes? I am a newcomer to hats (and the Lounge), and the one I bought (black felt, as seen in my picture) doesn't exactly go with my everday dress (khakis and generally a polo/button down shirt). So: what hats do you all wear with casual garb? Any recomendations?

 

[RedPop4]

If your black matches it, wear it.

I dress in a similar manner for work quite often....either a polo-style shirt, usually a solid....a dress shirt with button-down collars, OR a guayabera.

My 'daily' hats are an Indiana Jones from Dorfman Pacifick, which I'll even wear with jeans. See it on my head as I visited the Graycliff Resort in Nassau

Or this New York Hats Co. medium tan hat...as seen on my younger son

OR my latest acquisition, the Royal Stetson gray as seen on my older son.

I also own a black Kensington by Stetson, that's 20 years old, now. But for whatever reason, I'm not comfortable in the total black hat, but I'm going to keep trying.

Good luck.

 

[ortega76]

I recently whittled down my hat collection to 3 lids. The ones I got rid of were ill-fitting, in poor shape or just cheap.

My day-to-day hat is a diamond crown stingy brim. It's black but I am thinking of picking up one in brown, khaki or olive. It's cheap enough that I don't worry about ruining it around town or leaving it in a locker at work. I work retail, with a uniform that includes khaki chinos and a polo. I throw a lightweight jacket on to commute everyday. Outside of work, I tend to wear khaki pants or jeans with t-shirts (typically tattoo related), solid sweaters or short sleeve shirts. Converse Chuck Taylor All Stars are my footwear of choice. Here's a pic of me in a pretty casual outfit with said hat.

My dressy hat is a beautiful black Biltmore Fedora. It's a little "big" for my tastes, but it's construction is beautiful and I love the way it looks with a navy suit and cap-toes! I only wear it with suits, top coats and trenches.

While my summer hats tend to be driver's caps and Kangols, I love my Dobbs Porkpie. This is a pretty casual hat, so it gets worn much the same as my stingy brim.

Please note that I am in no way endorsing any of the links in this message. I am simply using their bandwith to provide my examples!

 

[Russ]

In my opinion a fedora would go with most clothes from casual to business (not exactly a surprise answer on this forum, is it?). A thinner ribbon looks more casual than a wide ribbon. For khakis and button down shirts an earth tone fedora such as brown or tan would go great, and is less formal than grey or black.

My brown Akubra Federation (fedora) is my casual middle-of-the-road fedora and I find myself wearing it more than my grey or black fedoras with both suits and casual clothes. I also wear it more than my very casual Akubra bush style hats (the Colly) which are basically wide brim C-crown fedoras with a leather band instead of a ribbon.

The Fedration has a standard wide ribbon, but it still looks casual enough for me.

However, when I'm going to extremes, I'll wear something else. Black or grey fedora with a suit and formal black coat, and Akubra Colly when hiking in the woods or sketching in a field. But if I only had one hat it would be the brown fedora. BTW I've ordered a brown Adventurebilt, and intend to make that my main all-purpose hat whenever it comes.

If you never wear suits then I would recommend an Akubra bush hat (your choice of style). These go with everything that is casual. And I will confess I've even worn them with suits before I converted to the fedora. You may look like a bush man who has come to town to see the tall buildings, but hey, they are still better than baseball caps.

 

[Phil_in_CS]

You own coloring needs to fit into this as well

I have brown and dark gray fedoras for winter wear. I personally look much better in the dark gray one, since my own coloring is 'winter'. (See Flusser's Dressing the Man) The dark gray with my cool colors (black shoes and belt, blue shirts, etc) and the brown with warmer colors (brown shoes and belt, olive slacks, etc)

The dark gray does look more formal than the brown; I soften it by reshaping the crown and brim. A center dent appears (to me, anyway) more formal than a pinch front, and flatter brims are more formal than bent.

Summers (baseball season) here are much too hot for felt, so I wear a panama, which is middle of the road in formality.

My two cents, but I do recommend Flussers book if you are just starting out.

 

[Samsa]

Thanks

I just wanted to thank everyone for their input. Today I acquired a cream-colored straw fedora, which I think will work with just about everything (until the summer's over, at least).

 

[jamespowers]

I just wanted to thank everyone for their input. Today I acquired a cream-colored straw fedora, which I think will work with just about everything (until the summer's over, at least).

Great, let's have a look.

Please.

Regards,

J

 

[Tomasso]

ortega76, what a coincidence. You and your lovely lady are standing on the same bridge where the demise of my first good hat occurred. It was the dead of Winter(1985) and I had, just moments before, purchased a Borsalino at Capper&Capper(Mad&Wabash) and was walking north on Michigan Ave. where when crossing the bridge a gust of wind.............

 

[jamespowers]

ortega76, what a coincidence. You and your lovely lady are standing on the same bridge where the demise of my first good hat occurred. It was the dead of Winter(1985) and I had, just moments before, purchased a Borsalino at Capper&Capper(Mad&Wabash) and was walking north on Michigan Ave. where when crossing the bridge a gust of wind.............

Wait a minute. You are just the guy I want to talk to! Capper and Capper are still around? Give us some history of the place. How long has it been around and do they still sell hats? Where are they?

Regards,

J

 

[Cobden]

I must admit to being a fan of one hat (a wide brimmed wool felt brown Christies trilby with a narrow band), which I wear pretty much all the time; basically, the poor thing should be on it's last legs, but I managed to fix the brim - a quite like the crown knackered. I wear it with everything; casual (shirt, chinos and a sports coat), suits of all colours, modern and period, even black tie. The only time I don't wear it out and about is when I'm doing my re-enacting (military hats for that!) and, when I was in Alex, when I'm going into the desert (bring out the old solar topee, even if I do get strange looks). I sometimes where a rather cheap panama in summer, but apart from that, it is the one trilby on life support...

 

[Andykev]

Chicago, Chicago....!

I recently whittled down my hat collection to 3 lids. The ones I got rid of were ill-fitting, in poor shape or just cheap.

My day-to-day hat is a

Heck I stood on that same bridge when I went back to Chicago to visit Optimo Hats...you live out there, and you should treat yourself to a visit there also.

I loved Chicago.

 

[adamgottschalk]

3 fur-felt and 1 straw

For now, not being exactly flush with funds, I'm happy with my 3 vintage fur-felt fedoras: 1) Dark-charcoal 60s stingy brim, one-of-a-kind Thomas Begg (1" brim), in my avatar, 2) Navy Beaver Brand stingy (1 3/4" brim), and 3) Dark-brown Borsalino (1 7/8" brim). (I do have an old Cavanagh a fellow lounger gave me, but I have yet to use it much; it's also dark charcoal, also 1 7/8" brim...I will take to using it, but probably not until cool weather hits again.)

These 3 colors allow for compatability with all manner of outfits. I find the 1"-brim is best for more casual attire. The other two work with everything, with some caveats: I'd only wear the charcoal hat with black clothes (might wear the navy one with grey clothes); though the brown one works with various colors, it looks best with brown attire; likewise, though the navy one works with many things, it looks best with blue-family.

I also have a stingy hemp milan-weave vintage (60s?) straw hat (natural/light brown) which has just been fixed up by Art Fawcett (should have it back soon). 1 1/2" fabric-finished brim. Will be THE hat I wear for the next few months, regardless of attire.

 

[Benny Holiday]

Welcome to the Lounge, Samsa!

Samsa, everyone has their own individual sense of style and what they feel comfortable in.

I tend to group my colours into two groups: black, grey and blue together, and brown and green together. (Not hard and fast rules; brown shoes look great with the right tone of grey!)

For a casual look, then, I'll wear, say, a blue Hawaiian shirt with black baggy trousers and my black or grey fedora, or a yellow or cream shirt with tan trousers and a brown fedora. Now, when I'm in a suit, the fedora is worn tilted to the right with the brim down, but when I'm in casual mode I tend to tip it back on my head and flip the brim up.

My little idiosyncracy is that I can't wear a fedora with jeans. I'm not saying it's against all laws of time and nature, it's just that I don't feel they go together for me. When dressed casually I often wear my newsboy cap, which I will wear with jeans. Painful, ain't I?

Experiment and see what you feel comfortable in. It changes over time, too. Hats and clothes I once thought looked great together now make me wonder what I was ever thinking at the time!

 

[ufguy11]

I was in Chicago also recently (if you call December recent). I think my hotel looked over where you were standing. It's the hyatt, tell me if I'm wrong. And I also think that a fedora with anything casual is great. If YOU like it...wear it.

 

[Jake Sullivan]

I've been searching the archives for a good hour now, and haven't really found anything precisely on topic. (Sorry if this is a repeat.)

I am curious as to what hats people wear with what clothes? I am a newcomer to hats (and the Lounge), and the one I bought (black felt, as seen in my picture) doesn't exactly go with my everday dress (khakis and generally a polo/button down shirt). So: what hats do you all wear with casual garb? Any recomendations?

SAMSA.... I have learned in a relatively short period of time that style exists within, and sir you have already exhibited your sense of style by joining this wonderful group of people with genuine class and heart. Wear anything you wish, my friend and we will always back you up. Welcome to the world of the Fedora lounge. These people offer excellent advice. See my thread about what to wear with jeans, excellent advice provided by all. and trust me people notice in a positive light

Jake Sullivan

 

[Tomasso]

Wait a minute. You are just the guy I want to talk to! Capper and Capper are still around? Give us some history of the place. How long has it been around and do they still sell hats? Where are they?

Regards,

J

J, I'm sorry to report that Capper&Capper bit the dust around a decade ago after a 70+ year run. They started in the 1920's as a small(five store) independent chain based in the Midwest(Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, etc.)and at some point(1960's?) were acquired by Hart, Schaffner & Marks. In their prime, they were certainly considered to be among the elite haberdashers in America, as for most of their existence they competed with the likes of Sulka and Marshall Fields Store for Men(in Chicago all were located within four blocks of each other).

The recent post by Marc Chevalier concerning Oviatt's, which I must say was quite enjoyable, immediately made me think of Capper&Capper. I believe that they were peers, at least pre-HS&M. In the Deco years, when America thirsted for all things French, Capper&Capper filled its stock list in Paris. Of course they also offered the great American makers, such as Oxxford, Hickey-Freeman, Florsheim, etc.

I would add that the iconic department stores, such as Marshall Fields, Wanamaker's and Lord&Taylor were purveyors of fine goods as well. They often receive short shrift, most likely due to short memories

Cheers.

 

[ortega76]

Heck I stood on that same bridge when I went back to Chicago to visit Optimo Hats...you live out there, and you should treat yourself to a visit there also.

I loved Chicago.

I intend to. I live about 2 hours south of the City of Big Shoulders, so it's a trip. I'm buying new hats, focusing on quality. I'll be picking up an Optimo sometime closer to winter! Right now, I've got my eye on a center-crease Biltmore and another straw hat of some type.

 

[ortega76]

ortega76, what a coincidence. You and your lovely lady are standing on the same bridge where the demise of my first good hat occurred. It was the dead of Winter(1985) and I had, just moments before, purchased a Borsalino at Capper&Capper(Mad&Wabash) and was walking north on Michigan Ave. where when crossing the bridge a gust of wind.............

fftopic: If you want to see this area of the Gold Coast in a great fedora movie, check out Road To Perdition with Tom Hanks (if you haven't already).

I'm sorry about the lost hat. The wind off the Chicago River can gust up unexpectedly at any time of the year.

In the area (The Loop and Gold Coast areas of Chicago), Marshall Field And Company still has a small selection of lids. Very little worthwhile unfortunately, most tend to be Makins or Bailey's.They do have a Thomas Pink shop for those so inclined (I love their shirts and ties). On North Michigan Avenue is a Nordstrom. They also have a limited selection of hats but nice furnishings.

The best bet is definitely Optimo.

 

[Aerol]

Assorted hats

Black topcoat/black leather motorcycle jacket: Grey Optimo Manhattan
Chocolate brown topcoat (very, very vintage!): Tan Optimo Manhattan
Barbour: Borso Traveller in green
Yellow/black Marmot field coat: Black Flechet
Tan trench coat: Chocolate brown Paul Stuart Fortnighter
summer/no coat: Dobbs Milan straw or Optimo panama

 

[jamespowers]

J, I'm sorry to report that Capper&Capper bit the dust around a decade ago after a 70+ year run. They started in the 1920's as a small(five store) independent chain based in the Midwest(Chicago, Detroit, Minneapolis, etc.)and at some point(1960's?) were acquired by Hart, Schaffner & Marks. In their prime, they were certainly considered to be among the elite haberdashers in America, as for most of their existence they competed with the likes of Sulka and Marshall Fields Store for Men(in Chicago all were located within four blocks of each other).

The recent post by Marc Chevalier concerning Oviatt's, which I must say was quite enjoyable, immediately made me think of Capper&Capper. I believe that they were peers, at least pre-HS&M. In the Deco years, when America thirsted for all things French, Capper&Capper filled its stock list in Paris. Of course they also offered the great American makers, such as Oxxford, Hickey-Freeman, Florsheim, etc.

I would add that the iconic department stores, such as Marshall Fields, Wanamaker's and Lord&Taylor were purveyors of fine goods as well. They often receive short shrift, most likely due to short memories

Cheers.

Thanks for the information. I have a few hats with their moniker on them and I wanted to know about the company. I am glad they were a top knotch store.
Too bad they are no longer around. I would love to see the store as it was many years ago. Time marches on I suppose.

Regards,

J