Been banking at work, $$ for a new REAL FUR FELT HAT

[Owney_Madden]

Hey guys, if you recall just last Friday i received my "Stacy Adams Wool Felt Center Dent Fedora" First fedora ive ever owned.
http://www.thefedorastore.com/Stacy-Adams-Wool-Felt-Center-Dent-Fedora-Hat-p/saw536.htm

nice hat, but wool and not a teardrop like im after. Now i am wanting a hat that i have to bash myself.
im looking at the Federation IV Deluxe
http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?view=51&returncat=Fedora+Hats&returnpage=0
and i am also looking at the Stetson Nostalgia
http://www.thefedorastore.com/Stetson-Sovereign-Quality-Nostalgia-Fur-Felt-Open-p/320c0nost.htm
What are you thoughts on these hats? and which one would be a better lasting/overall quality hat? rain,shine etc. Also ideas on color. My Stacy is Grey, though the moonstone is a nice color on the fed IV. For Christmas i received a blue pinstriped tailored suit so what would go best with that in your opinion?

 

[gtdean48]

From all that I've read, seen here & seen of it in person, my vote goes with Fed4 Dlx & I am an avid Stetson fan & owner of a Stetson Pinnacle, not Nostalgia

 

[johnnyphi]

What size do you wear?

I know a guy who has a few new/old stock fedoras that might be a great alternative to the new hats you'll find at the online retailers.

 

[MCrider]

Which hat?

I don't have any experience with the Stetson Nostalgia. From what others have said it's a well made hat. For my money though, I went for the Akubra Federation IV in moonstone. Akubra's toughness is approaching legendary proportions online. I can add to that by saying I was out in a snowstorm and though heavily coated with snow, it wasn't any worse for wear the next day. If that's the style hat you're looking for try the Akubra. A plus was it was less than $100 shipped.

 

[Owney_Madden]

head is between 23- 23.5 inches around lol BIG head i bought the stacy adams in XL and its just a tad big.



How long is the wait currently on akubras? i saw the thread on the waiting but i dont know anymore what the actual wait time is

 

[Mr. Paladin]

I am a big Stetson supporter and I really love their hats; pre-creases and all. I have seen and handled a Nostalgia and would have bought it had it been in my size, because I want to crease an open crowned Stetson. But, I have to say that for a first hat crease attempt, I would recommend the FED IV. I bought one and found it to be an absolute dream to work with and shape. It was very forgiving of my initial clumsiness and forms like putty. Some use distilled water spray, others use steam. From the results I have seen posted, either one seems to work well. Good luck whatever you decide, making your own crease is a blast!

 

[Owney_Madden]

My father has an Adams Executive fedora, with a really nice teardrop shape and pinched front and it has some cloth on the brim edge that gives it a great look i have A pic of it. i would really like something like this

 

[Bob Smalser]

If you wear a size too large for easy acquisition of a vintage fedora, for 50 dollars more that those mentioned I wouldn't ignore these:

http://www.thefedorastore.com/Beaver-Brand-Hats-s/130.htm

Or for another 25 dollars, you can design your own fedora:

http://www.thefedorastore.com/Design-A-Hat-s/169.htm

 

[gtdean48]

head is between 23- 23.5 inches around lol BIG head i bought the stacy adams in XL and its just a tad big.

How long is the wait currently on akubras? i saw the thread on the waiting but i dont know anymore what the actual wait time is

Depends on where you order the Akubra from. Where are you in GA? I am a 7 5/8, 61 & live in Cherokee County. I currently have 3 Akubras with 3 on order, 1 shipping soon!

 

[nickn5]

I must be getting tired, I looked at this thread title and thought 'how rude, if I did that at work I'd get fired'... then I noticed the vowel was an 'a'... lol Don't mind me...

N.

 

[yoonie]

If you have time, I might suggest a trip to a city with some vintage stores, like NY. Of course, you're not assured to find something you like, but if you enjoy nice clothes other than fedoras, you're sure to find smoething nice

 

[Spats McGee]

My father has an Adams Executive fedora, with a really nice teardrop shape and pinched front and it has some cloth on the brim edge that gives it a great look i have A pic of it. i would really like something like this

If you like the teardrop and bound brim, also take a look at the Akubra Stylemaster. I have two of them and they're fantastic! (Though I must, in all honesty, admit that I don't have a lot of hats with which to compare them).

Stylemasters can be found several places:
http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=535
http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?view=46&returncat=Fedora+Hats&returnpage=0

As for wait times, I'd email the store and ask them how long it would take to get one in the size and color that you want.

 

[Goose.]

...
How long is the wait currently on akubras? i saw the thread on the waiting but i dont know anymore what the actual wait time is

Hi Owney Madden...
IF you are looking for a Fed on your head, e-mail Hats Direct. Here's their contact link: http://hatsdirect.com/help/contact.html

I ordered a Hampton and Federation IV Deluxe on the 12th (I think) and on the 13th I received an e-mail that they were shipping. Still not here But any day now

Anyhow, I wrote them first and asked what they had in my size (60) for the Fed. They told me that my first choice was out of stock and would take a few weeks. So, I "settled" for a Dark Brown that they had in stock.

So, drop them a line and see what they have.

Keep us posted on your decision.

All The Best....

 

[Macheath]

For my money, it would definitely be the Federation.

I've seen both the Nostalgia and the Federation in person (I own the latter, got it from hatsdirect.com), and depending on where you buy, the Nostalgia would be between 40-50 USD more, and I personally can't find the extra 50 bucks in inherent worth in the Stetson.

The Fed will take a lot more abuse, although it will be a bit stiffer than the Stetson at first. With a good amount of wear and handling though, it will become less stiff, and since this is your first open crown, you'll likely try a couple of kinds of creases before settling on one, and that'll certainly help the process of softening it.

If you're impatient, you could always beat the crap out of it with a rolling pin. It can take it.:whip:

If you search for threads on the Nostalgia, you'll find that some people have had the problem of extra dye powder coming off the felt and staining things, especially when it gets wet. Supposedly it passes, but that hassle alone in my opinion makes it too troublesome a hat to spend 150 bucks on.

Get the Fed in Moonstone, you won't regret it.