Boater faction!

[ManofKent]

Frank - seersucker and white bucks strike an Englishman as the quintessential American summer outfit, and look great with the boater.

 

[SpeedRcrX]

A few posts back I talked about an event organized by the city I work for

"Le Banquet Républicain", a big lunch with a lot of festivities

There was 5000 people attending the event and we offered each person a boater

Last time there was 5000 people.
This year it was 7000 people and everyone has a boater.
The quality of the hat was better too.

Now I'm going to go crawl somewhere to sleep I'm beat, I can't see ice cubes anymore...

 

[DJH]

That's a lot of boaters!
Very cool.

 

[Mulceber]

Quick question about boaters: I've been skimming ebay looking for ones in my size (7 3/8-7 1/2) and haven't had much luck. What are your opinions of modern makes? Most of the ones I've seen (even the ones from Optimo) don't look quite right - the crowns seem more tapered, rather than having the nice, sharp 90 degree angle of the older ones, and it looks like the construction has gone downhill in most cases as well (except for at Optimo of course). Anybody have some advice on finding a proper looking boater in my size?

 

[mayserwegener]

I would go older vintage and try to find one with a really comfortable sweatband (padding against the stiff straw) like this Habig of mine.

http://germanaustrianhats.invisionzone.com/index.php?/topic/5-p-c-habig-hutfabrik/page__st__60#entry653

 

[David Conwill]

I've tried on a modern Tesi and found it to have the right shape and a comparable quality to my vintage Lee. I can't speak for the quality of Olney, but the pictures make them look right.

Everything else looks like a department-store straw hat pretending to be a boater - thin, floppy, and entirely the wrong shape.

 

[Mulceber]

Mayser - I'll try and keep an eye out for one on the classifieds section. At least with vintage, I'll know what I'm buying.

David - what's the full name of Tesi? If I can't find vintage, it sounds like they'd be the ideal recourse. -M

 

[David Conwill]

David - what's the full name of Tesi? If I can't find vintage, it sounds like they'd be the ideal recourse.

As far as I know, it's just Tesi. I tried one on at Henry the Hatter in downtown Detroit, but here's one online.

 

[job]

Try here.

http://www.etsy.com/search?q=straw%20boater%20mens&order=most_relevant&view_type=gallery&ship_to=US&ref=auto4

 

[Mulceber]

Thanks Job! I'll keep my eye on the market...hopefully the prices will die down as we hit fall.

 

[ManofKent]

Quick question about boaters: I've been skimming ebay looking for ones in my size (7 3/8-7 1/2) and haven't had much luck. What are your opinions of modern makes? Most of the ones I've seen (even the ones from Optimo) don't look quite right - the crowns seem more tapered, rather than having the nice, sharp 90 degree angle of the older ones, and it looks like the construction has gone downhill in most cases as well (except for at Optimo of course). Anybody have some advice on finding a proper looking boater in my size?

The Olney one isn't bad. Sharp 90 degree angles, and completely rigid straw. Made in Luton the home of English straw hat production. The sweat isn't stunning - synthetic leather. They're quite shallow crowned so sit high (nothing wrong with that it's pretty traditional for an English boater) so you might want to size down for a better fit. I don't know how much Lock & co charge, but they're rebranded Olneys as I believe are the Bates branded ones. I'm happy enough for the price, and haven't found anything modern that's better.

 

[David Conwill]

Actually, the etsy prices seem remarkably low given that it's high summer and immediately following a big-budget remake of The Great Gatsby.

 

[Rogera]

I found this in a giant antique mall in Fort Worth the other day and thought it was interesting.





Anyone recognize the make or vintage of this lid?

 

[Rogera]

Oh here's a shot of the tags

 

[David Conwill]

Over the weekend I stepped into a hat shop in Traverse City, Michigan. They target the tourist trade, so there wasn't a ton to entice the average FL'er, but I did make one pleasant discovery: the Dorfman-Pacific Christy's Boater.

It's not as rigid as a traditional boater (either vintage or a Tesi), but it's lightyears beyond the deformed straws that have largely masqueraded as budget "boaters" up to now. It's hemp, so it's nice and thick, quite stiff, and yet has a certain amount of give. This might be a good knockaround boater for those of us who want to drive around in our roadster or run the risk of taking a couple in the back outside The Biograph without worrying that our vintage piece will crack.

 

[alanfgag]

Dobbs branded boater

Unusual rolled edge is hollow and seamed invisibly on the underside of the brim. 2 3/8" brim is flexible and upward curved. 2 3/8" ribbon. Sold on eBay as a woman's hat, it was sold by a men's furnishing shop C.J. Mathis in Portland OR. References I found to this store in the trades are from mid 1920s and earlier. A non-Dobbs identified tag behind the sweatband shows the size and four digit number only. Very nicely made and in fine condition.

 

[BR Gordon]

I typically like the traditional boaters, but that Dobbs is fantastic. Congratulations on a great find.

 

[ottawa_adam]

Might want to consider reconditioning the sweat. 100% shea butter might help.

Are you serious about shea butter, Job? I use that stuff regularly on my dry skin, and it's a great product.

How would you go about using it to condition sweat bands?

On another note, I just picked up my first boater and will be posting pictures shortly.

 

[Mystic]

Hey guys,
Wasn't sure what thread to post this in...ask a question thread or here.
It is strictly a boater question so perhaps it belongs here.
Got my first boater this past summer. 40s (?) AdamRoyal.
Like a boater more than I thought I would.

My questions: How do you guys store your boaters for the winter? What is the recommended method?
Sitting on crown, on brim, in hat box on insert? Kind of wondering if sitting on crown would allow brim to sag? It's pretty stiff but still flexible.

Input and experience would be greatly appreciated.

 

[mayserwegener]

I came across this unique/ old French Boater like Women's straw (very elaborate weave) so thought I would post the auction photos.