Brims - How do you like them

[Pen Collector]

Brim down or up?

I would like to ask your opinion. I have a couple of Country Gentlemen Lite Felt 100% wool hats, one black and one grey, that I have bought at Dillards. Only $40.00. I must say they are pretty good hats. Both hats have the brim down on both the front and back. I like the look of this hat and a receive quite a few compliments when I wear these hats.

The question is, do you think that wearing the brim down in front and back is considered casual or could it be dressy also?

My wife likes the brim down all the way around. She says that these are the hats I look the best in. Mind you I have a Black Manhattan OPTIMO and a PB Michaelson Borsalino (LC). These of course do not have the brim turned down in the back. Personally I like both. I was toying with the Idea of sending one of these Country Gentlemen hats to OPTIMO and having them duplicate the hat in a Lightweight felt in maybe Indy Brown. I tried turning the brim down in the back of the Black Manhattan OPTIMO but it doesn't look right. Maybe it's because the felt is so thin. I don't know.

What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Gabe

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Well, first, if you paid $40 each, I must say you overpaid. But otherwise, I'd have to see pics. I generally don't like the look of a hat with the brim down all around.

 

[Andykev]

Re: Brim down or up?

Originally posted by Pen Collector


The question is, do you think that wearing the brim down in front and back is considered casual or could it be dressy also?



What are your thoughts on this?

Thanks,
Gabe [/B]

Depending on where you are, and what you are wearing. In a formal business suit, I would suspect that wearing the brim turned down all the way down is poor fashion. However, out hunting or working in the yard...in your jeans and leather jacket...the turned down brim is fine. I personally and conservatively only wear my hats a-la 1940's style. But that is me, and it looks good on me. When you go into a custom hat shop, they should properly show you what looks good on YOU , your SIZE, HEAD SHAPE, FACE SHAPE, and colors to match your complexion. THere are sooo many variables that you cannot toss out absolutes. Even if you posted a photo of you in the hat with your best pose,...you'd get different OPINIONS..which is what they are. YOU have to look in the mirror and decide. Just don't ignore the laughter ..I have years ago made POOR choices in my attire...and "proper education" on behalf of real friends made a difference.
Unfortunately, hats have been passe for about 40 years...so most of us are "relearning" the style and look.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I asked this question onece on COW.

I only wear the brim down in back when I need more shade on my neck.

 

[Pen Collector]

Brim down or up?

Thank you gentlemen for your comments,

I agree AndyKev, "depending on where you are, and what you are wearing". I do think that wearing the hat a-la- 1940's style, as you say, is the right choice when dressing up. I just wanted to see what others thought about wearing the hat with the brim down all the way around. I have yet to make it to Chicago to have Graham advise me on size, head shape and face shape and colors to match my complexion. I wanted to go to Chicago to the Hat Party but a death in the family prevented me from going.

My wife has been telling me that should like to visit San Francisco again sometime since we enjoyed our last trip there about 5 years ago. I understand Paul's Hat Works there in San Francisco is also a good place to get fitted for a hat. We might be going there before going to Chicago.

I do wear my both ways, brim up and down, depending on Casual, Business Casual and Dressy.

I am thinking about getting a digital camera and hope I can post some pics of all my hats and see what you gentlemen think of them. AndyKev, I sure would like to see your collection in person. From what I have seen on your posts you have a fine and extensive collection.

Again, gentlemen thanks for your comments.

Gabe

 

[kent]

A citizen of San Angelo! A large chunk of my family lives there, moving me out there last week. How long have you lived there?

I've always had the feling that turning the whole brim up is the dressiest. All my fedoras are down in front, up in back to a degree, which I feel is a nice spot in the middle. Mr. Deckard has the down in back reasoning all sorted out, but if the hat looks good like that, no reason to change it every time the shadow moves.

--Kent

 

[Matt Deckard]

Historically speaking... I see more pictures of the brim down all around in the 20's.

wear however you think it looks best.

 

[Pen Collector]

Brim down or up?

Kent,

I was raised here in San Angelo, moved to Brooklyn, N.Y. in 1969, returned to San Angelo in 1977 and have lived here ever since.

Worked for GTE/Verizon for 25 years, then retired. Now work for the Alcohol & Drug Abuse Council for the Concho Valley. It's interesting that the kids at the schools we go to think that the hats I wear are "cool". I usually get comments like: Nice hat, Sir." A lot of them want to try on the hats. I don't let them, for personal reasons. Around here it's either Cowboy hats or baseball caps. So, I stand out wearing a fedora.



Who knows, I might know your family.

Gabe

 

[Renderking Fisk]

Brim down in front, up in back.

 

[BD Jones]

I personally like the brim up in the back, though not too far up. The furthest I like the brim to be down in the back is flat; no "droop".

As for San Angelo, TX...I went to Angelo State University for seven years (I had a VERY good time, maybe too good ). My wife, who was born and raised in Eldorado (just a short drive south of San Angelo), went there as well. We often long for the "good 'ol days" when we lived out there. I love San Angelo and would love to get back there someday.

 

[Pen Collector]

Brim down or up?

BD Jones,

When you get ready to come to West Texas (San Angelo) send me a pm and we can meet and get to know each other.

San Angelo is a nice town. A lot of military personnel that go through Goodfellow Air Force base return and retire here in San Angelo.

Cheers,

Gabe

 

[kent]

Yow, even more ties to San Angelo. My dad went to ASU long ago as well. Things go nice and slowly around too (too slowly if you're looking for a job =( though). Nice and small too, unlike in Houston, Oh, it's only 50 miles to that part of town...

 

[BD Jones]

Will do. There are a lot of things we want to revist, especially the historic Cactus Hotel; we got married on the lobby steps. We might get there for Fiesta del Concho in June. I'll let you know.

 

[kent]

Double yow, my Grandparents had their 50th wedding anniversary on the top floor of the Cactus a couple of years ago. If I remember correctly, they've got a radio station on one of the middle floors, and some of the floors are rented out as expensive lofts. I think that's probably the best place in San Angelo to get married. It's a shame it's not in better condition, but it has held out quite well through it's various owners. It seems to change owners every few years.

 

[Magus]

Hat brims...Up? Down? Sideways? Or??

Hello all,

In watching old movies and seeing pictures of days past I see all kinds of brim arrangements. The vintage ads posted bear that out as well. A perfect example is in the picture from The Sting:

The gentleman on the left has his in the style that most of the men I have noticed on the Fedora Lounge wearing. Basically up in back-down in front. Mr. Redford has his rather up on the right and down on the left, while Mr. Shaw is in a homburg.

My question is this. Is there any ?¢‚Ǩ?ìcorrect?¢‚Ǩ? way to wear a felt fedora type of hat?

I tend to prefer mine with the brim up all the way around, or even as Mr. Redford was wearing his, though I also have a couple that I wear with the back up-down front as well (Maybe its just the mood I am in that day?) However, I have noticed a ?¢‚Ǩ¬¶well?¢‚Ǩ¬¶?¢‚Ǩ?bias?¢‚Ǩ? seems a bit too strong. But the tendency seems prevalent in many postings here, toward the ?¢‚Ǩ?ìup in back-down in front?¢‚Ǩ? as being ?¢‚Ǩ?ìproper way?¢‚Ǩ? to wear a fedora. That?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s fine, as a college professor said in a class I was in, ?¢‚Ǩ?ìYou are entitled to any opinion you want?¢‚Ǩ¬¶no matter how wrong it is.?¢‚Ǩ? Seriously though, I am simply happy to see someone in a hat besides a ball cap. I find different arrangements to be interesting in giving a certain ?¢‚Ǩ?ìlook?¢‚Ǩ? or ?¢‚Ǩ?ìflair?¢‚Ǩ? that perhaps I have not seen or considered, and we all have our likes and dislikes.

So?¢‚Ǩ¬¶any thoughts? Or?¢‚Ǩ¬¶How do you prefer to wear yours?

Magus

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Redford's way was popular in the 1920s with gangsters, showmen, and the Mayor of New York City.

 

[John in Covina]

Straighten Up and Fly Right!

The side down like Reford or Capone just doesn't do it for me, I don't feel it's masculine enough, more of a dig me prima donna type of a style. I also don't like the brim down all the way around. it makes me think of the swindler in the "Bank DIck" in the worst way.

"Don't hate me because I'm beautiful!"

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Front down, back up

I wear my fedoras with the front down and back up. Is that called a 'snap brim'? Whatever it's called, that's the way all of my fedoras are worn and is the style of my two favorite fedoras, The Indy and the Bogart (pictured in my avatar)..KC :fedora:

 

[J. M. Stovall]

I wear my brims up all around 99.9% of the time on my brims 2" and less. The only exception is if it's really windy. On my wider brims it's down in front and up in back with suits, up all around with causual dress.

Like my tagline says at the bottom...

 

[mysterygal]

I like how the gentleman on the left is wearing his :fedora: