Compliments and other reactions

[matei]

Greetings all!

Yesterday I received a number of compliments from total strangers on my hat (gray Herbet Johnson fedora) as I was running around the centre of London looking after some clients. It was a very nice feeling.

One older gent actually asked me where I got my lid from, as he has been after one just like it and has found that they "just don't make 'em like they used to".

Unfortunately I also ran into some eejits. One was a rather dubious-looking individual that tried to elbow me. This was right by Tottenham Court tube station. The guys said something about "Al Capone" and then took a run at me. I tried to avoid him and then he did it again. I ended up shoving him back and he fell over. Being a fairly stocky guy has its advantages.

Some other eejits also had the "Al Capone" comment - "who do you think you are, Al Capone?" Jeez...

As my wife said to me... if you want to stand out in a crowd, expect to get noticed.

 

[BellyTank]

Terry in a shell suit and a big gob...

...gobshites-
I my town, if you're not wearing "Diesel" you're a Dinosaur-
...Danish regional University town...

Off to live in the big smoke of Copenhagen in a couple of mumfs-
the most expensive city in Europe apparently- hopefully with a
little more taste too...

Big mouths- empty heads..... tut tut...

My sympahties-

B
T

 

[Art Fawcett]

Ahhh..it seems there are eejits worldwide!! Since I wear a hat virtually everywhere I also tend to get comments but I take it a bit as a game. With the compliments I Thank the person and give my best smile. To those that feel they are "cute" I simply put on my best "gangster glare' and put my hand in either my pocket ( if wearing an overcoat) or slide it under the back of my jacket implying that I am reaching for something unknown. I of course never utter a word as that might break the mood. I prefer to leave them wondering if I really WERE someone dangerous. ( my part of the game)

 

[matei]

Good suggestions Art! I think I'll try that next time...

I was wondering if someone would have the brass to comment if I was carrying a violin or viola case (is that what they hid them Tommy guns in the films?).

 

[Dave Keith]

glad I live in Texas

I am fortunate to live in a rural area where many men routinely wear western hats and some of them are genuine cowboys. Then too, Texan courtesy means if you are going to laugh at someone, you don't laugh within earshot.

Liberal concealed handgun carry laws do have some advantages

Many times I have received the compliment, "nice hat," since fedoras are rather rare here.

 

[ginobarracuda]

I find if I go out wearing a hat to grab a bite to eat after work :hamburger :beer: Two things can occur:


1) If I encounter any police, they nod/smile and say "hey". (which, given the current environment down here in the L.A. harbor is rather rare.)

2) The homeless in the parking lot don't come near me asking for change. (maybe they think I'm crazier than they are?


Just my $00.02 :fedora:

Gino

 

[Havana]

I've gotten a variety of comments when wearing a fedora on my 9 visits to London. People were courious at first but seemed to lose interest in my hat when they realized I was an American, as if wearing a hat was more acceptable for a Yank. People are generally courteous here in the South (again, at least within earshot and we also tend to pack heaters). However, not everyone in the South is from the South so I still get the occassional goofy comment. These are almost always light hearted. I get asked if I'm looking for a rodeo or seeking a lost treasure. These amuse me. The comment I hate the most is when someone gives me a concerned look and sincerely asks, "Why are you wearing that hat?" My standard answer is, "What do you think should be done with a hat?" Depending on my mood, my other answers are "I'm tired of carrying it." "What hat?" "I'm a pimp." and "It's an idiot detector and it's apparently working well."

 

[jamespowers]

"It's an idiot detector and it's apparently working well."

Ohhh! I like that one. I am adding to my lexicon now.
There are actually many reasons to wear a hat. If it is sunny then that is the reason. If it is raining then that is the reason. If it is somewhere in between then that is the reason. Like my great-grandfather used to say: "What keeps out cold keeps out heat."
I still like the reach for the heater part too though.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Dr. Shocker]

When some fool tries to make a "cute" comment I just look at them like thier from outer space....works well......or my favorite comeback is still more people should wear hats......another good one is always "Why are you wearing that hat?" cause I can't read and start sobing it ussualy does the trick......

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Well, now I have another new word in my vocabulary -- eegits.

In a few months, I will be moving, I fear, to the Eegit capital of the U.S., my home state of Iowa to be with my mother. Mother has let me know that "they don't wear those things" back there. If they wear anything at all, it is ballcaps.

I let her know that someone darn well was going to be wearing them and that would be me. Probably won't be many comments, Iowans tend to stare, not vocalize. When they do comment, I make practical statements about the ozone layer and skin cancer and such, so people -- not wanting to think about that scary stuff -- shut up fast.

One good thing: I sent some color photos of the caps that James dowloaded for me on another thread and mother loved the newsboy caps, especially the fushia one. She giggled and said she might try to steal a cap from me.

There is a glimmer of hope for me, at least with caps. Lets see what happens with the fedoras.... I won't live in Iowa forever and will someday return to my beloved desert where people have to wear hats. But for now, will brace myself for the comments or, more than likely, stares.

karol

 

[feltfan]

Indiana Jones

What I have always hated was the reaction, 'Hi Indiana' or
variations thereof, to the wearing of any fedora. So I was
surprised to find such interest, bordering on fetish, for Indiana
Jones hats in this forum.

People have been wearing fedoras for almost a century.
Many people have been identified with various permutations
of the hat, from the aforementioned Mr. Capone to Bogart to
Elisha Cook Jr. to jazz musicians, etc. The reason it was used
in the I.J. movies was to evoke a period. Unfortunately, Americans
don't know anything about history and seem to remember only
the most recent manifestation. British thugs, as we know, will
take any excuse...

To me the fedora is a lost art and a design object. I would not
say that I look great in one, as some people do. I wear them
as much as anything to display a nice design object and out of
appreciation for the art of hatmaking, now all but lost (and before
we start boosting current hatmakers, a lot of them will tell
you techniques are lost and in any event many supplies, particularly
felt, will never be as good as they once were).

I don't look for compliments or insults when I wear one. I just hope
people don't say embarrassingly ignorant things. And that maybe a
few more people will see me and say, gee, maybe I can wear a nice
old fedora, too (or at least, 'geez, I'd look better than that guy in a
fedora').

Mind you, the San Francisco bay area is an easy place to look like a
freak without raising eyebrows.

 

[Quigley Brown]

Well, now I have another new word in my vocabulary -- eegits.

In a few months, I will be moving, I fear, to the Eegit capital of the U.S., my home state of Iowa to be with my mother. Mother has let me know that "they don't wear those things" back there. If they wear anything at all, it is ballcaps.

I let her know that someone darn well was going to be wearing them and that would be me. Probably won't be many comments, Iowans tend to stare, not vocalize. When they do comment, I make practical statements about the ozone layer and skin cancer and such, so people -- not wanting to think about that scary stuff -- shut up fast.

One good thing: I sent some color photos of the caps that James dowloaded for me on another thread and mother loved the newsboy caps, especially the fushia one. She giggled and said she might try to steal a cap from me.

There is a glimmer of hope for me, at least with caps. Lets see what happens with the fedoras.... I won't live in Iowa forever and will someday return to my beloved desert where people have to wear hats. But for now, will brace myself for the comments or, more than likely, stares.

karol

Hey, I'm a native Iowan. I got my start wearing fedoras when I was dating a woman who owned a vintage clothes store...in Iowa! I also lived amongst a large Amish community. I used to help out threshing oats in the summer. People driving by would stop and take pictures of us (I was wearing a straw fedora) so somewhere I'm in someone's photo album labeled as an Amish farmer.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Yes, I forget about the Amish and Mennonites -- there are whole cultures of folks out there who still wear hats. I would hope, for health's sake, that farmers and people out in the sun all day would wear hats, but I fear lots of them wear ballcaps, as if that protects them from anything.

I will be living in Des Moines for awhile. It may be a bit more funky than my mother thinks it is, will find out. I can always say "hey, this is what they wear in California and it's cool." They will believe me but they will still stare.

I have not lived in Iowa since 1969, so am in for some culture shock probably.
Certainly I can take the stares. And the comments. I will just think: Eegits.

karol

 

[Dylanfan]

Hat responses

Hi:
I live in So. Cal. where most hats are baseball caps. I wear a fedora daily and always receive compliments from both women and men, but more from women. When I wear vintage new old stock people are amazed at their age and condition. I had one interesting reaction a couple of months ago at a restaurant. It is a very upscale Italian restaurant which has seen the likes of Madonna and ex-pres Carter. I decided to wear my cocoa colored Cervo, circa 1995. It had been a while since I had been there and the owner, who is from Verona, greeted me warmly and said "you look like a gangster", I paused to ponder my resonse (next to the signed Mario Andretti pic) and he said "where I come from, only a gangster could afford such a nice hat", I got it on e-bay unused for $35. So, in a roundabout way, it was a compliment. They secured my hat in an office and we had a fine meal. I don't let it bother me, but I don't care for it when people yell "Hey Indiana", especilally when the hat is nowhere near the Indy style.
Cheers,
Jeff

 

[jamespowers]

Mind you, the San Francisco bay area is an easy place to look like a freak without raising eyebrows.

You are right. It is even worse than I thought though. I walked around half the day with my new tophat on because I had nowhere to put it and no one even noticed! Not in the bank or anywhere! It didn't even match what I had on.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Biltmore Bob]

I get only compliments...never insults or snide comments, either while wearing fedoras ,or recently eight quarter newsboys. I'm a recent cap convert, and I have not seen anybody ever wear one in person. Only on the movies and old pictures.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Mind you, the San Francisco bay area is an easy place to look like a
freak without raising eyebrows.

Maybe that's why I rarely get a negative comment, it's almost always, "Nice hat!", whether it's my Panama or fur felt fedora. Once, at Christmas time, I was wearing my Lee Kepler Indy hat and a Salvation Army bell ringer said, "Where's your horse?", but he was making jokes with everyone. I think here in the liberal SF Bay Area, people are used to people wearing "strange" things.

Regards, Kaleponi Craig

 

[android]

I've never gotten a snide comment, only compliments.

But in Texas everyone knows that insulting someones hat is punishable by extreme use of concealed carry and that most judges would consider it justifiable.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Maybe when I leave Iowa I ought to think of settling in El Paso.

Not only can I wear my fedoras and cowboy Gus Stetson without stares, but I also collect cowboy boots!

karol

 

[Biltmore Bob]

Texas...

It is a bit different down here. Quite a bit more polite than many disarmed states.