Dark Hats, Light Hats

[Patrick Murtha]

In my obsessive viewing of classic movies and television (I've been on an Untouchables binge lately), I have been noticing with delight that the classically dressed men often do not match their hats to their suits or topcoats in simplistic ways. I can't make out colors in black and white, of course, but I can see that the men frequently wore light hats with dark suits and vice versa. Adding to the level of nuance are the presence of dark bands on light hats (an especially sharp look in my book) and light bands on dark hats. The result for me has been that I have taken to very free combinations in my own sartorial life.

 

[OldSkoolFrat]

Great, now I have yet another excuse to go, "custom."

 

[RBH]

I think you are right about the 'different' colors going together.

BUT I think the contrasting colors were mainly for B|W film. Just as the monster in Frankenstein had his face painted green to show up as it did on the screen, the hats and clothing were done that way to better show on the screen.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I think you are right about the 'different' colors going together.

BUT I think the contrasting colors were mainly for B|W film. Just as the monster in Frankenstein had his face painted green to show up as it did on the screen, the hats and clothing were done that way to better show on the screen.

That's a good point. Although I think I've seen the same dark/light contrasting in period magazine ads as well.

 

[Joe_Frances]

Consistency in Contrast

I think light and dark contrasts are good, dark grey topcoat, light grey or pearl hat. Medium to lighter brown or tan overcoat, dark brown hat. These I think work, but I wouldn't go so far as to wear a grey or black hat with a brown coat, or vice versa. I would stay in the basic color range, and contrast the hat with a lighter or darker tint or shade.

 

[Patrick Murtha]

I think light and dark contrasts are good, dark grey topcoat, light grey or pearl hat. Medium to lighter brown or tan overcoat, dark brown hat. These I think work, but I wouldn't go so far as to wear a grey or black hat with a brown coat, or vice versa. I would stay in the basic color range, and contrast the hat with a lighter or darker tint or shade.

In The Big Clock (1948), we know from a combination of visual and verbal references that Ray Milland wears a dark brown fedora with his medium gray striped suit. I love brown and gray together; I also believe, contrary to received opinion, that brown and black can go together well (if one has a good eye).

 

[duggap]

Well if you are of a mind to get a custom hat, just turn Art loose with his room full of ribbons and set back and wait to see what you get. The man is a wizard with ribbon in his hand. I have done that on three of his hats and the results were extremely tasteful and even contrasting.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

Take a second look at color movies from 1940 to 1950. Notice how often brown hats are worn with black, blue, or grey suits, and vice-versa. Hollywood found it looked great on film, and it influenced the man on the street. We have had a couple of prior threads on this, with some good advice about how to make it work.