Federation or CEO...can't decide

[BinkieBaumont]

I'm confused is the Fed AKA the Akubra "Stylemaster"?

 

[HatDoc]

I'm confused is the Fed AKA the Akubra "Stylemaster"?

Negatory, Bink. The Stylemaster has a bound brim....the Fed IV (which is only available from HatsDirect) does not.

 

[JohnnyB53]

I'm confused is the Fed AKA the Akubra "Stylemaster"?

Not even close. Go here and here to get a handle on the differences.

The Stylemaster is an easy way to get a nice vintage-looking hat with a bound 2-1/2" brim with a factory-blocked C-crown. The Federation has an unbound dimensional brim with a taller, more straight-sided crown. It is shipped open crown from Hats Direct. You crease it yourself the way you want it, and that goes for the brim as well.

Here's a Stylemaster in acorn fawn on the left and a Federation IV in tawny fawn on the right:

 

[avedwards]

So really the Fed IV is more vintage as the high crown, wide brim and open crown are typical of vintage, compared to a pre-creased lower crown?

 

[JohnnyB53]

So really the Fed IV is more vintage as the high crown, wide brim and open crown are typical of vintage, compared to a pre-creased lower crown?

Yes, that's sort of the point. Before WWII, most fedoras were shipped open crown and were creased to the customer's preference at the hat shop or he creased it himself. Hand-creased crowns have softer edges and different overall look than most factory-blocked ones.

Compared to most fedoras made in the past 50 years, the Stylemaster has a wide brim and tall, relatively untapered crown. But the Fed IV looks even more vintage with a higher, more straight-sided hand-creased crown, hand-shaped brim (instead of snap), and wider, more contrasted ribbon.

 

[Goose.]

These two pics (linked below) are reason enuf for me to get a Federation Moonstone.
Great pics. You gents make that hat look good

What a versatile hat...
Paladin looks as friendly as can be while JohnnyB53 looks as though he'g gonna take someone's lunch money

Thanks for the pics...especially the compare shot of the CEO. Hope to someday get one...black band w/ the moonstone Fed kind of growing on me....may take me a bit longer to accept the bound edge like on the CEO. More importantly, I think the fact that the Fed is less tapered would better suit my high noggin.

Thank you gentlemen...you wear it well.

http://i445.photobucket.com/albums/qq178/MrPaladin_photos/001.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v407/JohnnyB53/FedIVDlx15-1.jpg

 

[JohnnyB53]

These two pics (linked below) are reason enuf for me to get a Federation Moonstone.
Great pics. You gents make that hat look good

What a versatile hat...
Paladin looks as friendly as can be while JohnnyB53 looks as though he'g gonna take someone's lunch money

Ha ha! Well, as you can see, once I take somebody's lunch money, it makes me look friendly too!

 

[Alchemy5150]

Ha ha! Well, as you can see, once I take somebody's lunch money, it makes me look friendly too!

Well, mine's on it's way. I hope I can make it look even half as good as you got yours to look. Very nice!

 

[Goose.]

In the words of Herman Munster..."Darn. Darn. Darn.".

HD is out of stock on the Fed IV Moonstone in my size.

They have Heritage Fawn or Dark Brown.

 

[JohnnyB53]

In the words of Herman Munster..."Darn. Darn. Darn.".

HD is out of stock on the Fed IV Moonstone in my size.

They have Heritage Fawn or Dark Brown.

Since they have Heritage Fawn, I take it you're looking to get the moonstone Deluxe?

Unfortunately, HD's stock would have been drained at Christmas followed by Akubra's 5-week furlough when it's too hot to make felt. So now they're coming back to work (I presume) and have to replenish the stock.

I know it's gotta be tough, but as an owner of a moonstone Fed IV Deluxe, they're worth the wait.

I do also have a fawn one that I'm quite fond of. It goes with lots and lots of stuff--browns, greens, navy, anything dark. But I like having a fawn one and a grey one.

 

[Woodfluter]

I'll second what JohnnyB said...I have Fed Deluxe IV in sable brown, Moonstone and Heritage Fawn, and they are all great. But there's something about that fawn. I think it's actually the nicest-looking of the lot. Not trying to push it on anybody, but it has a very classic look that goes with lots of tans, browns, greens etc. Reminds me of the color of some classic cars from the 1920s.

Not as versatile maybe as the grey, and my wife likes the grey better, but she has an aversion to anything resembling brown! One of her quirks...

= Bill

 

[Goose.]

Johnny and Bill...

BIG thanks for the replies...good to get the opinions of the pros...I am leaning towards the Dark Brown since I like the band match.
BUT, I do like the color of the Heritage Fawn.

So, you prob know the question that follows...given that the HD site colors seem to be diff than the quality you gents post...
Can you posts pics?

I looked in the Akubra Overload thread but didn't really see pics that compare the Dark Brown to the Heritage Fawn.

As for the Moonstone, right now I can get by with my carbon grey Casual and charcoal Sydney...so I guess a shade of some brown would be good for me.

And I look at it this way, if I like the one I'm gonna order...I'm pretty certain I will join your cult and be guilty of Federation Polygamy.

 

[JohnnyB53]

Johnny and Bill...
...given that the HD site colors seem to be diff than the quality you gents post...Can you posts pics?

I don't know if this is going to be much help, as my fawn Fed IV is a std model in tawny fawn, rather than heritage fawn, but here is my tawny fawn Fed IV next to a David Morgan Adventurer in dark brown, followed by the moonstone Deluxe. The dimensions of the DM are not representative of his current product as mine was a mfr's sample before the dimensions were finalized for production. The pics were taken indoor with a flash. We'd probably get a more accurate color rendition at around noon on a sunny day, but the weather outside was horrible when these pics were taken.

 

[Goose.]

Cool beans JohnnyB53...thanks!

Just pulled the PayPal trigger on a Fed IV Deluxe Cheese Burger (Dark Brown) and a Hampton.

 

[Michael Jecks]

And having followed the threads here and elsewhere, I've taken the same decision - a Fed in brown. My problem was, my head's that bit bigger (which probably says a lot about me) at 24 inches plus. So those nice guys at Akubra persuaded me that a Federation III would probably be a better size and fit for me. Paypal's done the deed. All I have to do now is wait!

 

[Mr. John Smith]

I find that I gravitate to my Fed IV as my go-to hat. I get a lot of compliments on it. I will say that the big reason I like it is because I bashed it myself (my first bash- a diamond). It just seems more personal...

 

[thecoolmiester]

I'd say get the CEO, feds are great but since you already
own one and you like a bit of taper and don't want an Indy look
then the answer is right in front of you.
Get the CEO, man.

 

[thecoolmiester]

I like the Indiana Jones style (I own a Raiders model made by Peters Bros.), but the shape of it makes me feel that I'm wearing a western hat at times, not a fedora.

Maybe the reason that your PB Indy hat feels like a western hat
is because it is made by Peters Bros who have specialized in making western
hats for decades. The felt is considerably thicker just like a western
hat too.

This may be why is doesn't feel like a fedora, but i dunno [huh] .

 

[Goose.]

My Federation IV Deluxe Dark Brown and Hampton arrived today.
Pretty impressed with the Fed.
Hampton is nice too...always wanted one...but don't think it's gonna work for me.

Anyway, thanks for all the tips regarding the Federation IV.

 

[GatorEd83]

I was convinced to buy a Fed by the members of the FL. I am glad I was. It is a great hat.