Fedora---The Gangster Hat?!

[Art Fawcett]

I've had the same experience M2...people don't recognize me WITHOUT a hat. As for other comments, I honestly don't hear them. Oh, I'm not saying it doesn't happen, I just don't have room in the grey matter to retain nonsense so I don't hear it and on the occasions I do, I accept it as a compliment and thank them...

 

[gcollins]

and these things happen everywhere....

In China and Malaysia....in a black borsalino Como and black trenchcoat, everyone says "Are you a cowboy?"

In Korea...same gear, people say, "are you Italian?"

In India...with all the funky gear everyone else is in, with colorful saris, golden and diamond-laden bindis and sikh turbans, they say, "are you English? (meaning=are you a colonialist that never found his way home?)

and in Japan...no one says anything. All them skimpy (and cheap) little brims on the old men, what's there to say?

I tell them all that I'm actually Afgani, shaved my beard, swapped the turban for the hat, and just looking for a quiet place to plan the next mission. Wanna see my heat?

G

 

[Wild Root]

Oh, some peoples kids! The one I get is Zoot Suit Riot from the Cherry Popping Daddy?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s. This one I despise! I am more of a James Stewart then a Zoot Suit punk.

I recall one time when I was in Avalon Catalina. It was about 1:30 in the morning and some burly, hairy biker came out of a bar looking like a gorilla. He sees me and said: Are you a Gangster? I said, Yeah, You better watch your back sunny boy. He just walked away. I wasn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t even wearing a hat! I just had my cream slacks with a tan double breasted coat on. Maybe it was my white shoes I had on?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ Naaah.

Cheers.

 

[Matt Deckard]

That don't look like no gangster. Looks like a gentleman standing next to hi fine automobile to me.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Matt Deckard
That don't look like no gangster. Looks like a gentleman standing next to hi fine automobile to me.

Nice car, nice hat, nice suit but the pants have too much of a break at the bottom for me.
A gangster would probably have much more flashy clothes than this on. It would be interesting to see this photo in color to make sure though. His shoes do not appear to be two-toned anyway. LOL For a gangster, think pimp without the full length fur coat. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Well Matt, I see the same thing! But, we must remember that most men at that point that could afford a car like that (Or any car) were involved with Hollywood or, organized crime at one level or another. The Great Depression drove many a hard working man to crime just to put food on the table. Hard times called for hard decisions. But, you know this and I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m just bumping my gums.

Here?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a photo for you gents.

Cheers.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Wild Root
I recall one time when I was in Avalon Catalina. It was about 1:30 in the morning and some burly, hairy biker came out of a bar looking like a gorilla. He sees me and said: Are you a Gangster? I said, Yeah, You better watch your back sunny boy. He just walked away. I wasn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t even wearing a hat! I just had my cream slacks with a tan double breasted coat on. Maybe it was my white shoes I had on?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ Naaah.

Cheers.

It was the two-toned shoes that did it. That and the government model in the holster under your jacket. He could tell.

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Wild Root
Well Matt, I see the same thing! But, we must remember that most men at that point that could afford a car like that (Or any car) were involved with Hollywood or, organized crime at one level or another. The Great Depression drove many a hard working man to crime just to put food on the table. Hard times called for hard decisions. But, you know this and I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m just bumping my gums.

Here?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a photo for you gents.

Cheers.

I am looking closer at this car now. Is it a '37 Packard?
If it is, this was an expensive car for sure. The price of this car was equal to about 15 Fords at that time. Perhaps the guy was just an "executive."
The Duesenberg was the most expensive being equal to 30 Model A Fords at the time. Is it any wonder they cost millions today?

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

Re: Well........

Originally posted by Andykev
That depends on what Caliber your GUT is!!

One word---Magnum. LOL LOL LOL

 

[Wild Root]

Yeah, on farther investigation, he appears to have a plane looking suit on. The light colored hat is what most would refer to as an Al Capone hat. Even though most men wore light colored hats at that point because it was cooler in the summer and it just looked sharp!

Two tones were more of a sporty or casual shoe. In a big town a man of business (Draw your own conclusion) would have worn a plane black or brown shoe just to fit in and not draw to much attention. Gangsters wore what every upstanding business man would have worn. He just had better taste because he could afford it.

Cheers.

 

[Wild Root]

Actually, I had plane white bucks on. Yes, lots of gangster wore two tones or white bucks in the spring and summer time. So did a lot of Hollywood actors and regular Joes.

He he he, Mr. Powers you are a funny man!


LOL

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Wild Root
Actually, I had plane white bucks on. Yes, lots of gangster wore two tones or white bucks in the spring and summer time. So did a lot of Hollywood actors and regular Joes.

He he he, Mr. Powers you are a funny man!


LOL

Hmmm... I guess I will have to find myself a pair of two-tone wing tips or white bucks if it keeps the gorilla biker types at bay even in the wee hours of the morning. LOL
I think gangsters had a bit of a gaudy taste myself. Everything they did had to be bigger than life. If you, as an honorable business man, wore a blue pinstriped suit then the gangster would have worn the same thing but with a flashier color or a wider pinstripe of a different color. As a businessman, your hat would have matched your suit or complimented it. The gangster wore hats that were lighter in color or darker in color for contrast. In those days gangsters were brazen. Many of them were looked upon as heros more than criminals. They brought people the booze they wanted when it was illegal---not to mention women. They were the kings of vice and had no problem standing out. It was a different time then.
Gangsters of today look just like legitimate businessmen . They dress the same and speak the same. They even look the same. The difference now is that they are looked upon as criminals to be feared rather than revered. People do not protect them. They will make sure they are prosecuted and put awya for criminal activities today. That is why they have to fit in now. This does not apply to politicians. LOL

Regards to all,

J

P.S. Don't ask me how I know.

 

[Renderking Fisk]

They have the problems, not us. While they're laughing at me for dressing the way I do, I'm laughing at them for dressing like Emenem.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Renderking Fisk
They have the problems, not us. While they're laughing at me for dressing the way I do, I'm laughing at them for dressing like Emenem.

Good Point. We wear vintage clothes that are well maintained. They wear new clothes that look like they just rolled a bum for them. LOL LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Renderking Fisk]

No, they look worse. They look like W******.

Can I say that here?

(edit) no you can't, but it's really racy (edit)

 

[Wild Root]

Oh brother, isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t that the truth! We ware clothes that are 50-60 years old and this younger generation, wares new clothes but they come worn out and they pay for it! Dressing sharply isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t embraced by all, but there are those that find it refreshing that I talk to.

Ok, I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t mean to go back a few pages but here?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s a swell photo I found of good old James Cagney with his 1933 Duesenberg

I don't see gangster here, well maybe Hollywood gangster.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Look it's a gangster

 

[jamespowers]

Darn, I missed what W is but I guess I will live.
That photo of Cagney sure is cool. You always manage to find those cool photos. :cool2:
Let's see that Duesenberg would be worth what on today's market? Something like five million? Might be well worth it.
I guess that qualifies Cagney as a gangster. LOL Nah, the clothes are not flashy enough.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Imahomer]

Originally posted by jamespowers
Nice car, nice hat, nice suit but the pants have too much of a break at the bottom for me.
A gangster would probably have much more flashy clothes than this on. It would be interesting to see this photo in color to make sure though. His shoes do not appear to be two-toned anyway. LOL For a gangster, think pimp without the full length fur coat. LOL

Were Gangsters that flashy, or is that what people generally think after watching a Hollywood movie? This particular gentleman was a professional baseball player of the day and one of probably the top 10 or so in the game at that time. As a side note, everything I've ever read on him states that he was a flashy dresser.

 

[Wild Root]

Well, I don't want to come off like a now it all, cuz I don't

The photo on the left is what we were told is a agangster by today's Hollywood. On the right, is a photo of a real gangster, Al Capone in 1930. Note his clothes are not pinstriped, shoes not two toned and the hat is the only thing that is flashy.

James Cagney was one of the top Hollywood gangsters. When most think of gangsters in the movies, they thingk Cagney!

Funny thing about Cagney, he got tired of being known as a gangster in Hollywood. He wanted to play more honorable rolls.

Take care all!