First Post, First question. Please make a suggestion on hat style and color for me.

[knightoftheoldecode]

First Post, First question. Please make a suggestion on hat style and color for me.

Howdy Gents, I am getting into the Fedora game it seems. I'm playing a prohibition era gangster boss at a murder mystery dinner. I'm hoping to get a hat that looks good and I can wear after the event. I've wanted one since I was a kid, love fedoras, trench coat, period lighters, finery etc. I am a member of another forum, one whose members aren't entirely friendly to fashion questions.

A member of both sites directed me here, thunderw21

here's a link to the style of hat tht most appeals to me. http://www.millerhats.com/miller_fedora/497_fedora.html
I also like this one http://www.paulfredrick.com/catalog...=JBX1SH&Redirectpage=regular&ProductFlag=true

However I have learned it's important to match the hat to ones face shape and the Color with your hair and skin tones? I know nothing about color coordination. I have heard based on hair/eyes/skin tone some colors look better on a body.

Golden Blond with a touch of red in the sideburns, hazel eyes that sometimes look gray and pale pinkish skin.

As far as face shape, based on the descriptions here, I believe I fall into either the large deep face or prominate jaw shape http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html

based on the full deep face if you gents confirm that, its reccomended I wear a hat with the folliowing characters, here is the description
A Hat band of narrow to medium width gives needed effect of added crown height. This type of hat will usually look good with a matching hat band. The wide snap brim (between 2 1/2" - 3) should be snapped fully across (almost ear to ear), adds to apparent width, cutting down length of face.

I don't yet understand hat terminology, could the crown types be exopanded on and links or pics of the hat described posted?

here are some pics of me, appreciate everyones help and hope to become a regular. Steve

 

[zetwal]

I will leave recommendations to others but just want to welcome you!

 

[knightoftheoldecode]

Thanks, nice to make your acquaintance sir. I really hope some of the fine fellas here can offer me some advice

 

[scooter]

Welcome, friend. Hope you enjoy and find useful your time here. Question, where do you live? It may be that a member can direct you to hat shop to try some on and see what meets your fancy. Always the best alternative! The higher crown and wider brim will tend to elongate your face and make it appear slimmer. Also easier to evaluate color with skin tone etc. That would be my first thought. Good luck!

 

[Yeps]

Howdy Gents, I am getting into the Fedora game it seems. I'm playing a prohibition era gangster boss at a murder mystery dinner. I'm hoping to get a hat that looks good and I can wear after the event. I've wanted one since I was a kid, love fedoras, trench coat, period lighters, finery etc. I am a member of another forum, one whose members aren't entirely friendly to fashion questions.

For prohibition era mobster, you might want to look at either a nice full tall crown fedora, or possibly a homburg, since that has some fantastic mafia connotations, and also recently in Boardwalk empire.

As far as face shape, based on the descriptions here, I believe I fall into either the large deep face or prominate jaw shape http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html

I would say you have a short full face, or possibly pear shaped, although nowhere near like the goofy little illustration in there.

Your best bet is probably to go to a real brick and mortar hat store, if you can find one, and try on some different hats, to get a hang of what looks good on you.

If you want a modern production fedora with a nice vintage feel, you might look at Hats Direct and check out the Federation 4. In moonstone it could really fit the mafia type style.

*oh, and welcome. You should enjoy your stay here, the Lounge is a pretty nice place.

 

[knightoftheoldecode]

I am in Columbus Ohio. Could someone explain the crown thing, does that refer to the dent style in the top or the front. Pics of such a fadora would help, thanks so much!

 

[RBH]

Welcome to the Lounge.
The first guy I thought of after seeing your photo was Nick Nolte.
Check him out in Mulholland Falls.A hat like he has should suit you well.

 

[Lefty]

I am in Columbus Ohio. Could someone explain the crown thing, does that refer to the dent style in the top or the front. Pics of such a fadora would help, thanks so much!

Brim goes out, crown goes up. Crease/bash/etc is the shape put into the crown and is sometimes accompanied by a front pinch.

 

[EggHead]

Welcome! Judging by your colors, a mid/dark brown hat would fit you well. A black hat would present too much contrast between your fair skin/blonde hair. As others have suggested full crown (i.e. not tapered) and relatively wide brim (2.5" or a bit more). Nick Nolte hat should look good on you.

Cheers!

 

[knightoftheoldecode]

Thanks for the awesome advice gentlemen! would either of these two fit the bill? In Brown but these style?

http://www.millerhats.com/miller_fedora/497_fedora.html

http://www.paulfredrick.com/catalog/...oductFlag=true

http://www.paulfredrick.com/catalog...=JBX1SH&Redirectpage=regular&ProductFlag=true

 

[RBH]

The Miller hat would be the closest. But.. the crown would not have the same height as the one in the photo I posted.

 

[job]

Try Hats-plus and look at the Biltmore Arno 2 or the Biltmore Canadian Suede.

 

[jlee562]

Another vote here for the Fed IV. The ones you're looking at are more modern with lower, tapered crowns. The Fed IV is a 30's styled open crown fedora, with tall, straight sides.

http://hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?group=Federation

Mine, in Carbon Grey, with pinstripes.

 

[knightoftheoldecode]

I really like the Federation 4, however Its a bit out of my p close to price range at the moment. For my first Fedora the budget allows around $60
These were on ebay, anything there that looks like it might work, the last one looks fairly close to the fed 4 but is the crown full enough?


http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=360364263240&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=150599602482&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=300538022020&ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT

 

[T Rick]

Welcome to The Lounge! I'd suggest you avoid wool felt, though more affordable than fur, they often won't hold up well.

That Disney you spotted on eBay is a nice one (placed in my watch list earlier today, as it's my size). But if you're going to go vintage, you'll need to know your size (still a bit of a risk, as some shrink with time). Chances are the Disney will end well above your stated budget number, though there are no guarantees and good deals are frequently had there (haven't decided if I'll be bidding that one or not yet).

 

[scottyrocks]

The third is 'crushable' wool felt. It has been my experience that these types of hats are almost impossible to reshape oneself. I've tried water and steam on one of mine and it just stays the way it I got it. If you decide you're not going to reshape it, then this is not a problem.

Of the three, I would say the Disney is the best, but the price is sure to rise by the end of the auction.

 

[fmw]

I too caution you about wool felt. It shrinks like crazy and will end up pretty useless if it ever gets wet. My recommendation would be a Stetson Whippet in Tawny color.

 

[bowlerman]

Of course, everything depends on what you're trying to do with it. If you're looking to make a very striking impression, don't be afraid to go with something more contrasting, or something that has more exaggerated features, especially if you're playing a "gangster boss" at the murder mystery! You might even try a homburg (basically a fedora that has a brim which is rolled up all around the edge and usually has a wide ribbon band, and a thinner ribbon sewn to the very edge of that roll.

I'd say a brown fedora with a turned down brim would be a fantastic everyday hat for you, as in the Miller and Disney you linked to. But a gangster boss? I don't know. I'd go either lighter or darker, and either with a rolled brim, or something that cups upward in the back-- it shows more power than a medium brown with downturn.

I'll second the Stetson "Tawny" color that fmw recommended-- but go with a homburg. Miller carries it here: http://millerhats.com/presidentste_index/president2.html
I've had my eye on those first two styles for a few years!

Oh, and I'll also reiterate: better to save up a little for a fur felt (it's not all that much more money from production lines) than to get a wool, and you can find vintage on ebay or your local antique shops, probably for even less cost. Make 'em an offer they can't refuse.

welcome to the lounge!

 

[johnnycanuck]

First, Hello

Second, If you are on a budget and checking out "the bay" I would search Akubra. People buy them on vacation and sell them later for cheap. Especially if the brim is all out of wack from sitting in a closet for a few years. The brim is easy to fix and you can usually buy one for under $50. Just check out their web page http://www.akubra.com.au/ Federations don't come up that often but the Squatters, Stylemasters, Campdrafts, Fedoras come up from time to time.

My two cents worth.

Johnny

 

[Richard Warren]

I highly recommend an open crown hat. Miller has some decent looking ones. Few (if any) pre-shaped hats approach anything like the style you can get by shaping your own.

I wouldn't worry about what color or shape "suits" you. Just get what appeals to you. It'll work out.