Hardy Amies on....

[Brian Sheridan]

From "ABC of Men's Fashion" by Hardy Aimes...

Deerstalker - An entirely functional cap designed to keep your ears warm and your neck dry while stalking deer. Sherlock Holmes wore one. You need not.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

Interesting you should bring this up. I have a beautiful hounds-tooth deerstalker of excellent quality, from a respected British firm (Bates Hatter, Jermyn Street, London). As Amies says, it is "An entirely functional cap designed to keep your ears warm and your neck dry." Truly very practical in cold, damp weather.

I originally got it to wear with the several British tweed hacking coats (three button, dual vent, bi-swing shoulders, slant-flap pockets) that I own. But I have to confess that I have never worn it out in public here in the U.S. I just haven't wanted to hear all the "Sherlock Holmes" comments and it feels too much like I am in costume.

Anyone else own a deerstalker? Do you ever wear it? Are they still worn in the U.K., even by old codgers like me?

 

[BegintheBeguine]

More quotes, please?

Aw, I think Hardy was just funnin' with "you". As I recall, that book was full of witticisms. My copy is around here somewhere.
Me, I have a headcoat but I'm a girl so I can get away with wearing it with no comments from hoi polloi. My friends don't seem to want to walk with me when I have it on, however.

 

[Staredge]

Fly it proudly. If anyone says Holmes wore one, tell them they're nuts. Nowhere in the Conan Doyle stories ('the Canon') can Holmes (or Watson, for that matter) be found wearing a deerstalker. It first appeared in a Sidney Paget illustration for one of the stories, but was made famous by the William Gillette stage portrayal.

Will