Minimum Number Of Hats

[JPMcAdara]

Hi Everyone,

I am sure this has been covered at one time or another, but I wanted to ask everyone's opinion on this;
1. How many hats should one own to have what would be considered a "minimal" amount to complete a wide variety of outfits?
2. What colors should you definitely have on hand and what shades? For instance, I read somewhere that someone really only needs one brown hat with a black band and you have plenty for any color combination. I tend to disagree, but I am trying to build my hat collection and want to get a few opinions.
Some of you really stylish guys have quite a few, but if you were advising someone who is just starting out, what would you suggest? Thanks for everyone's advice!!

JP

 

[munchausen]

Hat colours

I'm new to this hat caper too, JP. But as I've started out I wanted to make sure I had hats in grey, brown and black to make sure that I cover my basic wardrobe. I've since filled those colour requirements with three different hats.

I reckon a nice panama and a hat in a moonstone colour will do me in terms of "completing" the wardrobe. Any other hats will just be for fun. I've seen some nice greens and blues in vintage on the 'bay, so hopefully something like that winds its way into the collection. Always keeping in mind that it fits my lifestyle and not the other way around.

Looking forward to seeing your collection.
-Munch

 

[gtdean48]

Some folks will add in Homburgs & Top hats for formal wear but I don't go there. I think a lite & dark versions in gray & brown, then throw in a black & a silver belly. Then you'd need straws for warmer weather, one lite & one dark. So what is that about 8 hats minimum? Then you do need a beater for foul weather duty & maybe a traveling model, roller or crusher.
My answer is you need at least 10 hats!

 

[johnnycanuck]

Old school rules. Minimum two hats. The good one (dress/town) and the work one. When the good one starts wearing, it becomes your work hat and you buy a new good one. This I learned from my 86 year old Grand Father in law. If you were well off you bought a new hat onece a year. If you were really well off you bought one once a season. If you were like everyone else you bought one when required, or your wife tells you one is required.

Johnny

 

[johnnycanuck]

Your good hat may turn into your work hat if your old work hat gets too worn as well.
Johnny

 

[FurFeltFedora]

A gray hat and a brown hat and a summer hat at a minimum. Then a working hat, a black hat, a charcoal hat, a light brown hat. Then repeat the whole set in thin ribbon, then a bound edge. Then check your Visa to see if there is any room left and start looking at stingy brims and top hats

 

[munchausen]

What he said (above)

I like your thinking, FFF. Have to say, I've admired your Fed squadron as well, beautiful pictures in flying V formation. mmmm Moonstone Federation. I need to stop trying to buy these vintages so I can afford one of those - though strangely I think I lean toward stingy brims.

 

[avedwards]

I'm going to be different here and say one hat will do. In my case it's a mid-grey modern mass production Stetson which is frowned upon by many on the lounge but itt does what I want it to by holding up to the rain and looking smart when I need it to. It works with my leather jacket and with my beige clothes and those are the only earth tones I wear. I see no need for brown in my wardrobe. So to answer the question, you only need one hat which can be any colour you feel comfortable in, but you may choose to own more hats.

I forgot to mention straws. They can be useful but I personally never wear them, prefering to overheat in my felts on the few days it actually gets warm in England.

 

[JPMcAdara]

This was EXACTLY what I was hoping would happen. I really like everyone's advice and I think everyone has a good point. I wear quite a few different suits so I think the one hat rule may not work all of the time, but I am just trying to build a basic wardrobe for right now.

JP

 

[kpreed]

My hat color depends on my suit mostly, I have Gray, Brown, Black and for summer use most often, White. I wear my boater more during the warm months, but a Panama would work I think too. 99% of the time I wear my Newsboy caps and they are in many colors also. Good Luck on this!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I read in a 1930s Apparel Arts that the average American man back then owned 3 felt hats (fedoras, homburgs).


.

 

[jamespowers]

The answer is easy---this many:

Actually, it really depends on you. You could make do with a green/gray felt for every suit possible or you could do with some different colors and styles to mix it up with your wardrobe. I would throw in a straw hat for warmer weather, a gray, a brown and a black of whatever style you like.
Whatever you decide, it will work for you.

 

[JPMcAdara]

I read in a 1930s Apparel Arts that the average American man back then owned 3 felt hats (fedoras, homburgs).


.

Thanks for this, Marc. I have heard that as well.

The answer is easy---this many:

Actually, it really depends on you. You could make do with a green/gray felt for every suit possible or you could do with some different colors and styles to mix it up with your wardrobe. I would throw in a straw hat for warmer weather, a gray, a brown and a black of whatever style you like.
Whatever you decide, it will work for you.

I have been balking at the green hat, but I really do think it will work for quite a few things. I know some people don't like green and don't look at it as a staple hat color, but I may have to reconsider.

JP

 

[HungaryTom]

Minimum number=the number of hats you possess

I read in a 1930s Apparel Arts that the average American man back then owned 3 felt hats (fedoras, homburgs).


.

So I'm a multiple personality also by the 1930's American mens fedora numbers:eusa_doh: ....

 

[jamespowers]

Thanks for this, Marc. I have heard that as well.



I have been balking at the green hat, but I really do think it will work for quite a few things. I know some people don't like green and don't look at it as a staple hat color, but I may have to reconsider.

JP

I don't really think of it as green but more of a taupe color. I think they also call it putty. It is kind of like this ad from Stetson:

Of course there is the Bermuda green:

Then there are the two tones:

A gray green can also be used because it tends to pick up the other colors near it so a gray color will make it appear more gray and a greenish color will make it appear more green. This is a hat like that:

 

[jamespowers]

So I'm a multiple personality also by the 1930's American mens fedora numbers:eusa_doh: ....

I am a whole neighborhood by those standards.

 

[Feraud]

Minimum is in the eye of the beholder.

Technically you can get away with one hat. Find that color that goes with the majority of your clothes. No one will be the wiser on those days when you do not perfectly coordinate your outfits.

Then we have the minimum as show in in jamespower's picture above.

 

[Nick D]

I agree you can get along fine with one hat. I had one for a long while, and since I'm patient and willing to wait until I find another hat that's just right, my collection grows slowly. I now have four: two fedoras, a homburg, and a straw boater. I'd like to add a brown fedora, and another gray with a wide black band, eventually.

 

[Torpedo]

Hi,

It depends, on a great many factors.

For instance, your wardrobe. I have a friend that wears only black or dark greys; and another who bases his wardrobe on greens, oranges and shades of brown.

Also, there is the question of how much do you like to coordinate/combine/match. Some people just are "blind" to it, or do not give an itch.

This is akin to other questions, like how many ties do you need, how many purses do you need (for the ladies), etc. "Need" is a very personal term, and, in fact, we are not talking of real need. This is not need as for survival, except in those cases were you have to wear a hat, like for medical advice or for protection from cold or sun. It is a relative need.

Personally, I like to have plenty of hats, because I am fond of coordinating (or attempting to ) them with the rest of my wardrobe, jackets, ties, etc; and for me, a new shade of grey hat may suppose a difference, making it better to go with some items; or, maybe a new hat, in the same or very similar shade of grey, but with a shorter brim, may make the difference to wear it with slimmer lapelled jackets. Then you need some lightweight hats in varios colours, too, some straws, etc. You name it.

But this is for me. Other people may be, and indeed are, perfectly content with one or two hats. I like to rotate my clothing frequently, and my hats with it. But I also have more jackets, suits, ties, bowties, etc, that the average person (much of it comes from sales, second hand or thrift shops - I am no millionaire), hence - more hats, too.

There is more to it, of course. I wear a size 7, and like vintage hats, so I can find lots of them for a fair price, so I can "embiggen" (as Jebediah Springfield would say) my stable for less money. This would surely be different if I had a larger head. I .

 

[Goose.]

A gray hat and a brown hat and a summer hat at a minimum...

Hey JP...
I'm with Triple F (as ususal ) on this one.
Gray and Brown. Then a straw for hot days.

Here's my "have to have" trio. Though my Federation IV Carbon may replace my Moonstone in the top three. Nonetheless, a Gray and a Brown.

.