Newb: Looking for first Fedora. Lots of Info as to what I may need.

[Musashi]

Greetings Everyone, I am very new here.

I have done some searches and found a huge amount of information. I feel in too deep and in need of help. I got here by a few different paths. In 2007, I picked up a magazine called 'Classic Style' at my Barnes and Noble. I didn't see any more issues... Anyhow by searching and through that magazine, I arrived at thefedoralounge.com

Right now I go around every day wearing a military cap. (think 'Castro Hat'). Bland. For years since i bought the magazine i have wanted to try out a fedora.

I live in the Newport News/Virginia Beach area of Virginia and I have yet to find a hat shop within hours any direction. Have i missed one???

If any Vendors who support this site are reading this and feel you can help, send me a PM, if allowed.

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A Hat I Have on: A few weeks ago I came into possession of my wife's Grandfather's Stetson fedora. I have no idea what model it is but its given me 'the bug' .. however IT IS TOO SMALL for me and looks bad on my head, but... its a place to start...

Pics are here on Flickr: http://www.flickr.com/photos/29458463@N08/sets/72157623105457846/

It was a size 7 1/8. I got a hat-jack and made the hat big enough to fit me. If you look at the pictures you can see that it now fits.. in ONE place: where i stretched it. Every other part of the hat is too small, in my opinion. The brim measures 2 inches, so whatever model hat it is its a bit too 'stingy' for me.

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So here's the age-old question: I am new. Please help me choose a fedora?

The goods: Of course with that type of question come a thousand things I need to answer first: Here's my attempt to provide enough information that anyone nice enough to try to help me has a chance at it!

SIZE: My head, measured straight around just above my eyebrows, is 22 7/8 inches, or between 57.5cm and 58cm. Also with the hat stretching I have done i know well that size 7 1/8 is too small. The conclusion i have reached is that i need a size 7 3/8.(Additionally I did find one store that had some wool Bailey hats and a 'Large' fit me, was a teeny bit looser than i would like, but did not fall down over my ears. Their medium was too tight.

BRIM: 2 inches is too 'stingy'... pictures I linked to should bear this out. Maybe 2.5 or thereabouts? I am concerned about going too wide.

CROWN Height: I THINK i want/need a higher crown height than the one in my pictures. also I believe that stylistically i prefer the crown to be higher in front than in back. (Maybe significantly higher?)


BASH/PINCH: (???) I am very very hazy about the terminology here still. What i know is: The ones you guys pictures show from 'VS' look awesome, but perhaps a bit too stylist for 'my first hat' on the other hand, mine looks too boring to me. I like the idea of the pinch coming reasonably close together in the front.
The TOP of the hat, looking down on it, I think i am liking the 'diamond' shaped dents. However, I want a hat that comes PRE-styled, so I am flexible. I am not yet ready to DIY this. Maybe on a future hat.


BAND: I like thick/tall hat bands.


LIKE: Bogart in casablanca (Though Id be hesitant to try a tilt at this point!) Classic Clark Kent in B&W, Depp in Public Enemies, Everybody in 'Black Dahlia', Cary Grant in some photos. Generally very 'businesslike looks. Or what i would call businesslike in modern times. The 'working guy in a suit' look...


DISLIKE: Anything Rugged, outdoorsy, western, and anything that ventures into the indiana jones realm: It's just not who I am. I sit in front of computers all day, dont engage in many outdoor activities, and just feel unconfortable dressing as though i did.


WEATHER: It rains often here, but not constantly, and 99% of the time its a light drizzle when it does rain, Also i have the sense to take off the hat, But I have read enough here to know to avoid Wool Felt.


PRICE: Under $200 preferably. Im not ready to go custom yet, but I want something that is fur felt and not low quality. Even though it doesn't fit me, this Stetson i have here has a nice lining, the felt feels nice (to me) and I like the leather band in it.


VINTAGE vs. NEW: I'd like to go New for my first hat. ebaying is hard work and risk etc etc.


COLOR: Medium Grey, Dark Grey Either a matching grey band, a slightly darker grey or even black band. I own almost no brown clothing.

CAUGHT MY EYE on thefedoralounge.com: (In the "What Hat Are You Wearing Today" Thread): Every Stetson Whippet i have seen i have liked: IE Ande1964, boushi_mania, BobC and ; Billysmom's Stetson Twenty Sovereign, Elvisroe's sportscaster look hat.. Really everywhere i look the Whippet seems to be catching my eye. I'm not sure what the newly produced ones are like though.

If you have made it through this post, I thank you from the bottom of my heart. Its ridiculously long!

 

[Mr. Paladin]

First, welcome to the Lounge! It's a great place to make new friends and garner tons of invaluable information. You will enjoy it here.

As to your question of help, after reading your post through, it seems to me that you are actually fairly sure of what you are looking for in the way of style, etc. I agree that two inch brims are probably not your best look, but then again I admit to being prejudiced against anything less that 2 1/2 and prefer 2 3/4 to 2 7/8. That said, I would suggest one of the Akubra line such as the Stylemaster, Bogart, or Fedora from Hats Direct in Australia ( http://www.hatsdirect.com/fedora.html ). I believe they are pre-creased as you said you wanted, have wider brims in the area you seem to think you want, and they are quite reasonable in price. Modern Stetsons are always good hats in my opinion, though for saying that, many would stone me if I was nearby. I own several and have had no problems with them at all. A Chatham or a Hampton would both be a good start in that line. They are a bit more expensive but I believe the felt is finer and dressier than the Akubra line. Your biggest drawback to the modern hats is getting a high enough crown to accentuate the lower rear crown you like. That really needs to be done with some steam and handwork on your part and is not difficult at all. There are several great tutorials on creasing, notably from Jimmy The Lid and a video from Dinerman. It is not difficult to grasp the basics of it and you will enjoy making your own modifications to a hat. The main thing is to get a hat that you are comfortable with and that may entail a trip to hat stores if you have any in your area. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[scottyrocks]

My head, measured straight around just above my eyebrows, is 22 7/8 inches, or between 57.5cm and 58cm. Also with the hat stretching I have done i know well that size 7 1/8 is too small. The conclusion i have reached is that i need a size 7 3/8.

Sounds more like a 7 1/4.

 

[Carlisle Blues]

Welcome Musashi!!!!! You have come to the right place I agree with Scotty...

 

[boushi_mania]

One thing about the Whippet: mine is modern, whereas most of the others on the Lounge have gotten vintage ones secondhand. Generally speaking, the vintage ones have a wider band, taller crown, and wider (usually 2 5/8") brim; mine is a 2 3/8" brim with a narrower band and lower crown, but because it's smaller all around, it keeps very similar proportions (and I have a fairly thin face). I'll agree, however, that it's a good look...

 

[Mickey D]

As a new member also, welcome to the board with some great questions. I'll stand idle and benefit from the comments of the experienced. :cool2:

 

[MadDawg]

Here is my question back to you....are you planning on only purchasing and owning ONE fedora. If that is the case, then I recommend that you go custom, but not until you have located several stores (no matter the travel distance) and tried on different styles, shapes, or sizes. Once you have a REAL tested opinion of what you like, then spend the money on a custom tailored to your needs and wants.

However, if you truly have the "bug" then understand that the bug comes with the side-effect of having to own MANY hats. For the same cost as having a custom made plus the travel expenses (gas, time, etc) to travel and find your perfect style, you could obtain 4 or 5 very good shelf hats. Then you will be able to really get a full picture of what you like and what likes you. Then when you do go custom, you will have the best hat possible for you.

 

[theinterchange]

There are several great tutorials on creasing, notably from Jimmy The Lid and a video from Dinerman.

Just out of curiosity, where can those be found?

And I agree, the Akubras are a great value for the money. I'm wearing an Akubra Squatter in my avatar [photo not movie. lol ] in carbon grey. HatsDirect is a great vendor who offers excellent customer service and are more than willing to answer any questions you have. http://everythingaustralian.com.au is another highly regarded Akubra vendor in these parts, though their on hand stock can be limited, most hats require a 3 month lead time. The US vendors have more of the outback/outdoor rugged type hats you're not after.

Though, I'd be hesitant to go the custom route this soon in the game, as you've yet to decide on the exact look you're after. It can take a little time to feel your way through styles and such. [I mis-read your comment MadDawg, thought you were suggestion custom out of the chute! :eusa_doh: ]

Anyway you choose to go, welcome to the Lounge! You've come to the right place for advice, and good fellowship!

Randy

 

[Musashi]

Thanks everyone for your helpful comments and welcomes. I have noticed even before my first post that everyone seemed very friendly around here, its a welcome change from many other internet discussion forums where manners seem to be lacking.

MadDawg: I don't think I will be stopping at one Fedora, and I'm unable to travel far for a good hat right now. Online stores with a reasonable (i dont mind paying/losing shipping fees both ways) return policy seem a decent way to go for the time being. I do see a custom somewhere in the future, IF i take to wearing the hat all the time, really enjoy it, and if it goes over well with my wife. Business trips may take me near a good hat shop, but that may be 6 months. (I was in New Orleans 3 weeks ago but hadn't decided to take the plunge) I'd like to get into something reasonable asap and begin getting accustomed to wearing a fedora style hat. Perfection can come later.

boushi_mania: Your Whippet looks great on you. My face is not as thin as yours but every head I have seen that type of hat on looks great with it. It seems like a good place to start.. i like the style but still conservative enough for me as a 'first hat guy' 2 3/8 brim sounds fine. as we start getting towards 3 inches i start getting nervous.. I may have to do something about the 'stetson' tag sticking off the band though. I figure my mom who's an expert at sewing can help me remove it with minimal damage.

Scotty: Thanks for the size advice. I will verify with any merchant before i place an order. I guess those size charts are harder to read than i thought. Also I have read a number of places here to go for a bit bigger if unsure.

In all, I wish greatly I had a local hat shop to go to, I have searched for threads but nothing has come up that has pointed to one in this area. I've also tried a couple manufacturers 'dealer locator' web apps.. but those just looked at me funny and said 'You live WHERE??'

Thanks for the help so far. I will keep you all updated.

 

[R. L.]

As a new member also, welcome to the board with some great questions. I'll stand idle and benefit from the comments of the experienced. :cool2:

Seconded.

 

[theinterchange]

Glad to have you around R.L. :eusa_clap

Randy

 

[Mr. Paladin]

interchange, here is the link to Jimmy's; its on page one of Hats currently. http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=40203

I'm still looking for Dinerman's vid; I have trouble with the search feature...

 

[Mulceber]

Another hat to think about would be the MD-1 from Deckard Apparel. Cost is $175, so it's in your price range. It's made of good quality felt so it should hold up to the rain. There are only two problems: 1. he's out of 7 1/4 right now, so unless you're good for 7 3/8 you're out of luck and 2. the ribbon isn't super wide - appears to be about 1.5". -M

 

[MCrider]

First of all, welcome to the Lounge! As for a first hat, personally I would go with something proven. And for me that means an Akubra. The hats are tough and you don't have to baby them. With the hit and miss quality of Stetson (of which I own several vintage ones) I wouldn't want someone looking for his first hat to take that chance. One hat that I can recommend is the Sydney from David Morgan. As long as you don't mind the dark, almost black charcoal color or the brown, I'd say it's your best bet. Brim is 2.5 inches and the crown is open, but easy to bash with a spray bottle. If you want other color choices, the Fedora at Hats Direct or Everything Australian is supposedly the same hat. The felt is super light and the hat is probably the most comfortable of the new hats I've bought. It does have a thinner ribbon though, which I personally like. Give it a look and if you purchase it, I doubt you'll be disappointed.

 

[theinterchange]

Another hat to think about would be the MD-1 from Deckard Apparel. Cost is $175, so it's in your price range. It's made of good quality felt so it should hold up to the rain. There are only two problems: 1. he's out of 7 1/4 right now, so unless you're good for 7 3/8 you're out of luck and 2. the ribbon isn't super wide - appears to be about 1.5". -M

I was thinking about the MD-1 a bit ago and was going to mention it... beat me to the draw Mulceber!

I'm still looking for Dinerman's vid; I have trouble with the search feature...

Ha, commented on JTL's thread, but didn't know if Dinerman's video would be easy to locate, so I figured it would be best to ask instead of fumbling around with searches like "hat" "bash" "tutorial" as it would bring up WAY more threads than I wanted to go through! Thanks for trying, I should look for myself, too!


Randy

 

[zetwal]

Dinerman Crease Tutorial

http://s80.photobucket.com/albums/j164/dinerman/?action=view&current=MVI_3191.flv

 

[Musashi]

Thanks for all the advice and tips. I have decided to follow my gut and go for the whippet in grey for my first shot at this. I got it for a mere $135 with free shipping (I presume this is ok to say as long as i dont mention the vendor?)

On a side note I am watching 'Public Enemies' and i love the costuming, haircuts, hats, and everything about the style in this film so far. Also I've already seen some threads around here about the Optimo Dillenger, which i have read is not exactly like the movie hat, but i am still too green to tell the difference. Still I like the colors of that one.. Will be looking round here soon for threads related to this and other films. Also my wife is a classic movie buff, so I will have to start paying attention and watching those with her as well, I already see this spiraling into suit purchases... after a while.

Is it just me or does anyone think the proportions of the hat on "The Fedora Lounge" Logo graphic are just about perfect??


Happy New Year everyone!!

 

[Mulceber]

Yep, you aren't the only one who loves the Public Enemies hat. If you want to look at accuracy issues of the Optimo reproduction vs. the Optimo original, I suggest you get some screen-grabs and compare it to the picture on Optimo's site - pay particular attention to the width of the ribbon and the taper (how straight-sided the crown is). I think you'll find that Depp's hat has a wider ribbon and straighter sides. I agree though, the color is great, as is the movie.

Glad you found a hat that suited you - be sure to call on us for more advice when you start looking at custom hats. lol -M

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

Welcome Musashi, I don't think the fedora you inherited looks bad. Congrats on your purchase.

 

[Wildblue]

In all, I wish greatly I had a local hat shop to go to, I have searched for threads but nothing has come up that has pointed to one in this area. I've also tried a couple manufacturers 'dealer locator' web apps.. but those just looked at me funny and said 'You live WHERE??'

Tell me about it. I feel your pain! I pretty much have to go on a trip to the lower 48, just to get a good selection of items when I shop!