OpenRoad Question

[undertaker]

And if that's you in the avatar, I know it will be a very dignified look no matter what you wear it with.

Regards,

- Mark[/QUOTE]

Unfortunately that is me in the avatar. My wife took that picture one evening when I got home from work. That hat is a newer Dorfman. It is an inexpensive hat but it has the wide brim and bound edge that I prefer.

Regards,
JS

 

[Benny Holiday]

Just my opinion

Different things appeal to different people. Me, I think the Open Road looks great with a suit, and have only ever worn mine with a suit or sportscoat/slacks combo. All my hats are blocked in a C crown, by the way, except for a great diamond bash on my black Akubra Stylemaster.

 

[RBH]

Think your O R looks great.
I dont think the water will do much on the new hats. I also dont think it would hurt it to try. You can also be on the lookout on OFAS for some of the Open Road style hats such as the Marathon, Portis, Borsa ect ect. I ran across my Marathon in a size 7 1/2 for just $81 which I thought was a steal.
Also check out the Akubra Campdraft they usally run around $110.00.
http://shop.valleycountry.com.au/catalogue/category1/category13/category54/product334
[the one pictured is not the shape you recieve, you get it open crowned]
Good luck!

 

[Byrne Sherwood]

I second the recommendation of the Akubra Campdraft. Same as an Open Road, but cheaper and probably better quality, at least if you are buying new. Check out http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au-they're a bit cheaper than the above quoted price. I wore my silverbelly with a grey suit the other day and it seemed to work. I agree that the narrow ribbon appears less dressy, but also gives the hat its distinctive look. But most folks aren't going to take note of that, just us hat geeks.
Am I mistaken or didn't presidents Johnson and Truman wear ORs with suits? The famous picture of Jack Ruby shooting Lee Harvey Oswald features a lawman in a suit and OR and other photos from that event show others similarly clad. The dapper singer Jimmie Rodgers wore one with a suit. My point is that I don't think that the OR is too casual for wear with a suit. It may however, be more acceptable to southerners or southwesterners, perhaps as a compromise between fedora and cowboy hat.