Optimo Nutria & Beaver Arrived

[Andykev]

Today I got my hat from Optimo. It is without a doubt the softest, most beautiful hat that Graham has made for me to date.

The crown is tall, bashed it is 4 3/4" at the front and 4 1/4 at the rear...ribbon is 1 1/2, and the brim is 2 1/2. These are my favorite hat measurements..and they look great on me! The bound edge is narrow..which is what I prefer...wider bindings make the brim look wider.

Herer are the potos.

 

[farnham54]

Very nice work, Andykev. You should be pleased, and those dimensions certainly suit ya!

Regards

Craig

 

[Nathan Flowers]

I like the c-dent in it. And I agree, the felt is spectacular this year.
Good on ya!

 

[MK]

That is a great color on you. It is a great looking hat. I like the 2 1/2 inch brims too. I think they look better on me than the three inch Indy style.

 

[Kilgour Trout]

Very Nice.

Andykev...Those proportions look super on you . Did it take time to nail down what looks right on you? Unless you have a good hat shop near bye the process can be costly. I wonder how many of us have hats in the closet because of trial and error?

BTW...Zohar mentioned the C Dent...where can you learn bashes and better yet what to try. I'm hoping to rebash my powdered Stetson to the same look as yours and your picture will be of great help. Thanks for showing it.

Warm Regards
Kilgour Trout

 

[havershaw]

Wow.

Why do I not have an Optimo yet?

(Oh, right...the expensive thing...but they're worth it!)

That hat looks great on you. I also like the 2 1/2 brims. Even when all I bought was Indy hats, I always cut the brims down a little. I think that brim size looked a lot better with my face. All of my Akubra Feds have hadtheir brims reduced by 1/8", and I think the hats, on me, look more proportionate.

I really dig the bound edges that Optimo does. They're really similar to the vintage Borsalinos that I have with bound edges.

OK, I need to get one of these.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Superb as usual Andy. Looks great!!! Hope to see it next week in person. Lunch the end of the week? My treat

 

[Wild Root]

Boy that is a good looking hat! Very good choice in color! I have always liked that style of block. I have most of my hats blocked like that. Very nice.

When I have the cash flow, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll drop some on an Optimo too. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢d probably get Graham to make me one with a wider bound edge. I have vintage hats that have slim ones, and I like them a lot! But, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m a fan of the nice ?Ǭ? an inch width. That?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s just me though. I think that the thinner bound edge looks better on you then me.

Cheers.

 

[Andykev]

Side bar: The hat came with a gentle center crease. I popped it back into an open crown and then by hand alone (no steam) shaped it into the "regular" fedora C crown.

This is the nicest felt I have gotten from Optimo, no dye, and soft as a, what? Oh, a baby beaver!

Really has that 40's look, and was made on a block with NO TAPER.

Unfortunately, it is very warm in the Bay Area...but we may have rain by Thurs. I plan on getting this puppy (er, beav) wet!

 

[Wild Root]

Now, that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s the way to do it! Some of my vintage hats aren?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t as soft as that. So I have to wet them and block them. Steam really doesn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t work for me to well. But, I hand block most of the hats I have. It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s the way men did it in the 30?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s and 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s!

I know about the warm weather! It?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s warmer down here in LA. I love the Bay Area and it always seems cooler up there.

I hope it rains here soon! It needs it bad! I live 10 minuets from the mountains and I can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t see them very well! Oh rain, please come and clear the air!

Take care,

 

[Nathan Flowers]

Originally posted by Andykev
Side bar: The hat came with a gentle center crease. I popped it back into an open crown and then by hand alone (no steam) shaped it into the "regular" fedora C crown.

This is the nicest felt I have gotten from Optimo, no dye, and soft as a, what? Oh, a baby beaver!

Really has that 40's look, and was made on a block with NO TAPER.

Unfortunately, it is very warm in the Bay Area...but we may have rain by Thurs. I plan on getting this puppy (er, beav) wet!

I'm glad you were able to get one of these hats. It is by far the softest hat I have (much softer than the Tobacco). The felt color is very special, you know. I think they only had 12 bodies made in it.

 

[Panamabob]

I've got to get up to Chicago before I leave...

1) Hot dog
2) Sausage pizza
3) Optimo
4) Navy Pier

 

[Andykev]

While in Chicago

Don't miss the Science and Industry Museum...they even have a full German U-boat from WWII on display. I regret missing that stop on my trip.

 

[Wild Root]

Say, I have heard about that one! I also was told that the building they used is one of the last surviving structures from the 1933 World's Fair! So, if you get a chance to see that U-Boat, take some photos and of the building as well!


Have fun!

 

[Panamabob]

I'll see if I can pencil that in for later this week or early next week...back to ECKYDOR on the 1st. What a fool am I?

I've been to the Museum of Science and Industry 5 or 6 times, The Field Museum (mastadons or mammoths from the Exorcist) about 10 times, the Shedd (sp) Aquarium each time I've gone to the Field Museum, The Art Museum (can't think of the name) 3 or 4 times (right across the street from the Eckydorian Consul), and the Billy Goat (cheezbuga, cheezbuga, chips, chips) several times.

 

[Matt Deckard]

The hat looks like it belongs on your head.

Optimo has a way with making hats look like they came off the shelf of a department store in the 30's.

Most custom hatters today have hats that are definately custon and have that bespoke look and feel to them like Gary White or Joe peters make. Optimo is unique to me in the way their hats look like they came off that assembly line of employees who specialized in each part of the hat, like my vintage hats.

Congratulations.

 

[Fedora]

I totally agree Matt. That Optimo is really vintage looking. I love it. Fedora

 

[Pen Collector]

Great Hat

The hat looks great and looks good on you too.

I really like the color. Have you taken any picture outdoors? It looks like a pewter color. What color is the ribbon?

Andy, I thought the Mitchum block came with the C dent already. That is how my Borsalino came back from OPTIMO when I had the hat reblocked.

 

[Matt Deckard]

I think all their felt blocks are open.
No shapes other than a melon, which is good... that's how vintage hats were through the 30's and 40's. They shape it after blocking or you shaped it.

 

[Andykev]

Re: Great Hat

Originally posted by Pen Collector
The hat looks great and looks good on you too.

I really like the color. Have you taken any picture outdoors? It looks like a pewter color. What color is the ribbon?

Andy, I thought the Mitchum block came with the C dent already. That is how my Borsalino came back from OPTIMO when I had the hat reblocked.

The hat is the natural color, no dyes, just natural beaver color. The ribbon is lighter than Zohar's, brim edging is same (matches the hat body). The Optimo came with a gentle crease, but I make it a bit more "traditional". Graham tends to not put tight creases in the hats he mails out to customers like me. I have seen him work magic for walk in customers, and he knows how to shape a hat to fit your features.

If you look at the photos of Zohar's hat, it is the same color. I have a new LCD monitor, so the colors are accurate. I took the photo in the family room next to a standard table lamp, and I think we used a flash.