Post New Hats Here!

[hatophile]

Nice-looking hat, B-man, I like the look with the diamond crown. Reminds me of a Western style. That's a St. Regis, common Homburg style for Stetson. I like the color as well.

Perry

 

[Aureliano]

I broke my promise of not buying anymore hats! but wait a minute... I did it because I've always wanted to own (not for wearing) a top hat. Found this beautiful Knox beaver at an antique shop. Great condition, the sweatband is not the original as it doesn't have any Knox reference: whoever was the owner of this hat (initials STM) took good care of it. The store owner said it dates from the late 1800 to early 1900, could anyone verify that?

 

[mayserwegener]

Fantastic! I would say it is silk though.

 

[mayserwegener]

I grabbed this one yesterday: a perfect fit! I've been hoping to find a good homburg in good condition, but never really considered a brown color if it isn't a derby, or the diamond type crease that it currently sports, but frankly I don't want to change a thing. I thought homburg brims were a little stingier than this, but it doesn't seem to bother me. The only thing is the discoloration on the front of the ribbon, as you can see in the first photo. Is there an easy home remedy for this?
What do you all think (other than perhaps I could use a bit of a haircut)? I included details that many of you might be interested in, though I'm not sure what some of the numbers refer to.

Nice Homburg! You might try soaking the ribbon with distilled water. Make sure to do the whole ribbon/bow and really work the discolored sweat stained area.

 

[Aureliano]

Fantastic! I would say it is silk though.

I thought so but wasn't sure! score!

 

[delectans]

I grabbed this one yesterday:

Nice homburg, Jeff. Very wearable color and crease. Congrats!

 

[scooter]

Hey gents, I appreciate all the input on the Mallory I picked up. I shall leave the brim the way it is. I am gonna have to send it away for a good cleaning, but other than that, it is a very nice hat. IMHO

 

[alanfgag]

Nice homburg, Jeff. Very wearable color and crease. Congrats!

I agree... the wide flat brim with fedora crease is very easy to wear. The ribbon might stand a replacement if it doesn't clean up with steam. A great hat for you... and that invisible celanese liner is a very unusual feature!

enjoy,
Alan

 

[alanfgag]

I broke my promise of not buying anymore hats! but wait a minute... I did it because I've always wanted to own (not for wearing) a top hat. Found this beautiful Knox beaver at an antique shop. Great condition, the sweatband is not the original as it doesn't have any Knox reference: whoever was the owner of this hat (initials STM) took good care of it. The store owner said it dates from the late 1800 to early 1900, could anyone verify that?

Beautiful, and well worth a brief jump off the wagon IMO. Classic styling that would wear beautifully today. Silk, as Steve points out, and fantastic liner imprint. 1920s?... I'm not sure. I think the sweat may very well be original given the condition of the hat.

Does it fit you? A great find and the perfect excuse for a Night at the Opera!

 

[hatophile]

Beautiful, and well worth a brief jump off the wagon IMO. Classic styling that would wear beautifully today. Silk, as Steve points out, and fantastic liner imprint. 1920s?... I'm not sure. I think the sweat may very well be original given the condition of the hat.

Does it fit you? A great find and the perfect excuse for a Night at the Opera!


Too bad the Royal Wedding is over . But it is a great hat!

 

[bowlerman]

I agree... the wide flat brim with fedora crease is very easy to wear. The ribbon might stand a replacement if it doesn't clean up with steam. A great hat for you... and that invisible celanese liner is a very unusual feature!

enjoy,
Alan

very unusual indeed! Thanks for the comments, everyone. I will try the distilled water and/or steam on the ribbon and see what I can do.

There was another hat in the shop right next to this one, and though it's a bit big, I absolutely had to go back and grab it this morning. I just couldn't pass it up-- The condition is exceptional, and I really like the dark grey color. If I can't shrink it enough, I'll throw some foam under the sweatband, but as is-- it's a great casual and comfortable hat for me.

With these two hats I have learned for the first time what quality fedora felt should feel like. My quality hats until now have been bowlers of stiff build and western weight cowboy/western hats. I had absolutely no idea a real fedora was this much different. I love it, and the softer build makes for a lot more flexibility of sizing, too. I have seen the light!

Hat number two, a Lee Trinity:

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[Joshbru3]

Great Looking Lids, bowlerman!! That LEE is really in exceptional condition. You wear them both very well!! Im glad that you have "seen the light" about vintage felt. I sure wish some others around the lounge would also see the light... Just wait until you feel a Stetson 100 or a Dobbs 40. That felt is the stuff that fedora dreams are made of. Great finds!! :eusa_clap:eusa_clap

 

[carouselvic]

mid-50's Royal Stetson up-welt,3 rows of stitching

 

[Lefty]

I'd wear it.

Nice box, too.

 

[carouselvic]

thanks

 

[alanfgag]

Vic - Lovely... great looking over-welt.

Bowlerman, you'll enjoy that Lee. The Trinity is a very well made hat... I've always assumed mine was a $30 retail - just a guess, but it feels like 30 dollars worth of hat.

 

[hatophile]

Carousel, very nice Stetson, like the brim treatment and color, especially.

Great catch on the Lee, Bowlerman, the backbow treatment on that style of hat is unusual.
I agree with Josh, you wear it well.

Perry

 

[alanfgag]

A tale of two thin ribbons, or TARS WARS

Two hats purchased over the past two weeks arrived together yesterday. Unwrapping them one after the other allowed me to appreciate the similarities shared by these and many other Stetson dress westerns and the marketing efforts that hoped to differentiate them in the mind of the post-war consumer who bought way fewer hats in a year than I do.

A Royal Stetson Stratoliner and a Royal Stetson DeLuxe Vita-Felt close in age, weight, styling
(colors are most accurate in the first two pictures.)

The Strat (my first - I've wanted to find one of these in nice shape!) has a 2 5/8" brim, firm dense felt with a bit of heft to it. Robin's egg blue with a nod towards gray.

The Vita-Felt (no style name is shown) is lighter weight, very soft... reminiscent of a Borsalino Alessandria, but one could also understand the confusion that this was a wool felt. Surprisingly, it holds a crisper dry creasing than the firmer Strat and seems to mold and hold. 2 3/4" brim. Color is tan, darker than my 7X clear beaver though it looks very similar in the pictures.

 

[alanfgag]

A tale of two thin ribbons, or TARS WARS

The ribbon/bow appear identical, as in most Stetson dress westerns.

inside the Vita-Felt, unreeded sweat with fabric binding, copper foil stamp

liner with contrasting crest piece, no protective plastic:

on the Strat, reeded sweat, dark embossed logo and plastic liner protector:

 

[carouselvic]

nice