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Surprises you encounter when talking hats with others

memphislawyer

Practically Family
Messages
771
Location
Memphis, Tn
Today, I was roaming the foyer of our office building, heading down to the grill at the front of the building to grab a bite to bring back to the office. One of the men who clean up the offices after hours sometimes comes in early to clean out bathrooms and, well, who knows why he was here at 12:30. He has liked my hats and remarks favorably on the Buckaroo hat I have.

So, he stops me and tells me that he has been to our local hat shop and will not pay the prices that the place charges. I have seen that the hats may be current market rates, but I have seen that the same hat at the Memphis store is priced what it was two or three years ago, as when I go onto the net and check it out, the net price may be higher and the same higher price at two or three other shops (delmonico, etc.). He then tells me he is going to Chicago this spring and going to Roosevelt street because he can get the same hat for $20 or $30 cheaper. Ok, I can see that, but what suprised me is that he mentioned Dobbs. Now, in Memphis, not a lot of Dobbs hats floating around, and probably not in a lot of years, so I would not have guessed that he would even know that Dobbs made a hat. In Memphis, you mention Dobbs, 80% of the people would say it was the old Dobbs Ford dealership, and maybe 15% would say Dobbs House, the people that used to have the 24 hour diner eats, and now supply food to the airlines, at least locally they did. I would not have figured this man as a hat man particularly, but what a pleasant surprise that he at least knew more than the average person I encounter would know.
 
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CaramelSmoothie

Practically Family
Messages
892
Location
With my Hats
Nice thread idea Memphis. I haven't had any surprises yet when talking about hats. I get a lot of compliments when I wear hats but because those giving me the compliments are not hat wearer themselves, there's nothing for them to surprise me with. I chalk that up to it being difficult to come across other women that wear hats and if they did, the odds are low that it would be vintage hats. Same with the men that strike up conversations with me too.
 

memphislawyer

Practically Family
Messages
771
Location
Memphis, Tn
Hatophile, yeah, me too. Fashion Frank had a pic of his lady in a red hat, looked fantastic. There is a lady who sits in front of me at church who has taken to wearing some Annie Hall-style hats, and she looks good in them, I think she has two, and I don't know if my wearing my hat has encouraged her to at least wear hers more or what not. Her husband has hats but does not bring them to church, but I think my Panama Bob cuenca, that got the brim fixed up by Rocky at Buckaroo, and the parbuntal straw that Major Mike picked out for me (and the interchangeable ribbons) will get him this spring and summer.
 

Historyteach24

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,447
Location
Huntington, WV
I am always shocked when they are at least somewhat knowledgable. I saw a guy wearing an awesome pork pie and we talked for a good 20 minutes about hats. He knew a little about modern hats and wanted to pick my brain about customs and vintage hats. Very nice convo
 

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