The Stetson Playboy

[fedoralover]

Long before Hugh Hefner started using this name Stetson already had a fedora named Playboy. check this one out. The inside looked different than other Stetons I've bought. I've wanted one of these for a long time and this one looked pretty good and at an excellant price.

Mattdeckard you'll love the 6" high crown and 2 3/4 inch wide brim.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&rd=1&item=8138719052&ssPageName=STRK:MEWA:IT

regards fedoralover

 

[Bogie1943]

Now that my friend is a nice lid, well suits the playboy status. I have a lid very similar to that one, a vintage resistol from the 40's I found in a nice shop in Oklahoma. It needs a trip to Optimo though, Graham needs to baby it and see what he can do with a moth crater.

 

[jamespowers]

Hmm... I was wondering who was going to get that hat. I am glad it was you.
My Playboy is all black. It does not have a liner due to the ventilation systen that uses perforations in the crown felt. A very cool hat for the summer and winter. I wore it today in the downpour we had with no ill effects. These were very nice hats that provided a good degree of comfort and protection for a small amount of money--$5 in 1942.
The attached ad gives you an idea of what mine looks like as it is the same model.

Regards to all,

J

 

[STHill]

I picked up a Playboy on ebay a few months ago. Premier w/ Vita Felt. It's currently on the way to Art for cleaning and re-blocking. I'm not yet sold on the color (what I would describe as "U.S. Cavalry" blue, with a purplish ribbon) but maybe it'll grow on me. Very nice soft felt, though.

 

[MK]

What ad?

That liner looks different from my Playboy. Mine is from the forties and has a typical Stetson looking liner...with the exception of the "Vita-felt" logo.

I paid WAY too much for it. It arrived stiff and sweat stained. I was pretty discouraged and didn't really wanted to invest poor cash into the hat. I was considering selling it, but Matt saw it and remarked that the nice muted green color is rare in vintage hats. I did like the color which matches well with my favorite suit. I sent it Optimo and it is now one of my favorite everyday hats.

BTW: why did you buy a 7 1/8th?

 

[fedoralover]

While I wear a 7 1/4, I've found through some experimenting that I can easily stretch a 7 1/8 to accomidate me. I have several hat stretchers and it does not hurt the hat nor does it distort the shape. Finding this out has helped me get some really nice fedora's that were not exactly my size. I was intrigued by this one because the sweatband looks like it is top stitched in. Plus the liner looked different as well. Not to mention the fact it was only $22.00.

regards fedoralover


btw how do you like the northwest?

 

[MK]

Originally posted by fedoralover
Not to mention the fact it was only $22.00.

regards fedoralover


btw how do you like the northwest?

That is a great price....unbelievable actually.

I am loving my new home. I get to wear winter clothes. Although...the blue jean disease is just as bad here as in LA...except down town Portland. There are sharp dressed people there.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by MK
What ad?

Yeah, I tried to get the ad in last night but it just would not let me post it. It kept giving me a server not found error so I decided to wait until later to see if it would work itself out. It is a jpeg so I didn't think that was the problem.
You need to see the ad to get the full glory of the Playboy at the time.
FL, you really got that for a great price. They are very nice hats with an ability to take punishment. Considering they cost $5 in the 1940s, inflation did not do much to your cost. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[jamespowers]

I hope this works this time.

 

[fedoralover]

I actually have that ad, interesting thing about it is, it shows the hat not having a liner while mine does and a very nice one at that. They must have made some of a higher quality than others.

regards fedoralover

 

[MK]

I love that ad! What magazine did it come from? Do you know the issue# or date?

 

[fedoralover]

I believe mine is from either an Esquire magazine or a Saturday Evening Post from around 1938. I'm not exactly sure as this ad has no date or name on it, but it came in a lot of other ads that are dated from 1937 to 1941 from these 2 mags. I have another ad for the Playboy and it is dated 1937.

regards fedoralover

 

[jamespowers]

gee, now that you mention it, I do not remember what magazine I got it from but it is from 1942 that is for sure.
My hat looks exactly like the 1942 ad. It is the same color, no liner same ribbon and everything. What the ad does not show clearly is a set of ventilation holes on either side of the crown in the shape of two diamonds. It does make a difference in the hat temperature. If I could get a dozen in different colors just like that one I would.
I think Stetson started putting liners in the Playboy after WWII. They might have also been put in later---say after a cleaning. WWII hats are notorious for not having liners with a simple label or stencil directly on the top of the hat. I think the easiest way to tell would be the presence of those ventilation holes. I think they are the coolest feature really. Think about all the trouble and work that went into making a die that would consistently place those holes in the hat, in the correct pattern, at the correct spot time and again. This could not be done today without incurring huge costs for the dies and figuring how to do it with the least amount of man power.
I can also report that the hat will nto shrink even if you soak it thoroughly. Doing that is hard though because the felt is so dense that water will never get through unless you plan on swimming with the hat on.
I could go on and on but I think that will give you an idea. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[fedoralover]

I didn't see any ventilation holes on the one I bought so it is probably a later model. Living in Oregon I didn't really want them anyway. But I am anxious to get this hat as the felt looks thin and dense.

fedoralover

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by fedoralover
I didn't see any ventilation holes on the one I bought so it is probably a later model. Living in Oregon I didn't really want them anyway. But I am anxious to get this hat as the felt looks thin and dense.

You got it. The felt is thin and dense.
If you are worried about getting rained on through those ventilation holes, don't worry. They are small enough to make no difference at all in the water proof department.
Let us know if it does have vent holes or not. Whatever the case, a Playboy is one of my favorites. Now I have to find a Stratoliner and a Flagship to complete my wish list. Anyone have one sitting around that just happens to be a 7 1/2 Long Oval or 7 5/8?

Regards to all,

J

 

[Art Fawcett]

James, the vent holes are not normal for the Playboy. Your hat is the only one I've seen with them.

 

[Bogie1943]

Here is the lid I mentioned above.

 

[Bogie1943]

above

 

[Bogie1943]

lining

 

[Kentucky Blues]

EXCELLENT hat, Josh