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What hat are you waiting for today?

Nathan Flowers

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
3,652
The longest I've waited has been 4 weeks for my 100% beaver Optimo. The shortest I've waited was 3 days, for a Milan straw.

They only make 8 hats per day, so it really depends on how many other folks are in front of you. Like Andykev said, it's usually 2-3 weeks.

What kind of hat are you getting?
 

Jazzcat

New in Town
Messages
39
Location
Tampa, FL
Thanks guys. I am very new to the fedora market. Not sure what to get yet, but I like the look of the %100 beaver. I'm looking for duability mostly. What is the best material for rain and sun wear? I live in FL and we have a lot of both. I also travel to New England quite a bit during the snow season. Is there a happy medium?
 

Nathan Flowers

Head Bartender
Staff member
Messages
3,652
I'd say get the all beaver, if the price doesn't put you off, and you like that color (it's the only color currently in Graham's Signature Line).


The blends are very nice, and quite durable, but the all beaver feels more substantial. That said, it's $600, while the blends are only $400.

My advice is to give Graham a call, and let him work with you on deciding what to get.
773-238-2999

Did you see the thread with this year's colors posted?
 

Jazzcat

New in Town
Messages
39
Location
Tampa, FL
I did catch the thread with the colors and have since spoken with the folks at Optimo. They are sending thier current design catalog and a series of swatches. Very pleasant customer service, as would be expected with their prices. Would you say the 100% beaver is more rugged or rainworthy than the blends?
 

Jazzcat

New in Town
Messages
39
Location
Tampa, FL
Matt,

What exactly is considered a high crown? Or medium or low for that matter? I'm only 5'6", but I like the look of the high crown.
 

gcollins

One of the Regulars
Messages
270
Location
Shanghai, China
Jazzcat, if you're playing bass in a smoky jazz club with that hat on, you can wear any size crown and you'll be stylin'! Are you going for black in that case? I heard someone say that Graham mentioned that he had an outrageous black. I love black hats more than any other color. Why? because it's black, of course. :cool:
 

Andykev

I'll Lock Up
Bartender
Messages
4,118
Location
The Beautiful Diablo Valley
So wadda ya mean by that?!?!??!?!?

Jazzcat said:
Matt,

What exactly is considered a high crown? Or medium or low for that matter? I'm only 5'6", but I like the look of the high crown.

"I'm ONLY 5'6"" [bad] SO am I!!

I wear the taller crown too. You have to look at your face shape and your build, not just height. I have the shoulders and look (stocky) to pull it off. If I weighed my "ideal" weight and were LOTS lighter, then my look would change.
I don'w know where you are, but there might be some hat shop nearby. If you try on different shapes, sizes, etc. you will soon know what looks good on YOU.

Merry Christmas
 

Matt Deckard

Man of Action
Messages
10,045
Location
A devout capitalist in Los Angeles CA.
High crown depends on the shape of your face in my opinion. What looks too high on other is sometimes too low for my taste. I measure by open crown (hat popped out with no creases) and for me a high high crown is six inches... that is the highest I have seen in vintage fedoras.
Lower than low I have seen crowns that are four and a half inches open crowned, at my guess.

Best example I can give is to show you people wearing the hats

Lower crown BB
bbc9.jpg


Higher crown JC
cagney.jpg


You see Jimmy Stewart wearing low crowned hats in some of his 1930's movies, and you also see him wearing high crowned hats that have been pushed down. You'll figure out what looks good on you after some looking around.
 

tommyK

One Too Many
Messages
1,789
Location
Berwick, PA
I'm waiting for this Stetson
6ef3c695-c6f9-4922-9331-6191d5891013_zpslntlyg03.jpg
It says Open Road on the sweatband but I'm thinking it's not an early Open Road but rather, a mutt put together with a repalcement sweat. Still a cool hat. I'm thinking of giving it a Spencer Tracy, Joel McCrea kind of frumpy crease. Sometimes the hat has other ideas, though.
 

javadave61

Practically Family
Messages
891
Location
Harrisburg, PA
Fortunately all my waiting ended late last week with the arrival of three hats in two days. The contentment lasted only a few hours before I began plotting my trip to the Garland outlet when I am in Dallas in 2 months. Just when you think the waiting is over...
 

javadave61

Practically Family
Messages
891
Location
Harrisburg, PA
I'm waiting for this Stetson
View attachment 28288
It says Open Road on the sweatband but I'm thinking it's not an early Open Road but rather, a mutt put together with a repalcement sweat. Still a cool hat. I'm thinking of giving it a Spencer Tracy, Joel McCrea kind of frumpy crease. Sometimes the hat has other ideas, though.

Looking forward to seeing this one on you, Tommy.
 

JackieMatra

A-List Customer
Messages
413
Location
Maryland, U.S.A.
The wait ended for me, very pleasantly surprisingly two days ahead of the tracking schedule, today.
A seemingly unworn mid-brown Akubra RM, bought second-hand for less than half the price of a new one. My new favorite hat, just perfect for the spring weather hereabouts.
 

JoeyC

One of the Regulars
Messages
233
Location
United States
A Grand Central siverbelly from Sterling, a Stetson Excellent Strat. in sage from DelMonico, a custom from Tony B. in bone. Just received a ebay purchase of an Appleby New York in a very nice shade of green, almost gray green. It needs some work , nothing major, waiting on some blocks from Frank's.

Joe
 

AndyR

One of the Regulars
Messages
265
Location
Illinois
I'm waiting for a super fino Havana Panama hat from Panama Hats Direct. I guess it's somewhere between Fl. and WI. today. It might get here today. I consider the entire thing rather 'iffy'. If I get it and love it, great. If it's not at all what I ordered or if it never shows up at all, that's OK too. :)

Andy
 

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