Providing Own Material For Custom Hats

[Bungholio]

Hello, all.

I've been thinking about getting two suits from a bespoke tailor. I was thinking that one would be a solid color, and the other would be alternating, equal-width stripes (Half an inch one subtle color, half an inch another very subtle color, or something along those lines.). I plan on making them both three piece suits, and get matching over-coats for each (Using the same fabric.). It would all be 100% wool.

My question is, can I buy some of the wool fabric from my tailor, and give it to a custom hat company to create a matching fedora/homburg for each suit?

Also, do you think this would look good, or over-kill?

Thanks.

 

[EstherWeis]

Well, you could do that.
It will be a partly stitched/blocked hat.
The milliner's term is spartérie.
They block a hat in a special material that hardens when dried ( tule raide or toile élastique ) and stitch the fabric into the hat shape.
Then it is pulled over the spartérie shape.
You could def have that made. Everything is possible.

My personal opinion is that it can be a bit over-kill. But that's just me.

What I often do is either look for a felt that goes with the suit and work in a piece of said fabric.
Can be a pug or a detail in the bow etc.

 

[Bungholio]

Well, you could do that.
It will be a partly stitched/blocked hat.
The milliner's term is spartérie.
They block a hat in a special material that hardens when dried ( tule raide or toile élastique ) and stitch the fabric into the hat shape.
Then it is pulled over the spartérie shape.
You could def have that made. Everything is possible.

My personal opinion is that it can be a bit over-kill. But that's just me.

What I often do is either look for a felt that goes with the suit and work in a piece of said fabric.
Can be a pug or a detail in the bow etc.

Thank you for your quick, thorough, and intelligent response.

So, using my own wool (Or, wool in general.) will decrease the quality of the hat (Not just in the actual fabric, but also in the make.)? Based on how you described it, I'm guessing that this is something that you wouldn't recommend.

I apologize. I'm still very new to dress hats. What does "Can be a pug or a detail in the bow etc." mean?

 

[EstherWeis]

You are most welcome!

Quality wise if you have great fabric it's okay. But the base underneath isn't as nice. Feels okay in the beginning but it will feel a bit like cardboard after a while.

Well, I wouldn't recommend it because I personally feel they never really look that nice compared to a blocked felt one. And they never really hold their shape for as long.
And most importantly if you have all those nice tailored suits made I would try to go for something that is equally nice as those.

For example; a nice grey hat will go with everything you wear.
There are lots of custom hatters around that will help you out.
You can look for a great color match by comparing samples etc.

A pug is a draped piece of fabric that you use as a decoration.

You can be super creative with this.

There is a bow and other hat adornment thread on the lounge that you could check out for some inspiration.

Any good hatter can help you out with this and try to work something out that you will love together.

But you know, that's just how I look at it.
Hope that was helpful

 

[Bungholio]

You are most welcome!

Quality wise if you have great fabric it's okay. But the base underneath isn't as nice. Feels okay in the beginning but it will feel a bit like cardboard after a while.

Well, I wouldn't recommend it because I personally feel they never really look that nice compared to a blocked felt one. And they never really hold their shape for as long.
And most importantly if you have all those nice tailored suits made I would try to go for something that is equally nice as those.

For example; a nice grey hat will go with everything you wear.
There are lots of custom hatters around that will help you out.
You can look for a great color match by comparing samples etc.

A pug is a draped piece of fabric that you use as a decoration.

You can be super creative with this.

There is a bow and other hat adornment thread on the lounge that you could check out for some inspiration.

Any good hatter can help you out with this and try to work something out that you will love together.

But you know, that's just how I look at it.
Hope that was helpful

Thank you very much, yet again. It looks like you're the forum's one-stop-shop when it comes to information!

One last question (This one is a bit of a long-shot, though.):

Since socks are made of wool, too, is it possible to use that same fabric to create a few pairs of them? Yes, I know it's a strange question, but looking for a sock that compliments suit trousers is quite time consuming.

 

[tropicalbob]

It sounds like overkill. You might wind up looking like a ball of yarn. Variety is the spice of life.

 

[Bungholio]

It sounds like overkill. You might wind up looking like a ball of yarn. Variety is the spice of life.

Lol.

For the hat, socks, or both?

 

[GHT]

The matching material for hat, suit and socks would create a look similar to a combat soldier in camouflage. Listen to Esther, she's not just a skilled milliner, with her dressmaking skills and an appreciation for colour and patterns, she's built up, through experience, an amazing library in her memory, that allows her to match or contrast to tasteful effect.

 

[Lean'n'mean]

Matching suit, overcoat & hat ???? sounds familiar.

 

[GHT]

You would have thought that someone would have advised her on the gloves and bag, surely.

 

[EstherWeis]

I don't think one could make socks out of normal fabric.
It's not stretchy enough.

Socks are made from either knitted cotton/wool/polyester.

My tip here is either go for the the color of your shoes or the color of your buttons.

 

[Bungholio]

Matching suit, overcoat & hat ???? sounds familiar.

Hahaha!

I don't think one could make socks out of normal fabric.
It's not stretchy enough.

Socks are made from either knitted cotton/wool/polyester.

My tip here is either go for the the color of your shoes or the color of your buttons.

That makes sense (Regarding the socks.).

Generally speaking, matching one's socks to their shoes is considered a fashion faux pas. Doing so creates a boot-like effect. The general rule is matching it to one's trousers, or, if not possible, going a shade darker.

As for the rest of you: thank you all for your replies. You have given me a great deal to think about.

 

[TheDane]

The general rule is matching it to one's trousers, or, if not possible, going a shade darker.

It seems, we use the words "matching" and "complimenting" with very different meanings.

In my World those two words don't imply a total match - as in "perfect match in color, texture and pattern". The thought of a person in a three part suit, socks, hat and coat in the exact same fabric makes me smile (to say the least).

Be happy, you're not a woman. What a hassle it would be to find "matching" and/or "complimenting" makeup

 

[Bungholio]

It seems, we use the words "matching" and "complimenting" with very different meanings.

In my World those two words don't imply a total match - as in "perfect match in color, texture and pattern". The thought of a person in a three part suit, socks, hat and coat in the exact same fabric makes me smile (to say the least).

Be happy, you're not a woman. What a hassle it would be to find "matching" and/or "complimenting" makeup

Haha.

Well, that's not exactly what I was getting at. The coat and hat are supposed to compliment the suit. I'm just matching because I want to see what it looks liked (There are no relevant images on the Inter-net.). But, socks are a slightly different story; they're supposed to be as close to the trouser fabric as possibly.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Haha.

Well, that's not exactly what I was getting at. The coat and hat are supposed to compliment the suit. I'm just matching because I want to see what it looks liked (There are no relevant images on the Inter-net.). But, socks are a slightly different story; they're supposed to be as close to the trouser fabric as possibly.

Not necessarily anymore, re: socks.