-
The Fedora Lounge is supported in part by commission earning affiliate links sitewide. Please support us by using them. You may learn more here.
Search results
-
Shelf Purchase or Custom?
Some people will but a Patek Phillipe even though an electronic Casio is just as...if not more...accurate, at least until the battery dies. We each know which we are and why. Buzz -
Advice for newcomer on custom hatters
I have been having Gary White, the Custom Hatter of Buffalo make my hats for many years and between us, my wife and I own maybe ten or twelve of his fdoras. They are each magnificent and each exactly what we wanted. More importantly, perhaps, I have Gary clean, re-size and otherise maintain my... -
Hey UK! Where do you buy your hats?
The relic of the once great Herbert Johnson is now owned and peddled by Swaine, Adeney, Brigg near the top of St James's Street. The hats on offer bay at the moon. Mind you, Swaine Adeney still sells some fine leather goods, umbrellas and canes, though their stock of whips...for those among us... -
Has anyone ever had a bespoke fedora made from Baron hats?
Le Samouraï seems to have been blinded by the starlight. He (she?) should hit the road and visit some of the other hatters toiling in the U.S. My favorites are Milton Johnson in Santa Fe and Gary White in Buffalo (where ZZ Top may have once played), and other list members have their favorites... -
Hats of other colors than black, gray or brown/tan?
The essence of taupe is that one never really can say just what color it is. That's the magic. I have a brace taupe hats that Gary White made for me; one tends toward greenish-tannish-gray...the other is a more rosy-tannish-grey, more like a grayish version of WWII officer pinks, if you can... -
-
Hey UK! Where do you buy your hats?
There are still many fine products I buy and have made in the U.K., hats are no longer among them. I was a devoted Herbert Johnson Customer from circa 1970 until some point in the mid-eighties. The hats that HJ has produced in the past twenty-five years frankly, are second, even third rate... -
Hats of other colors than black, gray or brown/tan?
Taupe. Maybe with a vaguely reddish ribbon. Buzz -
Has anyone ever had a bespoke fedora made from Baron hats?
If you send Gary White a sample of the color you want, he can reproduce it for you. His bespoke felt hats are the best I have seen this century. Buzz -
Bespoke hat maker in the UK ?
Given the exchange rate at the moment, one might do better buying from one of the fine custom hatters in the U.S. as opposed to seeking a U.K. hatter. Gary White or Art Fawcett do leap to mind. Nota bene, however, Gary White does not communicate via the internet or e-mail, he prefers to speak... -
water spots?
Do the water spots persist after the hat has dried at room temperature? I have never had this problem with any of my fur felts. Ribbons do tend to stain, hough it has never been a problem for me due to rain. Buzz -
-
Arrrrrgh! Ruined the sweat . . .
What I have done is to pour boiling water on a tea towel, wring the towel out and then drape it over the crown for about five minutes. The hats seem then to hold any bash I want. Nota bene, I am careful not to let the moist towel touch the ribbon. Buzz -
Ribbon sweatstain!
My experience is that cleaning sweat stains from ribbons hasn't worked well and that when I have tried to the ribbon has ended up mis-shapen or puckered or with a tide line. It is true that replacing the ribbon is the most drastic solution and more costly than dabbing with a bit of water... -
Ribbon sweatstain!
In this situation I would treat myself to a new ribbon. Do you live anywhere near a hatmaker? Buzz -
Pulling Off the Casual Look
I think it is the same for any garment, not just hats...except spectator shoes, of course. If you feel comfortable and unselfconscious in the (hat, vest, other garment) you will probably look pretty good in it. On the other hand, if you are too aware of your hat and get this sensation that... -
Brown hats...
Until just now, I never thought about it. However, upon checking, I note that this year Gary White has been putting black leathers in my brown felts. The black bands and the brown ones give the illusion of fitting and feeling...get this...exactly the same! Go figure. Buzz -
-
Getting rid of letters...
It doesn't bother me, just as gold stamping doesn't bother me when it wears off. So few people wear good hats these days that it is unlikely that the operator of the hat check room will mistake my fedora for anyone else's. Buzz -
Getting rid of letters...
You are fortunate, indeed. Gary White puts my name in the sweat-band, but he does it by punching small holes to form the letters. It is about as permanent as can be. Buzz -
Hat Cleaning Repair & Restoration: Where?
I too use Gary White in Buffalo and do all of our business over the telephone. His service and the quality of his work are in all ways exceptional. Almost anyone can clean a hat, but Gary is also expert at even the most exacting repairs such as reshaping a brim, killing mildew, or patching a... -
Fedora Fever
My grandfather was in the hat business...importer of felt and trimmings...as early as the 1920's, so it is in my blood. I have been wearing fedoras as a habit since about 1976. IO have owned many pieces of felt, but I am now "down" to about nine favorites, most by Gary White with a few ancient... -
Airport Security
Do you really want some poor, under-paid employee of the TSA man-handling your hat, perhaps peeking under the lining or inverting the leather? I think it is far preferable to send my hats through radiology. As to putting my hats into the plastic trays...well, I certainly place my hats in far...
