A Fedora Lounge Akubra Hat?

[Sator]

It's a nice idea and your heart's in the right place, but ... how in the HECK could we ever arrive at an agreement about ONE design? Civil wars have started over less. lol

.

I know but other fora have managed to come up with forum ties and pocket squares. So why not a forum hat? - especially for a forum calling itself the Fedora Lounge. The process has usually involved a vote over proposed designs.

As for minimum order numbers, it's different to a one off order on a limited edition. If only half of the minimum order were met, I am sure Steve would manage to sell the other half later through his website.

Also, I was hoping somebody with a strong view on what would work would step up to the plate and guide the design of things precisely so there would be leadership, rather than chaos and civil war.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I know but other fora have managed to come up with forum ties and pocket squares. So why not a forum hat?

You may be right ... but I suspect that hats are too, well, individual for us to reach a consensus about one design. There are so many variables involved: color, shade of color, texture, dimensions, ribbon size/color/material, brim treatment, liner (or no), etc.


Honestly, it makes the choosing of tie and pocket square designs look like a picnic.

.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

I dunno. In my experience, the Lounge has always been very civil (no pun intended)... I think it could be left up to the masses to convene and trade ideas without us all tearing each others' throats out, given, as was proposed, we're talking about two or three designs, rather than just one.

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Kind of like 'The Red Hat' ladies. We could wear our FL Acubras and meet for lunch once a month. And eat lots of ice cream! I like it!

-dixon cannon

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I think it could be left up to the masses to convene and trade ideas without us all tearing each others' throats out, given, as was proposed, we're talking about two or three designs, rather than just one.

Agreed. The "two or three designs" point is key.

.

 

[mingoslim]

OK . . . 2 or 3 designs . . . AND ICE CREAM.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

AND I SCREAM!

.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

Well, yeah. The ice cream's the clincher. I wouldn't be into it if it weren't for the ice cream.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

I was just thinking... if we were to go with the three-designs approach, would it be too simplistic to suggest the starting guideline that one be urban in styling, one be rural, and the third straddle the fence/be sort of a hybrid?

 

[Sator]

Some time ago, some of us tried go get up a special run of hats from Akubra. The idea was to have them do a Campdraft, which is the old Stetson Open Road, in silverbelly and in the higher quality felt used for the Federation Deluxe model. It would have been blocked just like an OR with trolley cord.

The idea never got past the initial inquiries. The minimum number was more than we could meet, as I remember. Sharpetoys, what was the deal killer there? I think we were trying to get it done for around $125.

.

This is the sort of thing I had in mind. I am sure some of you guys know of some classic Stetson or vintage Borsolino model you would love to have resurrected by Akubra in their best quality felt.

You see, the advantage for Steve (from Nungar) is that it gives him a model exclusive to his online store (just as the Federation is exclusive to Hatsdirect). The advantage to us is that we don't need to come up with a huge number of people willing to buy the minimum order number up front (though upfront orders would make it easier). If the hat could be sanctioned as an official Fedora Lounge model, all the better.

I believe that the Federation hat came to fruition as a model for some club or forum didn't it?

As for multiple designs - maybe we could consider that too. Perhaps, if there was a vote on favourite proposed designs we could see if Steve is willing to custom order one or more of them. We would have to start with one, and if sucessful, we could try another.

The London Lounge has a cloth club, so why not have a hat club on the FL?

At the end of the day, it has to be financially viable for Steve too, so getting him to custom order 3 - 4 different designs at once would be a bit unfair on him.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I was just thinking... if we were to go with the three-designs approach, would it be too simplistic to suggest the starting guideline that one be urban in styling, one be rural, and the third straddle the fence/be sort of a hybrid?

A good idea, though I don't think this crowd would go much for a "rural" fedora.
How about: one urban (higher crown, medium-wide brim), one hybrid (Open Road-like), and one stingy brim-esque?

.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

A good idea, though I don't think this crowd would go much for a "rural" fedora.
How about: one urban (higher crown, medium-wide brim), one hybrid (Open Road-like), and one stingy brim-esque?

.

I wouldn't much go for it either; just throwing it out there. I like your idea better anyhow.

 

[Feraud]

I am still waiting for the Lounge pin.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

I am still waiting for the Lounge pin.

That makes five hundred of us.

.

 

[AdmiralTofu]

*raises hand* Five hundred one.

 

[Feraud]

That makes five hundred of us.

.

lol Yep. I have a long list of "waiting fors".

 

[Stoney]

Maybe we can get the pin and the hat(s) going at the same time.

I like the suggestion of three styles, open road type, a wide brim and a stingy...
but of course if we can only do one then my vote is....


A) High crown 4 1/2" to 5 "
B) 2 1/4" Snap Brim
C) 2" Grossgrain Contrasting Ribbon
D) No taper in the crown.
E) Semi Stiff , not too loose but not a cowboy hat either
F) Complete with 3/4" Fedora Lounge pin (no text) centered on the bow.
G) In Black, Taupe,Light Blue and some shade of Green or Green Taupe. *We all have plenty of brown and tan hats.

And most importantly; priced at a fair value for the hat.

 

[Sator]

In the space of a couple of hours this thread has exploded out to three pages. Obviously, there is interest.

My 2 cents would be to say that a FL hat would have to be a sharp looking city hat to wear with a suit.

For those of you who are price conscious we could look at having a standard and deluxe version like the Federation. Otherwise, I would like the hat to be the finest we can get Akubra to make (within reasonable limits).

I am sure that through much passionate debate we could come up with some sort of democratic consensus to order something really special - classic and elegant.

 

[Wolfmanjack]

I agree, Stoney

I think the specifications Stoney has proposed would have wide appeal on the Lounge. Add ribbon-binding on a slightly wider brim and it would be tantamount to a resurrection of the classic Stetson Whippet, a favorite of many Loungers.

 

[Sator]

But lets see how these projects turn out before we begin designing the shoe line

That too can be arranged. In fact I already have put together a Forum Special boot:

http://styleforum.net/showthread.php?t=21179