A question from a newbie

[flylot74]

OK, I'm starting to get data overload here and am developing a bad case of the "I wants". Could you folk enlighten me by comparing and contrasting the following hats to include quality, crown height, brim width, etc:

Adventurebuilt
Akubra Federation

I am also considering getting something from Art or Optimo. However, I couldn't even begin trying to build specifications on a hat, I know so little. I am still undecided on what width brim, height of crown, etc, etc. I am leaning towards a 2 3/4" brim width and a teardrop or diamond bash, but that's now. Who knows what later will bring......

 

[Not-Bogart13]

OK, the Federation is a great starter hat, and is fairly rugged. It's probably the best hat in it's price range, and is made of Rabbit fur felt. I forget the exact measurements, but they seem to vary proportionate to size anyway. It comes open crown.

The Adventurebilt is a beaver fur felt hat of top-notch quality. Well worth the price! It is also custom made to your order, so crown height, brim, and shape are all up to you. Steve (who makes the hats) will gladly help you figure out what's best for you, and sending him pictures of your face and head will help. AB's are, so far, impossible to kill. If you have the money and you want it, it beats the Federation easily. If you want an Indy hat, AB is the best choice.

As for Art Fawcett, I can't say enough about his work... so I'll say very little instead; Absolute Best Hats I Have Ever Owned. I have four beaver fur felts from him already. Again, completely made to order, and he will gladly talk to you and figure out the best design. For a non-Indy hat, Art is the best (as far as I'm concerned). And yes, the slightly higher price over the AB is worth it.

 

[luvthatlulu]

As for Art Fawcett, I can't say enough about his work... so I'll say very little instead; Absolute Best Hats I Have Ever Owned. I have four beaver fur felts from him already. Again, completely made to order, and he will gladly talk to you and figure out the best design. For a non-Indy hat, Art is the best (as far as I'm concerned). And yes, the slightly higher price over the AB is worth it.

I currently own one Art Fawcett hat...plan to own more...and agree wholeheartedly with Not-Bogart13.

 

[mingoslim]

I am also considering getting something from Art or Optimo.

I am in the process of ordering my first AB, so I can not speak to that . . .
But I own three of Art's hats and one Optimo . . .
Don't get me wrong, the Optimo is beautiful, but I will stack up any of my Vintage Silhouettes by Mr. Fawcett against it . . . so for the money, I would go with VS and Art.

 

[carter]

I am in the process of ordering my first AB, so I can not speak to that . . .
But I own three of Art's hats and one Optimo . . .
Don't get me wrong, the Optimo is beautiful, but I will stack up any of my Vintage Silhouettes by Mr. Fawcett against it . . . so for the money, I would go with VS and Art.

I have four fedoras by Art Fawcett and a fifth on the way.
You simply cannot buy a better hat for the money (or even considerably more money) than you will receive from Art. Go ahead, spoil yourself, order a VS from Mr. Fawcett.

 

[indycop]

I am in the process of ordering my first AB, so I can not speak to that . . .
But I own three of Art's hats and one Optimo . . .
Don't get me wrong, the Optimo is beautiful, but I will stack up any of my Vintage Silhouettes by Mr. Fawcett against it . . . so for the money, I would go with VS and Art.

Cool!! Hopefully one of these days I will get to wear my hat from Art! I want more already!

 

[RBH]

Cool!! Hopefully one of these days I will get to wear my hat from Art!:

I am keeping you in my prayers.

 

[Fatdutchman]

A Federation is an excellent way to start (or even finish). It's what I'm wearing in my avatar at left. I don't see the deluxe being any advantage over the standard. The Federation has a more-or-less 5 3/4" crown, and the brim is "dimensional", and is something like 2 7/8" front and back, and 2 3/4" sides. It comes "open crown", meaning there is no creasing (you will often encounter the modern term "bash" here). You shape it yourself, which isn't hard, just takes some practice and some steam. I have found a 30's style center crease is the hardest to do and make it look right. A "teardrop" crown I think is the easiest, with a "diamond" or "cross dent" being somewhere in the middle of difficulty. I really like the Akubra "Campdraft", which is a somewhat larger sized hat. These are not regularly stocked by anyone, and you'll have to wait a couple of months or so to get one. Mine is on its way to me right now. Now, if you get a Federation or a Campdraft or a similar hat, be prepared when you first put it on...it will look HUGE, but you will quickly get used to it, and from then on, anything smaller will look like something Stan Laurel would wear.

I'm also waiting on my Adventurebilt. This is the ultimate Indy hat.

I don't have one of Art's hats yet....

What I have taken to lately is getting western hats off ebay and reworking them. You can get decent quality western hats cheap. $15-$20-$30. Sometimes it costs more to ship the hat than what you will pay for the hat itself. Sometimes you get an outstanding hat, sometimes you may get one a bit rough. Ah, well, it was 20 bucks... You can "block" them out yourself with your fingers (I need to get a "hatshaper"...), or if they're too misshapen, you can send it out to be reblocked (and restyled, if you wish, and a new sweatband added, and a new ribbon...). If you don't like the stiffness, the hatter that reblocks it for you can take care of that too. It's a "relatively" cheap way to experiment and figure out just what the "perfect" hat for you would be.

 

[indycop]

A Federation is an excellent way to start (or even finish). It's what I'm wearing in my avatar at left.

Yes, Dutchman's tawny federation is very nice if anyone has not seen it!!!:eusa_clap

 

[RBH]

A Federation is an excellent way to start (or even finish). It's what I'm wearing in my avatar at left. I don't see the deluxe being any advantage over the standard. The Federation has a more-or-less 5 3/4" crown, and the brim is "dimensional", and is something like 2 7/8" front and back, and 2 3/4" sides. It comes "open crown", meaning there is no creasing (you will often encounter the modern term "bash" here). You shape it yourself, which isn't hard, just takes some practice and some steam. I have found a 30's style center crease is the hardest to do and make it look right. A "teardrop" crown I think is the easiest, with a "diamond" or "cross dent" being somewhere in the middle of difficulty. I really like the Akubra "Campdraft", which is a somewhat larger sized hat. These are not regularly stocked by anyone, and you'll have to wait a couple of months or so to get one. Mine is on its way to me right now. Now, if you get a Federation or a Campdraft or a similar hat, be prepared when you first put it on...it will look HUGE, but you will quickly get used to it, and from then on, anything smaller will look like something Stan Laurel would wear.

I'm also waiting on my Adventurebilt. This is the ultimate Indy hat.

I don't have one of Art's hats yet....

What I have taken to lately is getting western hats off ebay and reworking them. You can get decent quality western hats cheap. $15-$20-$30. Sometimes it costs more to ship the hat than what you will pay for the hat itself. Sometimes you get an outstanding hat, sometimes you may get one a bit rough. Ah, well, it was 20 bucks... You can "block" them out yourself with your fingers (I need to get a "hatshaper"...), or if they're too misshapen, you can send it out to be reblocked (and restyled, if you wish, and a new sweatband added, and a new ribbon...). If you don't like the stiffness, the hatter that reblocks it for you can take care of that too. It's a "relatively" cheap way to experiment and figure out just what the "perfect" hat for you would be.

Very well said Duthchman!

 

[tm3]

OK, I'm starting to get data overload here and am developing a bad case of the "I wants". Could you folk enlighten me by comparing and contrasting the following hats to include quality, crown height, brim width, etc:

Adventurebuilt
Akubra Federation

I am also considering getting something from Art or Optimo. However, I couldn't even begin trying to build specifications on a hat, I know so little. I am still undecided on what width brim, height of crown, etc, etc. I am leaning towards a 2 3/4" brim width and a teardrop or diamond bash, but that's now. Who knows what later will bring......

i think there is something to be said for starting slow and building up, e.g. getting a federation or similar as a first hat (akubras are so nice it may be your last hat as well). wearing it will give you more of an idea of your preferences re the variables involved, and you can get any sizing issues worked out.

then if you decide to go all out on a custom you will have a much better idea of what you want.

 

[deelovely]

Cool!! Hopefully one of these days I will get to wear my hat from Art! I want more already!

Only 25 more days!! lol lol

 

[Ugarte]

Gotta' put my two cents in for the Federation. It is my first, and so far only hat. I got the charcoal and I'm a happy guy (see my avatar). If I'm really, really lucky I will someday own a Fawcett.

Mark

.

 

[cooncatbob]

For a 1st hat I'd go with the Fed. I've got 2 of Art's hats and a 3rd under the tree. The AB is the ultimate Indy hat, they made the hats for the New movie, but their waiting time is much longer then Arts.
When I ordered my Hoosier from Art I also ordered a Fed from Hats direct. I received the Fed in 10 days, the Fed has the same brim specs as the Hoosier and I discovered that it was too much brim for my face. I took pictures and sent then to Art and he agreed with me and made the brim of my hat 1/4 inch smaller. I then took scissors and trimmed the brim on the Fed. I wouldn't have been able to do that with Arts hats as it has a bound edge and cost 3 times as much. Some people think I'm crazy to trim a brand new $100 hat, but even I'm not crazy enough to take the scissors to one of Art's hats.lol
Bob.

 

[cooncatbob]

Only 25 more days!! lol lol

You're cruel Dee, I like that in a Woman.

 

[indycop]

Only 25 more days!! lol lol

ppllllfffftttt!!!!

 

[Art Fawcett]

This may sound odd

but I agree with the others that you should buy a cheaper hat to begin with and get a feel for what you like and what looks good on you Flylot. It makes life SO much easier when my clients know what they want.
I've recently been in a similar discussion and the result was this statement.

I don't want to be your first hatter, I want to be your last. If you have the experience beforehand, you will appreciate my work with more to compare it to. My intention and goal is to spoil my clients for anyone else's hats.

 

[flylot74]

Well, part of my problem is that I can't decide in what I want. My wife isn't much help either.She likes all the hats I have (I have 8 now). She thinks they all look different but all look good. It would be so much simpler if she said "Wow! That really looks like cr*p on you!" Heck, she even liked the two homburgs I got on OFAS. Perhaps I need to find a more discerning eye....

It's so frustrating. I have some modern hats with 2 1/2 brim and some vintage higher crown hats with both 2 1/2 and 2 3/4 and even a modern with a 3" brim. I have yet to try any 2" brims or less. Maybe I should try them just to see.....

I do perceive right now that I like the teardrop with a tight pinch on the crown a bit better, but that's about it, and I think (but not sure) that the 2 3/4 brim is more "me", but that could change. Have any of you people have a change of heart as to which style of hat you liked?

Heh, heh, heh...... I guess I gotta buy more hats!

 

[deelovely]

Heh, heh, heh...... I guess I gotta buy more hats!

Well there you go!!! lol lol

 

[indycop]

I don't want to be your first hatter, I want to be your last. If you have the experience beforehand, you will appreciate my work with more to compare it to. My intention and goal is to spoil my clients for anyone else's hats.

So that's how it works!! Hmmnnn But if your clients don't get to see your hats.....

Flylot how about posting pics of you in your various hats so everyone can help you out?!