Anybody have a large hat collection?

[randooch]

.
Sometimes I suspect that half of the reason we buy hat after hat is to impress other Loungers.

Or depress them.

 

[ottawa_adam]

Could turn into an episode of hoarders...

B

Looks like you need another couch!

 

[jbucklin]

Somebody with class, a great sense of style, and just enough eccentricity so as to possibly be labeled a hoarder; but then again maybe someone with an intense passion for collecting beautiful vintage hats. The audience gets to decide which he is.

 

[Marc Chevalier]

Or depress them.

You ain't kiddin'!

 

[Rick Blaine]

Yes!...
Oh, and Douglas!

No kidding. He (and others here- Brad Bowers & feltfan come to mind-) can be quite eloquent on the subject.

You need someone who can hold forth on the items' significance as relates to history and social class ("what is the Duke of Windsor- or Johnny Depp- wearing this year?"), its' subtle nuances (e.g.- pre-mercury ban vs. ante-mercury felts, history & license of the Cav edge, Urban vs. rural, north vs. south vs. west, work vs dress) as well as the memes associated with wearing fedoras in the modern day (or Cowboy hats- or Homburgs or porkpies- similar but not the same).
To say nothing of the many collections of strictly vintage lids. They are very akin to, say, mission furniture -in that they are largely made of materials & with techniques no longer extant (-attribution needed-). They become more valuable as each year turns. You live in The City, go to The Met's Costume Collections' Curators.

How does the phenomena (for lack of a better word), fit in to the larger world of "vintage" in what is (perhaps) the search for an authenticity not found in our time? Is it that at all?
Does it have elements of reactionary political orientation (both left & right) that make it a signifier of sorts, or an outlet? Where does it intersect with other (steampunk, goth, fanboy, OTR, vintage auto collectors, bikers, arms collectors, cinephiles) sub-culture(s)?
Or is it simply another way (as I sometime despair that it might be) to define ourselves by what we buy? Or, more charitably, is it a personal evolution of...uh, hell, I dunno..."discovery & expression" or some such... beats the tar out of me. [huh] But best of luck & please keep us apprised as to your' progress. It is a great & thought provoking subject.

 

[DOUGLAS]

That was quite eloquent Rick. You know you have a few hats yourself. Dinerman and ScottF have great collections too.

 

[bowlerman]

Could turn into an episode of hoarders...

B

Oh thank God, buler! Now I don't feel so bad about my own house!

 

[Rick Blaine]

That was quite eloquent Rick..

Only a dwarf standing on the shoulders of giants, my friend. Thank you.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Aren't we all hoarders?

 

[Rick Blaine]

Quite right

Aren't we all hoarders?

I prefer Curators or Archivists, myself.

I only know the most transcendent moments of my life have been in Museums, from The Met to The Royal Tyrrell, the The Forbidden City to The Field.

 

[buler]

I'm guessing this is the show being referenced, "My Collection Obsession".

http://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/tlc-reality-series-collection-obsession-14339660

B

 

[Sam Craig]

Mozart: They're all so beautiful. Why don't I have three heads?

What ever we are ... hoarders or conservators of the public weal, we probably all have more hats than we "need," though not as many as we would "like."

Somewhere down the line, one way or the other, someone is going to have an absolute avalanche of fine fedoras hitting the market when we start to kick.
Maybe THAT is what will bring on the return of the hat in our culture!

Sam

 

[Iyor]

My wife just volunteered my hats for the show.

 

[1961MJS]

Wow, I'm impressed. I couldn't go that far. I bought three or four hats last year (2011), the Roughrider from Buckaroo Hatters, a Sunbody Roughrider from Hatman Jack, the Seattle Charcoal hat from Tumwater hats, and a Resistol that Hatman Jack is still finishing. I don't wear vintage because I wouldn't want to screw up something that's actually irreplaceable.

I'm looking at having a hat for the occasions that I normally encounter. I have a Montana Peak (Jaxonbilt) for Scouts. I have a John Wayne Cavalry hat to wear in the woods in the Fall and Winter. I have three traditional fedoras to wear all Winter (Black, Brown, and Charcoal). I have two straw Fedoras, one is a panama, one is a Sunbody. I have the Sun Body Roughrider to wear in the woods in the Spring and Summer. I wear the Bone felt roughrider year around.

(Trying to start a stampede) "buler, your collection is SADLY lacking in cowboy hats." snicker snicker...

Later

 

[ShrunkinCowboy]

I only have a few Fedora's.
But quite a few older Western hats (and older western boots too).
Too many visits to the local flea-markets
My wife says the place is started to look like a bunkhouse?

And she wasn't smiling when she said it.............................................................

Steve

 

[Harlemraggz]

Have A Nice Collection Myself
~ Harlemraggz ~

 

[hatsRme]

Indeed you do! Where have you been, HRz?!?! Thanks for popping in!

 

[Harlemraggz]

Just an Expression Of My Love For Hats
And That's That....

 

[Harlemraggz]

Indeed you do! Where have you been, HRz?!?! Thanks for popping in!

Hi HatsRMe
Just Trying to feel My Way Around Here in The Lounge
Thank You..

 

[hatsRme]

Just BEAUTIFUL!! You are among your people here, my friend. Super, SUPER, SUPER!!