Art Fawcett VS Hall of Fame

[DJH]

Silvermist it is!

I wanted a light weight, light colour hat for the warmer months and this will work very nicely. Art had Silverbelly available in the ArtLite felt as well, but I already have a VS in that that colour so Mist was an easy choice.

I should call this hat The Aureliano because there is a lot of Ale influence at work. Tom Dean pushed me over the edge to order when he posted that he wears his Artlite hat in all but the hottest Georgia weather. It it works for him, I think I'm going to enjoy the hat in cooler New Hampshire.

 

[Rabbit]

How would you describe the difference between the VS dress weight and the lightweight felts? Would it make sense to compare them with a specific vintage felt?

 

[DJH]

Great question and really hard to answer - you had me going around the room and feeling all the hats: good job I'm here alone today!

The hat is a lot lighter than the regular VS hats - as I picked it out of the box it was as though it was weightless almost.

I don't have a scale here that has the resolution to see the difference, but compared to my Silverbelly VS, this one is way lighter and the felt is quite a bit thinner. May Art has some specs from the felt company that could shed more light on this?

Of my vintage hats, the one that feel the closest to the Artlite are my Alessandria style Borsalinos, where the felt is also very thin and soft.

The felt is really soft and I found it doesn't want to keep the crease as well as the regular VS hats (I like to get my hats open crown so I can play with them myself). Steam wouldn't hold it so I used a spray of distilled water which worked very well. The hat is still a little wet, but I'm happily wearing it.

I'll take some photos when I get the chance.

 

[Rabbit]

Thanks for the info DJH.
Well whaddyaknow, the lightweight does indeed compare to the infamous Borsalino thin felt? Wow.
By Alessandria style you mean one of those late 40/ early 50s wide brim/ thin ribbon Borsos with a design similar to an OR ?
I own two grey dress hat style 5.5" x 2.5" Borsalinos from the 40s and the felt on them is incredibly thin and holds any dry crease. Same thing?
Interesting, though, that the VS LITE don't hold dry creases as well as the dress weights..

 

[DJH]

Silvermist ArtLite.

Now we just need some warmer weather - thanks for this fantastic hat, Art!

Thanks to Aureliano and Tom Dean for the inspiration behind this hat and to Art for his usual first class work. If you'd like one for yourself, better get it quick. I don't think the ArtLite felt is made any longer so when its gone - well, it's gone!

 

[Rabbit]

Congrats to this sharp VS!
Beautiful ribbon color. Looks like a 22 ligne (2 inches) ribbon.

Would you say the color rendition is accurate? A pastel light lavender?
I might get one with a ribbon just like this...

 

[Aureliano]

Very kind of you to mention me, David. Beautiful hat. Let me ask you, is the ribbon the same one Art put on mine? looks a bit different but could be the photo. And are the vents on both sides of the hat?
I love this hat, beautiful proportions, very elegant, too. bravo!

 

[DJH]

Thanks guys - I think this one is going to be my favorite of my VS hats.

The ribbon is pretty close to the actual colour - I used a WhiBal card to make sure the white balance was right

The shots were in natural light in a room, but a fair way from the window and the outside light. I've noticed that as I move around the house, the ribbon changes a lot depending on the light, purple to blue to lavender. I'm pretty certain it is the same ribbon as yours Ale. I was looking at your shots again and the ribbon on your hat looks lighter - probably because you were using lights for your photos.

Rabbit - to answer your question, yes about 2 inches wide for the ribbon.

Ale - yes, the vents are on both sides.

 

[seabass]

Very nice ! I had the pleasure to meet art & he had that vent pattern on his personal hat.... so im in the que for a Art-Lite with all the Fixins.
It gets hot in my area & i wear nice lids daily so this will be get a lot of use.... I actually showed him a Borso feather weight to compare weights for what i wanted... Very nice lid & color you have there ! & great pics too

 

[daizawaguy]

Congrats to this sharp VS!
Beautiful ribbon color. Looks like a 22 ligne (2 inches) ribbon.

Would you say the color rendition is accurate? A pastel light lavender?
I might get one with a ribbon just like this...

Got a feeling this one is the same. HungaryTom has a hat in this ribbon as well. Perhaps Art`s finest in my opinion...

 

[mustangman3000]

Got a feeling this one is the same. HungaryTom has a hat in this ribbon as well. Perhaps Art`s finest in my opinion...

LOVE the bow! How tall is that crown?

 

[daizawaguy]

You know, I have formed the crown (it`s the one in my avatar) and have lost the original dimensions - should be the standard crown height - anyone else can help!?

 

[Aureliano]

Thanks for the details, David. My lightweight Art is one of my favorite hats. Perfect balance between casual and dressy. I love it. You're going to love--if not already- yours.

 

[Rabbit]

You know, I have formed the crown (it`s the one in my avatar) and have lost the original dimensions - should be the standard crown height - anyone else can help!?

The standard crown height would be 5.5", I suppose. Not sure whether this applies to your lovely stingies as well, though - it could be closer to a 5 1/4" depending on how much height was going to be needed for the specific crease.

If one of Art's teardrop crown shapes with steep rake makes a crease of, say 3 3/4" in the back, usually a 5.5" OC would be required to leave enough room for the head.

A 5 3/4" OC, on the other hand, is enough crown to make a really deep diamond crease and still get a creased height of 4.5" - 4 3/4" - 3 3/4" (front - sides - back).


D'Guy, about the ribbon on your Powderblue:
Very interesting to hear that this ribbon might be the same color as the ribbon on DJH's new Silvermist. Yours isn't 22 ligne, though, is it? - not the same spool, then.
Edit: My bad, on your other pics it does look like a 22 L ribbon.

 

[daizawaguy]

Rabbitt, mine is just short of 2"...thats what rang the bell for me that it might be the same spool...

 

[Rabbit]

Rabbitt, mine is just short of 2"...thats what rang the bell for me that it might be the same spool...

This ribbon sure looks differently under different lighting conditions. Amazing. Thanks for pointing it out to us. I'd probably have failed to notice it.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Silvermist ArtLite.

Now we just need some warmer weather - thanks for this fantastic hat, Art!

Thanks to Aureliano and Tom Dean for the inspiration behind this hat and to Art for his usual first class work. If you'd like one for yourself, better get it quick. I don't think the ArtLite felt is made any longer so when its gone - well, it's gone!

David; That is a SWEET warmer weather hat. Silvermist is a great color for everyday wear. I enjoy the "trimmings." My hat is tipped in your general direction sir. IMO, the hat takes some general directions from the venerable Whippet form. Similar in general dimensions. The assertive cupping of the back of the brim and generous swoop look very inviting and very stylish. I can easily see this hat getting lots of noggin time. Shooting wedding pics outside during the spring and early summer should allow the perfect opportunity to showcase this beauty.

I like the hat immensely.

Stylish hat. Best, Eric -

 

[gqmagic]

Silvermist ArtLite.

Now we just need some warmer weather - thanks for this fantastic hat, Art!

Thanks to Aureliano and Tom Dean for the inspiration behind this hat and to Art for his usual first class work. If you'd like one for yourself, better get it quick. I don't think the ArtLite felt is made any longer so when its gone - well, it's gone!

This is a great hat, how easy or not is it to keep a hat this light of color clean? I could use a lightweight one like this here where its going to be 78* today.

 

[gqmagic]

What model hat is this? I like it!

 

[Short Balding Guy]

g: Re. Light color felt staying clean; Check out (post #5128) showcasing my sahara felt VS. It has hit the ground, gone swimming in the lake (#5204) and recovered nary a mark (#5210). The beaver felt is incredible in its ability to shed water and dirt. Knocked off and gets a spot of dirt, then a quick brush and it is back to ready for wearing.

My hats get worn. The VS felts have really done the trick for my wearing needs.

Eric -