Art Fawcett VS Hall of Fame

[RBH]

Art has some great work recently, and you gents have some fine fedoras!
Well done all around!

 

[CONELRAD]

Stunning! What type and color felt? Is the ribbon a deep, dark green?

Chocolate felt, the ribbon is black and the binding is gunmetal grey.

 

[Rabbit]

5 1/2" x 2 3/8" VS Black Cherry LITE w/ 19 L black, narrow binding in black, red liner

The new version of the Black Cherry has journeyed across the pond. Gentlemen, I thoroughly recommend this felt. It has to be seen to be believed. Not only is the felt color surprisingly subtle and easy to wear, but upon seeing this hat I knew immediately that it will be a highly versatile part of my wardrobe. I have often mentioned the Dove being perhaps the most versatile color among the lighter felts. Well, for my purposes the new Black Cherry serves that same function among the darker felts.

The hat is trimmed with a dull black hatband which, probably due to the minimal sheen, doesn't look pitch-black. Instead, it has some undefinable undertones which make it perfectly compatible with this unusal felt color. The contrast between felt and ribbon is subtle, and under low light conditions the hat might indeed pass as a near-black hat. I picked up the hat today and wore throughout the day. In direct sunlight, it still looks wonderfully inconspicuous yet very unique.

I hope to post some direct comparison photos with my other darker VS felts - black, oxblood, chocolate and dark moss - once I find a suitable setup for shooting.


Worn with 1940s-50s slacks in a shade between powderblue and turquoise with subtle red windowpane; navy cotton/linen jacket. The first two photos capture the felt color rather well.

 

[TheDane]

Bow in almost full ribbon-width - twisted knot - frayed bow-tails ... Nik, you were born in a completely wrong decade lol

That's definitely one gorgeous lid! I didn't realize how much I need a black-cherry till now. The Strat-clone you showed a picture of is also a killer. Fantastic color

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Nice one Nik. I like the 20's bow treatment.
Simple but a great touch. Great work Art.

 

[mikespens]

Great hat Nik.

 

[seabass]

Rabbit
Fantastic VS in every way !
Good Stuff that Lite Black Cherry.

 

[emigran]

V.S.V.S. ( Very Sharp Vintage Silhouette) ... congrats
Is that your crease on an open...?

 

[Landman]

Beautiful hat Nik!

 

[bowlerman]

Nik that's unbelievably gorgeous, and the frayed twisted bow is superb! Congrats!

Sent from my KFTT using Tapatalk 2

 

[Landman]

Nik that's unbelievably gorgeous, and the frayed twisted bow is superb! Congrats!

The frayed bow truly is magnificent. I've come back to this thread several times in the past day just to look at that bow!

 

[Rabbit]

Thank you, Gents. Let me add some observations after another day of wearing the hat.

The new Black Cherry is very dark - several shades darker than the Oxblood. The earlier, lighter dye, although appearing about two shades darker than the Oxblood under even indoors lighting, actually looked brighter than the Oxblood in daylight, perhaps owing to the strong purple tone which makes the color pop.

Both the Oxblood and the new BC make excellent choices for non-black dark hats, in my opinion. The BC is perhaps the more versatile and subtle of the two. I wouldn't hesitate pairing the BC with suits and overcoats of any of the usual colors - greys in many shades, dark browns, navy and dark navy, tan, camel, and dark greens. The Oxblood requires a moment of deliberation when dressing, but there is still plenty of opportunity to combine it.


Here is a side-by-side shot of the VS new Black Cherry with the VS Oxblood to the left. The hats rest on a presumably pre-WWII travel bag.

Photos taken outdoors in bright overcast light





More photos of the BC outdoors:

 

[gambit]

Damn, that's a beauty, Rabbit! I've been mulling over a hat on Art's site for a while now, but seeing your posts with the new black cherry shade cinched it for me. I have sent a message to put an order in and now the waiting begins.

 

[TheDane]

The new Black Cherry is very dark - several shades darker than the Oxblood. The earlier, lighter dye, although appearing about two shades darker than the Oxblood under even indoors lighting, actually looked brighter than the Oxblood in daylight, perhaps owing to the strong purple tone which makes the color pop.

Yups, it's most likely due to the balance between red and blue components in the dye. Red will be enhanced by incandescent light and dampened by daylight. Blue will be dampened by incandescent light and enhanced by daylight. Where the hat seems the lightest, depends on the mix between red and blue.

What we see (and hear) is pretty much a "collective illusion". Our perceived vision is not equal to what hit our eyes - but what our brains and experiences "allow us see". Light from incandescent bulbs is very orange, but usually we perceive it as white. Only when we take a picture in incandescent light with a film or camera, white-balanced for daylight, we notice the orange wash to the scene.

Both colors are beautiful, but the BC is beyond fantastic - and the design nails the 20s or early 30s dress hat better than any! I'm amazed!

 

[MikeU]

Art FawcettVS hall of fame

Hello Rabbit, I have the black cherry also an a granite fedora from Art, my BC art lite seems to be just a little softer which is such so easy to work with , question is I would like to get the brim on the granite to slightly come down in front some style to it Art mention no steaming just bring it down it does some what but I'm still having to play with the front to keep bent any tips , I do like your style of the 20s,30s look very sharp looking , thx

 

[Rabbit]

MikeU, if the felt doesn't hold the snap well enough, try the method quoted below. Forget about the iron, just hold the brim down with your hands and don't overdo the brim curve.
A raw edge LITE hat should normally hold the snap all by itself once the brim front is broken in; LITEs with bound edges have enough structure to hold the snap. Dress weights can sometimes profit from the "pringles method", though.
I haven't steamed any of my LITEs, and I've used the method outlined here only for one dress weight Oxblood with nearly no flange.

Here's a tip Sargon, don't put the iron directly on the brim if you use one. Instead, find a cylinder like a Pringles can or rolling pin, steam the front of the brim lightly, then hold it down over the can till cool. It should safely do what you want.

 

[MikeU]

VS hall of fame

Thank you for the info ,

 

[Rogera]

That hat is an all around winner Rabbit. Great color, crown shape and I love that 30's looking bow- knot, fray and all. :eusa_clap

 

[Jockos]

Meanwhile in Serbia........

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Jockos watch your step there and don't let any harm come to the VS.