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GamaH

A-List Customer
Messages
406
Ok, based on the posts a few pages back, I gathered that most Straw Stetsons are shantung straw, unless explicitly stated otherwise, and that Milan is a braid, so there isn't a "Genuine Milan Straw."

However, I was looking through hats online again, and I came across these two Stetsons: Stetson PORTOFINO and Stetson PALAZZO. Two distinctly different hats, with a similar design, but the Portofino has a brim of 2 1/2, and the Palazzo has a brim of 2 1/4.

Here's is what confused me a fair bit. The description for the Portofino, was "the Portofino of Stetson is made in the USA of shantung straw." That's all well and good, except that the description for the Palazzo was this, "the Palazzo by Stetson is made in the USA of genuine Milan straw." Another website listed the Palazzo as made of "Venetian Milan Straw." I get that everything is mostly marketing and whatnot, and that different websites might use different terms, but the whole "Shantung Straw" and "Genuine Milan Straw" came from the same website.

Based on the fact that they have different brim widths, I would assume that they're NOT the same hat. Could anyone provide me an insight on this?

For pictorial reference, this is the Portofino (Shantung Straw):
stetson_PORTOFINO.jpg


and this is the Palazzo ("Genuine Milan Straw"):
StetsonPalazzo-Brn.jpg

stetson_PALAZZO.jpg
 
Last edited:

danofarlington

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,122
Location
Arlington, Virginia
This is not a great picture, but it does show the problem. The view is from the side of the hat. The brim generally slopes down, but there is a bump in it that is unattractive. I would like to get it out. Any suggestions are much appreciated.

milan.jpg

I don't know how to do it. But I can tell you that I had that problem on the brim of a vintage Borsalino felt hat I bought. My local hatman flattened it out, but said that flanging the brim was "really hard." So perhaps you need to ship it to someone with some skill and equipment in brims.
 

Geisthund

New in Town
Messages
1
Location
Perrysburg
Hello, I am new to these forums and wasn't sure if this was the thread to post this in (if it isn't I apologize); I've been looking for a fedora that I received as a gift in 2005 but have recently lost due to misplacement while I was moving. I only have one picture and it's kinda hard to tell details from it but..here goes. It was a charcoal grey fedora, I believe it was made of felt? maybe wool ( not sure as I am a complete noob when it comes to this stuff), and the brim was bigger than an inch..I know that because I have bought several other fedoras since I lost that one with inch brims and I do NOT like them. If anyone has or knows someplace where I can get one similiar, or better yet, exactly like this one I would be very grateful. Thanks!
joshanderin.jpg
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,103
Location
San Francisco, CA
Ok, based on the posts a few pages back, I gathered that most Straw Stetsons are shantung straw, unless explicitly stated otherwise, and that Milan is a braid, so there isn't a "Genuine Milan Straw."

However, I was looking through hats online again, and I came across these two Stetsons: Stetson PORTOFINO and Stetson PALAZZO. Two distinctly different hats, with a similar design, but the Portofino has a brim of 2 1/2, and the Palazzo has a brim of 2 1/4.

Here's is what confused me a fair bit. The description for the Portofino, was "the Portofino of Stetson is made in the USA of shantung straw." That's all well and good, except that the description for the Palazzo was this, "the Palazzo by Stetson is made in the USA of genuine Milan straw." Another website listed the Palazzo as made of "Venetian Milan Straw." I get that everything is mostly marketing and whatnot, and that different websites might use different terms, but the whole "Shantung Straw" and "Genuine Milan Straw" came from the same website.

Based on the fact that they have different brim widths, I would assume that they're NOT the same hat. Could anyone provide me an insight on this?

Sounds like the Palazzo is a Milan made out of straw, whereas the other is a Shangtung Milan.
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,103
Location
San Francisco, CA
Hello, I am new to these forums and wasn't sure if this was the thread to post this in (if it isn't I apologize); I've been looking for a fedora that I received as a gift in 2005 but have recently lost due to misplacement while I was moving. I only have one picture and it's kinda hard to tell details from it but..here goes. It was a charcoal grey fedora, I believe it was made of felt? maybe wool ( not sure as I am a complete noob when it comes to this stuff), and the brim was bigger than an inch..I know that because I have bought several other fedoras since I lost that one with inch brims and I do NOT like them. If anyone has or knows someplace where I can get one similiar, or better yet, exactly like this one I would be very grateful. Thanks!
joshanderin.jpg

Hard to say based on the small picture. But if you paid less than $100 for it new, it's a safe bet that it was a wool felt hat. Dorfman Pacific sells a lot of wool hats under various brands, such as Scala, which may be a good place to start looking.
 

Lefty

I'll Lock Up
Messages
8,639
Location
O-HI-O
Sounds like the Palazzo is a Milan made out of straw, whereas the other is a Shangtung Milan.

The Palazzo might also be paper, or plastic coated paper. Shantung is a very particular (trademarked, or was at one time) kind of plastic coated paper.


An additional thought: why would you want to buy any basic item when the material from which it's made is so difficult to define? To me, straw should be straw - not paper, and not plastic - and the word "beaver" should only appear on felt when the felt contains beaver (and the percentages of all furs should be made clear).
 
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GamaH

A-List Customer
Messages
406
An additional thought: why would you want to buy any basic item when the material from which it's made is so difficult to define? To me, straw should be straw - not paper, and not plastic - and the word "beaver" should only appear on felt when the felt contains beaver (and the percentages of all furs should be made clear).

True. To be honest, I don't believe that I'm stage where a 100% Beaver, or a Fur Felt hat makes any difference to me. Maybe in the future, but right now.. not really. Sure, there are certain 'bragging' rights that come with Custom made Beaver hats, or whatnot, and I can afford it but I'm currently mighty pleased with my Panapore Straw hat by Borsalino.

On an unrelated note: If Fedoras are a type of FELT hat, would I be right in saying that there's no such thing as a Straw Fedora? Like, there are Felt cowboy hats and straw cowboy hats, but Fedoras have to be made of felt for it to be classified as such, right? In that case, would it be possible to obtain a panama hat in the shape/design of a typical fedora?
 

jlee562

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,103
Location
San Francisco, CA
Oy. Panama denotes material, weave, and country of origin. A Panama hat can be blocked into many shapes, some of which are fedora-like. In that case, one might refer to such a hat as simply a Panama hat, but would not be incorrect in calling it a "straw fedora." I would assume the latter would be used by the younger crowd, as "fedora" is basically used for any brimmed hat that's not a cowboy hat in the popular usage.
 

GamaH

A-List Customer
Messages
406
Oy. Panama denotes material, weave, and country of origin. A Panama hat can be blocked into many shapes, some of which are fedora-like. In that case, one might refer to such a hat as simply a Panama hat, but would not be incorrect in calling it a "straw fedora." I would assume the latter would be used by the younger crowd, as "fedora" is basically used for any brimmed hat that's not a cowboy hat in the popular usage.

Ok cool, thanks.

Also, why are Panamas considered so 'valuable'? Doesn't a tighter weave make it harder for air to pass through, which kinda defeats the purpose of a Summer hat? I thought ventilation would be a good thing in Summer.
 

sulla

One of the Regulars
Messages
123
Location
Indinapolis, IN, USA
Did I miss a link/thread somewhere? I could swear I found some info on making your own pleated pug hat bands somewhere but now it is escaping me. I even tried to trudge through the huge PANAMA Canal thread, but must have missed it if it was there. Anyone know where I cna find such info?
 

T Rick

Practically Family
Messages
943
Location
Metro Detroit
Okay, Milan straws. How do you pronounce Milan, is it like the city in Italy (sort of Me-lahn), or is it more like My-lan, or something else?
 

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