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[Gregorian]

There are a number of threads to peruse... this one is the longest and the most fun. The early forties were not supportive of loose lips, but I don't think we have any reason to believe Vita-Felt contained beavers or live rabbits or milk protein. What it likely did contain was creative marketing.

Thank you sir. Very helpful.

 

[John in Covina]

I apologise for switching gears but can anyone tell me if Stetson made its Vitafelt hats from live rabbits or beaver?

For any fur felt -felt: Chances are they were actually dead by the time the felt was made. The makers did not consider shaving the rabbits or beavers for the fur and keeping them alive as a renewable resource...

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I think we need to have trained Rabbits and Beavers sit on our heads to change the look each day.

 

[Rogera]

What magazines are the best to find vintage hat ads? I have been through Time Life magazines from 1938 to the 70's and have found ONE small Stetson Ad. Every time my wife and I go to the antique shops I go through every magazine that I can put my hands on and there are no hat ads!

 

[Walt]

What magazines are the best to find vintage hat ads? I have been through Time Life magazines from 1938 to the 70's and have found ONE small Stetson Ad. Every time my wife and I go to the antique shops I go through every magazine that I can put my hands on and there are no hat ads!

Hmmm....in my experience the Life magazines up through at least the 1950's/early 1960's have many hat ads. Now some of the ads are smaller size and are sometimes concentrated more in the back of the magazine. Especially from the smaller companies.

How many issues have you looked at?

You can find some old magazines on google books to read online.

My local public library has every issue of life magazine hardbound for each year. Every now and then I spend an hour on a Sat or Sunday looking through them. Found some great hat related articles and ads. They also have lots of other 1920's-1960's magazines. I've looked at some of those as well and seen a few. Life and Esquire are both good.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I've found a lot of ads in The Saturday Evening Post and The New Yorker.


Brad

 

[Cattus Petasatus]

I'm headed to Charleston, SC tomorrow for a week away with my wife. There are only 2 downsides to the trip. The first is that my mother-in-law lives there. The second is that I don't know of a good hat shop.

I have 2 questions.

First, does anyone know of a good hat shop? I checked out Goorin Bros online but it looks like they are mostly wool, fashion hats.

Second, can anyone hide me from my mother-in-law?

 

[bowlerman]

What hat should I bring with me!?

Good luck C.P.! While I'm not sure I can help, I can certainly empathize!


Ok gents, I'm about to take a short trip to Mexico with my wife, without children. I have not travelled by air in years, and have never been to the Riviera Cancun before. I don't want to take a hat I'm going to be worried about or thinking about the whole time... any advice on what kind of hat to bring??

Right now I'm thinking it's between my Dobbs Milan, Cuenca subfino, and Ultrafino Montecristi. Maybe, but unlikely, one of my straw bowlers.

 

[DJH]

Going to be pretty warm I assume, Jeff?

I'd probably take either the Milan or the Cuenca. If you are going to be getting those nice sea breezes, the one that is the best fit on your head might prevent you from having to chase it

We will of course be needing photos from this adventure!

 

[bowlerman]

Very good point! I failed to think about those possible winds on the coast. I plan on taking lots of photos!

 

[randooch]

Bien viajes, Jeff! Pictures please, and I agree: cuenca.

Oh, and make it a point to swim at Tulum. Looking up at the ruins from the water takes one's breath away.

 

[Rogera]

Good luck C.P.! While I'm not sure I can help, I can certainly empathize!


Ok gents, I'm about to take a short trip to Mexico with my wife, without children. I have not travelled by air in years, and have never been to the Riviera Cancun before. I don't want to take a hat I'm going to be worried about or thinking about the whole time... any advice on what kind of hat to bring??

Right now I'm thinking it's between my Dobbs Milan, Cuenca subfino, and Ultrafino Montecristi. Maybe, but unlikely, one of my straw bowlers.

Jeff, Cancun is going to be a blast! My wife and I went there 5 years ago for our honeymoon and I am dying to go back. We took a bus trip inland to Chichen Itza which was just an awesome trip. Sadly I was not wearing proper hats at the time. You will probably want a nice breathable straw. Enjoy your trip!

Walt and Brad, thanks for the advice on the advertisement search. I probably have been through 20 Time Life magazines and a couple of New Yorker mags. I'll find them. The library is a very good idea although I don't get down there very often anymore. I have my own library of books I still need to finish!

 

[new2hats]

This is a question on measuring hats:

Is the brim measured from the top or bottom?
Is the crown measured in front or side?
When measuring do you conform to the hat (for both brim and crown measurements)?

 

[Jaxworx]

And for a shop hat...?

A question, if I may, for the assembled Loungers:

I do a bit of puttering around the place, both indoors and out. My "shop" is, like so many others, an unheated garage space on a concrete slab... in the Pacific NW. In other words it's rarely frigid, but often chilly.

I've been wearing "gimme caps" out there for the most part, but they present several drawbacks for the purpose, such as not insulating well and having a ridiculously long bill that catches and flips the cap off when I'm bending to adjust something... always at an inconvenient position and time.

Fedoras aren't practical in the shop -- even my good old beater Filson -- because they eliminate the ability to don earmuffs.

I've tried a watch cap, but it doesn't work very well with the muffs, either. Additionally, I'd like to be able to use it for yard tasks (e.g. bucking firewood), which in this part of the world means rain, and watch caps don't do much to keep skywater from running down my collar.

Neither do gimme caps, come to that.

So I'd like to solicit suggestions of decently comfortable headgear for fall/winter/spring shop and yard wear. The deerstalker design looks fairly practical, though I've no idea where somebody comes by a quality example of those anymore.

What say ye?

Thanks!

Cheers,

Jack (still a new guy)

 

[DJH]

When I measure a hat I do it this way:

Brim: on the top

Crown: from the table top to tie highest point with the crown open.

My preference is for a brim between 2 3/8 and 2 3/4 and crown between 5 1/2 and 6 inches. I can adjust the finished crown height with the crease.

 

[new2hats]

When I measure a hat I do it this way:

Brim: on the top

Crown: from the table top to tie highest point with the crown open.

My preference is for a brim between 2 3/8 and 2 3/4 and crown between 5 1/2 and 6 inches. I can adjust the finished crown height with the crease.

Thanks DJH! I guess there is always a range to look out for.

 

[bond]

Can any one give info on spot cleaning fur felt with acetone. Don't want to mess up a good hat
Thanks

 

[hatsRme]

I'd be very nervous. It's a very aggressive solvent. I wouldn't think would be suitable for spot work, likely leaving a spot more visible than when you began...

Do you have any guess what the soil is made of?

 

[bond]

I don't know what it is but if I were to guess it seems like a oil stain of sorts. Only there's no dirty residue its a clean darker spot about the size of a penny and its on side if pinch . It doesn't seem to go through at least it does t show up inside on liner.
Any other alternative ideas?

 

[gtdean48]

Can any one give info on spot cleaning fur felt with acetone. Don't want to mess up a good hat
Thanks

I used zippo lighter fluid to blot out writing from a felt tip marker on the inside of a vintage felt hat I was turning inside out.
The size was written there but came out using a soaked white cloth to blot the numbers.