Dark brown is much more versatile.
I'd argue that lighter grays are far more versatile. You can wear gray with anything - literally because it has no color to clash. Darker grays don't always provide the contrast you're looking for, and thereby may not be as versatile.
In any case, I own both colors (browns/grays, lights and darks) and can match gray to nearly anything I wear.
Brown + Black? Or Brown + Navy? Brown + Charcoal? Those are staple colors in suiting, along with Gray itself. Frankly, I think gray goes with each of those better than brown. [huh]
Check with Oscar at South Street Hats in Philly. He did a great job on my felt hats, sure he'll do the same on straws...
http://southstreethats.com/
Yes, he does - or has. Not sure what his current schedule is like but if I'm not mistaken, he began his hatting career specializing in panama blocking. I know he has done some wonderful work on straws for several TFLrs.
Tom's suggestion for a local hatter is probably very sensible too!
I wonder how a green hat would look with navy ribbon.
does anyone know where i might find info on how to dye a hat?
Yes but you need to hit the "Go Advanced" tab(lower right)-- then the "Preview Post" tab appears at the lower right below the new window as before.I'm still trying to learn the ins and outs of the new board. Is it still possible to see a preview of a PM before it is sent? How about a preview for a reply to a thread?
Thanks.