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[B1ggles]

Cheers for that. I've tried the various Irish makers before but they only seem to do large quantities, also they don't seem to do fuller shapes much or use nicer trimmings like leather sweatbands. Any in the UK you know of at all?

Sorry, mactire, I'm on the lookout for a decent hatmaker here myself but they're few and far between. I guess there'd be some in London but they wouldn't be cheap; you might do better to post your material to one of the guys in the US as suggested earlier.

 

[Gera Roodnik]

rude boy hat

hey im lookin for the name of the hat marked in red on the photo.
seen it a few times on 70's 80's photos from jamaica/brixton sound system parties .
thanks in advance

 

[el_ote]

Does this look right to everyone? i feel like the ribbon may have been placed too high. This is my first new hat, so im not sure if that extra "bump" between the ribbon and the brim eventually gets worked out, but it just seemed odd to me.
also, is it normal for a stetson to show the sewing threads under the ribbon at the bottom, i can see the sewing from the sweatband just sticking out from the bottom of the ribbon.

i tried scooting it down, but it just scoots back up... if its normal(ish), im fine with it, but i just dont know.
thanks,

 

[jlee562]

Hmm...that....shouldn't be like that. That bump at the brim break really shouldn't be there.

The sweat stitches...well, it's not uncommon on modern Hatco Stetsons. It shouldn't really be like that either. Normally you can just nudge the ribbon over those stitches though.

If I were you, I'd see about an exchange.

 

[el_ote]

thanks jlee, i thought it looked funny. the bump does go all the way around and is pretty noticeable.
...le sigh.

lets see what they say.

 

[RJR]

Agree w/Jared,that isn't right.

 

[rogerstg]

Hmm...that....shouldn't be like that. That bump at the brim break really shouldn't be there.

The sweat stitches...well, it's not uncommon on modern Hatco Stetsons. It shouldn't really be like that either. Normally you can just nudge the ribbon over those stitches though.

If I were you, I'd see about an exchange.

+1, esp about the bump. Regarding the stitches showing, it seems that a lot of hats are like that. The band was tacked in a little high.

 

[jlee562]

Yeah, if it were only the stitches showing, I'd be inclined to say just keep it, because usually it's just a matter of the ribbon 'riding up' on the crown.

But that bump is odd. It looks almost as if they blocked it once, and then blocked it again a size down and made another brim break.

 

[ChicagoWayVito]

I suspect that when theywere were doing the final brim break or press that they may have miss-aligned an insert that caused the bump. I have done something similar when breaking the brim in a press and used a hat stretcher inside but mistakenly put it in upside down. I was able to correct my mistake though.

 

[RobertM]

Ok, Here's a question that's been puzzling me. When and why did upturning the brim on the fedoras and similar hats become so popular recently?
I happen to think it can look ok, but what curious as to the when and why.

R

 

[alanfgag]

I've not followed the current trends, but before the 1930s, men's hats both soft and stiff were mostly styled and worn with the brim curled upwards.

 

[RobertM]

I've not followed the current trends, but before the 1930s, men's hats both soft and stiff were mostly styled and worn with the brim curled upwards.

I do hear ya Alan, but I'm referring to the way more recent trend - probably starting with the hipsters and rockers, that use that upturned brim.

 

[hatsRme]

Brim form variations have been a way of differentiating the wearer amongst wearers forever. As Alan points out, in the early general trends they were worn up. Then as trends shifted to the front flipped down, only more casual or maverick personalities went brim up. In movies and on TV (here in the USA, anyway) the brim up generally portrayed a comedic or more casual role, I.E Archie Bunker, Ed Norton, etc. My guess is that the downward flip seemed to identify with "The man," or establishment leaders such that the trend moved back to brim up for those seeking "individuality." But the utility of the brim flip up, down, Hollywood or other, is the ability to change the character of the hat (if not the bloke wearing it) moment to moment. JMO.

 

[moontheloon]

you will notice most musicians and artists have always worn brims up ... the old jazz cats and blues players ( my avatar is one of the exceptions along with Sinatra and the like)

I enjoy a brim up ... but some hats just beg for that Humphrey Bogart look

 

[ingineer]

Robert
Welcome neighbor.
Expect more black fedoras.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chabad_hipsters

 

[Bob Roberts]

Certain clothes/certain hats/certain situations/certain moods and whims... all determine brim up or down. Its fun to vary.

 

[jlee562]

Certain clothes/certain hats/certain situations/certain moods and whims... all determine brim up or down. Its fun to vary.

+1

Rusty always says I should turn my brims down, but I'm stickin' to my guns

For some reason I tend to snap shorter brims down and keep wider brims up.[huh]

 

[alanfgag]

Rusty is a downer for sure.

 

[RJR]

I'm a downer as well.

 

[TheDane]

you will notice most musicians and artists have always worn brims up ... the old jazz cats and blues players ( my avatar is one of the exceptions along with Sinatra and the like)

Exceptions that instantly spring to mind are Mark O'Connor, Dexter Gordon, Cab Calloway, Robert Johnson, Mississippi John Hurt, Big Bill Broonzy, Neil Young, Leonard Cohen, Keith Richard, Django Reinhardt - and there're probably many more. I think, the picture is more varied - as do I believe having seen pictures of some musicians with both up and down turned brims