Black hat: Akubra Bogart, Stylemaster, other?

[Benzadmiral]

One lid I don't have in my collection is a black fedora, and I'm thinking it would be a nice touch for more formal times. I'm interested in the Akubra Bogart, but the super-cool folks at HatsDirect warn me that it's more tapered than it looks in some of the pics here: "I've just put the Bogart and Stylemaster next to each other and the Stylemaster is a squarer crown (just slightly more tapered than the Fed). The Bogart has a more tapered look."

My problem with the Stylemaster is that it'll take 3 months for a special order black one, and by then the nasty vicious Loozyana summer will be upon me.

So: Akubra Bogart owners, how tapered is the crown? Would it be worth waiting for the Stylemaster in black? Or maybe I should plump for a Stetson Temple, if I can get one from the Hatco Outlet, or for a Jaxon Bogart? Thoughts?

Paul W. (the Benzadmiral)
http://benzadmiral-uncle.blogspot.com/

 

[fmw]

I have a beautiful, shaggy, black Dobbs Beechwood with a hat band made from the same felt and a 2 1/2" brim. I was worried that anything too formal would look, well, too formal. It was a reasonable worry. Even with the shaggy hair finish and the fairly small band it is really too much. when I put it on, I have to be sure I'm wearing something colorful. If I wear my black jacket, the look reminds me of a priest. I'm not against priests. It just isn't the look I'm after.

I'm not sure I'll ever buy another black hat. I would probably look at charcoals and medium grays instead.

 

[danofarlington]

If I wear my black jacket, the look reminds me of a priest. I'm not against priests. It just isn't the look I'm after.

Well, you could always call yourself a rabbi.

 

[Mobile Vulgus]

Years before I ever bought my first fedora, when I had "fedora" in my mind I never considered any other color but black. "Fedora" just said black to me. I have 2 of them out of my 25 fedoras, now. And 4 black cowboy hats and one derby in black.

 

[Neophyte]

Have you looked at the Akubra Federation IV regular? It comes in black, is much-praised here on the Lounge, and has little taper.

Good luck in your search, and welcome to the Lounge!

 

[fmw]

You're not alone. Black appears to be the most popular felt hat color. I think black in a derby makes perfect sense. It just seems to me that derbys should be black. Homburgs work really well in black and gray. To me, the fedora is an everyday hat and should coordinate with the outfit. Coordination does not necessarily mean matching.

 

[fmw]

I have a new medium gray top coat I bought at a Men's Wearhouse clearance sale. Perhaps the black Dobbs is just the thing for it. I'll figure it out.

 

[carldelo]

Black fedoras always struck me as too funereal. My nod to formality is to have a graphite fedora, which is almost black, and goes well with a dark gray overcoat. Mine is a Stetson Hampton, with a silk finish and a bound edge. The felt has a pleasing heaviness to it, the ribbon is fairly wide, overall a great-looking hat. It's discontinued, but I got one from hatguys.com in graphite. They have some left in graphite and black (and brown) in various sizes. Also, qualityhats.com has some stock in black as well. I think a silk finish is a nice touch for a formal dress hat.

 

[frussell]

I'm very partial to my Fed IV Deluxe in black. Frank

 

[azhiker]

I have several black hats. My first Fedora was a Biltmore Arc, and I love it. It is kinda formal, but the finish is not real shiney, so I can get away with it in dockers, but for jeans, etc, I go with a brown, or my new tan hat. I have a knock around in black, it's actually a western hat that I converted myself. Still hs that western flair to it. and I have a very nice Stetson El patron at Henry the Hatters being converted. look to the converstion Corral thread in several weeks for pics of it.I love the Biltmores. They are well built, affordable, and easy to find! I have worn mine in rain or snow!

 

[fmw]

Since we're doing show and tell, here's the Dobbs Beechwood to which I referred earlier - my priest hat.

 

[Benzadmiral]

Have you looked at the Akubra Federation IV regular? It comes in black, is much-praised here on the Lounge, and has little taper.

Oh, that was my first thought. I have two Feds, a Moonstone and a Carbon Grey, which is almost black, and I love 'em both. But it's a good-sized hat -- as someone here said, it "makes a statement" -- and a black one on top of that statement might be a bit much. On the other hand, I'm making a statement just by wearing a hat at all nowadays, so . . .

 

[Benzadmiral]

AZHiker, I remember trying on a Biltmore Ark at Meyer's many years ago. It seemed pretty comfortable. I may try it again. The Hats-Plus site calls it the perfect all-purpose men's hat.

 

[Lloyd]

Both my black hats are custom but if I was looking to buy one off the shelf I'd take a look at the silk or velour Beaver Brand hats


here's a link straight to the velour page
semi-custom Beaver Brand Velour

all jokes aside, I like beaver Brand hats because they let you pick almost all of the options on the hat except the crown height. If you don't see what you want on thefedroastore.com site you can contact Beaver Brand directly and they will do pretty much whatever you want.

 

[monbla256]

One lid I don't have in my collection is a black fedora, and I'm thinking it would be a nice touch for more formal times. I'm interested in the Akubra Bogart, but the super-cool folks at HatsDirect warn me that it's more tapered than it looks in some of the pics here: "I've just put the Bogart and Stylemaster next to each other and the Stylemaster is a squarer crown (just slightly more tapered than the Fed). The Bogart has a more tapered look."

My problem with the Stylemaster is that it'll take 3 months for a special order black one, and by then the nasty vicious Loozyana summer will be upon me.

So: Akubra Bogart owners, how tapered is the crown? Would it be worth waiting for the Stylemaster in black? Or maybe I should plump for a Stetson Temple, if I can get one from the Hatco Outlet, or for a Jaxon Bogart? Thoughts?

Paul W. (the Benzadmiral)
http://benzadmiral-uncle.blogspot.com/

If you are wanting a Black hat and want an Akubra, have you looked at the Black Squatter that David morgan sells? He has it in stock and you can get it in 3/4 days delivered in the US ( I'm not familiar as to where "The Swamp" is though). As for theStylemaster, He sells it in a dark Charcoal Grey which some here say is Black, though looks to be a DARK Charcoal to me. The Squatter has less taper than the Stylemaster and is open crown as well
Onward thru the Fog

 

[Jedwbpm]

How about a Stetson Nostalgia it comes in black is open crown and seems to be dirt cheap if they have your size at the Garland outlet.

Jeff

 

[azhiker]

I bought mine from hats Plus, they are great folks, and their prices aint bad either.

 

[Benzadmiral]

The hunt is over, for now. I scooped this up from ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ileonBA%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

As I've read here, Christy's hats are not in the same durability class as Akubras (or did I read that wrong?). But I don't intend this one to be a bad-weather hat, more an occasional lid. A little foam padding (I'm a 7), and I should be good to go for a reasonable price. . . .

 

[monbla256]

The hunt is over, for now. I scooped this up from ebay: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dl...ileonBA%3D&viewitem=&sspagename=STRK:MEWNX:IT

As I've read here, Christy's hats are not in the same durability class as Akubras (or did I read that wrong?). But I don't intend this one to be a bad-weather hat, more an occasional lid. A little foam padding (I'm a 7), and I should be good to go for a reasonable price. . . .

That looks to be a nice hat Benz, and at a reasonable price as you said. But save your pennies for an Akubra as they are probably one of the BEST ALL AROUND production hats made today and once you get one, one will NOT be enough