Black Tie, Grey Hat...

[jpdesign]

I will be in San Antonio the First weekend in April. My wife has a conference and I am coming down either Friday afternoon or Saturday morning. I can bring some samples if you like.

Jimmy

 

[Cody Pendant]

"Sarcasm" is my middle name!

YEA HAW!! YIPPIE KI YIA AYE!
Wuz just rattle'n a bit, not bite'n.

My response was based on my focus on the following:

...therefore ...I'm reluctant to invest in a good hat for so few opportunities.... Or should I break down and drop it for a good black fedora or other hat?

you did not mention my first post, so i restated here:

...May I also suggest a personal pick of mine for a less expensive option for a brand of hat considering the number of wears per year? They have both wool and fur-felt options in both the homburg and fedora style. I have no experience with the seller, just the hats, which I find quite nice for the price.
http://www.thefedorastore.com/Stacy-Adams-Hats-s/221.htm
If you are more of a hat connoisseur, than you will have to outlay more serious cash.

I understand you wanting to try before you buy so:

I did a quick google search for common hat brands in S.A. ... Stacy Adams, Builtmore, Bailey, Brixton, Scala, Orvis, Beaver Brand.. ECT....or what ever brands you like. I found several hits, but having not set foot in one I'll not post links nor addresses. You'll find a store near by. I suggest calling first to save gas. Many smaller non big chain "western" stores also carry other hats than Cowboy. Also look into formal wear and / or ethnic mens clothing stores, as many still carry fedoras, bowlers ,derby's, and homburgs with both reasonably and higher priced offerings.

Seems a couple of custom "milliner's" have jumped in and offered to come to your door step. Wow, thats service.

if not satisfactory then ... I'll just saddle up and get on out of here!

 

[avedwards]

I have to agree with many people saying you don't necessarily need a hat for black tie, as you only wear it when going to and from the venue. Also, I would like to point out that many film characters who usually wear a hat do not wear one with black tie. For example, John Steed from the British TV series The Avengers always wears a bowler but wears no hat with his dinner jacket. Also, Sean Connery's James Bond often wears a trilby in the old films but he never wears a hat with his dinner jacket.

 

[kiltie]

Cody,

You knucklehead, I meant I was asking without sarcasm . The problem with the availability of the brands you mentioned, as far as the choices in SA are concerned, is the quality. Yeah, I'd have no problem laying my hands on a wool Bailey, but whilst most people wouldn't bat an eyelash, I'd be slightly embarrased if I ran into somebody who knew what they were looking at. Couple that with a lot of the store fronts catering to the touri$t... Not an uncommon problem, but one that becomes more grating the more you care about having something nice - know what I mean?
The responses that seem to be ringing most clearly are those advocating no hat. I suppose, too, that it's both unnecessary in the summer, and in the winter, unless I have a more formal top coat, it doesn't matter what hat I wear.

 

[Tone]

Pinched Homburg

I say no hat with the tuxedo as it subconsciously projects that a rabbit or card trick might be produced at any given moment; but if you had to have a hat to go with one, I agree that a nice Homburg with some personal flare in the pinches would work very well for you.

 

[kiltie]

"...That trick never works."

^^^^
Heh heh... Indeed.
I thank you all for the input. The recent homburg thread DOES have some nice hats ( with the pinches ). I'll go ahead and say that if the opportunity for a good hat arises, I'll jump on it ( as though I wouldn't, otherwise ). Till then, hatless seems to be plenty dignified.

 

[Lefty]

Wait a sec...
I forgot that you're from Texas!

 

[kiltie]

COME ON LEFTY!!!

That is clearly a "tails" affair. I said Black Tie! Get it together man. I wouldn't have had to start a thread otherwise. EVERYONE knows that's the hat for that mode...sheesh...

 

[Lefty]

Sorry, sorry, you're right.
However...

 

[kiltie]

I just had a wierd manic/depressive fit where I alternately laughed, cried, and threw up. I got no bones with a suit and a cowboy hat ( when worn without irony ), but those cats look like Village People escapees. Thanks, but I already graduated highschool, and I never went to the formal. What goes through a persons head? I hope I'm not throwing stones in a glass house here, but those look like Halloween costumes; going as any cast member from TOMBSTONE.
Unfortunately, it's no worse ( and better than a lot ) than a lot of the "formal" offerings available now. I'm in the doubious position and age where a few of my friends have been going through their ( first ) marriage and have seen the kits in the Al's Formal wear, et al... catalogs. Holy Smokes....

 

[kiltie]

PS: the guy in the third photo looks like he's about to blame his fart on someone else...

 

[Cody Pendant]

I'm a Knucklehead, I forgot the third option!

How silly of me, of course. Get a Black Cowboy hat for your ensemble. Now I've got a question kiltie; where do I get my black patent Cowboy boots!? Perhaps you know, or will I have to start a new thread? I hope not, as this one is gett'n inter-est-ing! Yee Haw!

 

[Tomasso]

where do I get my black patent Cowboy boots!?

Lucchese.

 

[Cody Pendant]

AWSOME!

Thanks Tomasso! :eusa_clap Be right back guys, gotta run to the Boot's 'n Jeans shop.
Giddie up, giddie up... GO!

 

[kiltie]

Taking Co-D's post and Tomasso's - I still get no relief. You guys are saying I CAN'T wear my grey cowboy hat with black boots? You're no help at all. Now I have to start a new thread :eusa_doh: . Can I wear a brown cowboy hat and boots with morning wear, as another thread affirmed by popular opinion that grey and brown DO go together? Patent boots are strictly formal? Do the degrees of pointiness indicate level of formality? Every answer leads to another question. I need answers - cold hard answers, and I need them now!

 

[Lefty]

No matter what your affiliation, or what you think of the US Supreme Court, he was a two termer. Follow his lead.

Forget the black tie, go white with tails, and dance like you f'ing mean it.
(Hire a guy with a sombrero to stand behind you and make you look even smarter.)

 

[Lefty]

oh, lol

 

[Cody Pendant]

Cold Hard Facts!

ROFL!!! This is too much even for me. However I'm glad we all have a sense of humor.
On the other hand I'm just not sure....., I think that all your questions actually have answer's. Seriously.
Quick, a call to the White House before it's too late. Rest assured the staff has already worked it out. Think of all the western president's, not to mention the TEXAN ones, it has bound to have come up.
Where did I leave that red phone.......

 

[suitedcboy]

It is all relative. If you live in TX and you go to a formal black tie event it is entirely OK to wear a western hat. There may be some exclusive old money, not from TX hosts where it might be a less than great idea.

If it comes off as sincere and not costumed, doing this to throw it in your face, then it is OK.

The presentation can make or break what is OK. Use your judgement.


I have attended black tie affairs where some wore homburgs that were well cared for hats, clean and blocked with care, and the wearer's outift was otherwise impeccable also and they looked classy.

Same for well shined black conservative western boots.

I'm no blue blood, $100,000 per plate political dinner attendee so maybe there are snobby beyond reason rules for those I can't speak to.

If we could ask deceased people if conformation to rigid rules of formal dress was the one thing they could fix if gen 24 hours more of life I can't imagine they would say yes.

 

[Cody Pendant]

If we could ask deceased people if conformation to rigid rules of formal dress was the one thing they could fix if gen 24 hours more of life I can't imagine they would say yes.

Actually I find deceased people to be the most ridged and formally dressed people I know.