Boater faction!

[Mr E Train]

Hello
I have a few boaters now and in an effor to prevent myself from buying more are there any vendors out there that sell ready made boater hat bands?

Not that I know of, and I've looked, although I didn't do an exhaustive search. There's always puggarees. Less fancy, but not without precedent, like this old Cavanagh.

 

[jeffconnors]

Not that I know of, and I've looked, although I didn't do an exhaustive search. There's always puggarees. Less fancy, but not without precedent, like this old Cavanagh.

THe band on that one fits quite nicly, are there vedors for thoes? I guess I could look for nice vintage ribbon and a few of thoes clip dellies, is there any defined name for the clips/hooks used on straw hats.?
Thanks
Jeff

 

[Mr E Train]

Shushan's probably has the best variety of any online stores I've found. They have striped ones similar to the one above. On a vintage hat they might stick out as looking too "new" though.

I'm not sure if there's a special name for the hooks. Usually they're just called "hooks." [huh] You could always get a cheap pug (Village Hat Shop sells some pleated ones 3 for $10), take it apart and salvage the hooks. My feeling is that if you're going to make your own out of vintage ribbon, you might as well just make a standard ribbon with bow rather than a puggaree. Someone posted a tutorial here.

 

[Mr E Train]

DelMonico Hatter on Fox 61 Morning News April 30, 2010

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nB3qEjE847Y

 

[Big_e]

Shushan's probably has the best variety of any online stores I've found. They have striped ones similar to the one above. On a vintage hat they might stick out as looking too "new" though.

I'm not sure if there's a special name for the hooks. Usually they're just called "hooks." [huh] You could always get a cheap pug (Village Hat Shop sells some pleated ones 3 for $10), take it apart and salvage the hooks. My feeling is that if you're going to make your own out of vintage ribbon, you might as well just make a standard ribbon with bow rather than a puggaree. Someone posted a tutorial here.

Yep, Shushan's is where I ordered the puggaree. http://www.shushans.com/sixthpage.html .
Ernest

 

[jeffconnors]

Thanks fellas!

 

[Mr E Train]

Ladies and Gentlemen, THE BOATERMA

I never cared for the Panama straw boaters because I considered it a poor substitute for a real boater. Recently, however, I started to think of them in a new light. With the traditional red & blue guard's band, they look like a poor man's boater, sure. But with a different ribbon treatment, something you would find on a typical Panama hat, like a puggaree, it kind of becomes its own thing entirely--something a little more casual, a Panama/boater hybrid, if you will. I dub it:

THE BOATERMA. (I also considered "Boatama" but the chance for mispronunciation seemed greater.)

I bought a Capas Panama straw boater from Hats-Plus, like this

(Orvis sells them too, but they're more expensive and don't look as good to me), removed the red & blue grosgrain, and slapped on a black pleated puggaree.

Now, something with a more relaxed and casual feel than a traditional boater, yet still with the boater flavor. It has an attitude, sort of like a pork pie does. I expect to get some wear out of this one.

 

[Big_e]

I never cared for the Panama straw boaters because I considered it a poor substitute for a real boater. Recently, however, I started to think of them in a new light. With the traditional red & blue guard's band, they look like a poor man's boater, sure. But with a different ribbon treatment, something you would find on a typical Panama hat, like a puggaree, it kind of becomes its own thing entirely--something a little more casual, a Panama/boater hybrid, if you will. I dub it:

THE BOATERMA. (I also considered "Boatama" but the chance for mispronunciation seemed greater.)

I bought a Capas Panama straw boater from Hats-Plus, like this

(Orvis sells them too, but they're more expensive and don't look as good to me), removed the red & blue grosgrain, and slapped on a black pleated puggaree.

Now, something with a more relaxed and casual feel than a traditional boater, yet still with the boater flavor. It has an attitude, sort of like a pork pie does. I expect to get some wear out of this one.

Yes yes! I like it! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Ernest

 

[David Conwill]

Yes yes! I like it! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap
Ernest

Me too! You've totally changed the character of the hat from cheesy wannabe boater to something that looks far more comfortable in its own skin (straw?).

-Dave

 

[Cordite Blues]

how about calling it a "Punter"?

Yes yes! I like it!
Ernest

So do I. And it seems to suit you, too. Nice work.

Cordite Blues

 

[Mr E Train]

So do I. And it seems to suit you, too. Nice work.

Cordite Blues

Thank you, CB. I don't know about calling it a "punter" because that would kind of do a disservice to those folks who wear traditional boaters while going punting.

 

[Cordite Blues]

punt on

Thank you, CB. I don't know about calling it a "punter" because that would kind of do a disservice to those folks who wear traditional boaters while going punting.

I think you're right (tho no offense intended -- but perhaps confusing). There is something about your hat that makes it seem a little less formal than a regular boater. Is yours more flexible than a standard boater? I have a round oval, 7 3/4 head and haven't built up the courage to try Ernest's hydraulic method of boater fitting. Yours looks like it would adjust itself easier to my noggin.

Cordite Blues

 

[Mr E Train]

I think you're right (tho no offense intended -- but perhaps confusing). There is something about your hat that makes it seem a little less formal than a regular boater. Is yours more flexible than a standard boater? I have a round oval, 7 3/4 head and haven't built up the courage to try Ernest's hydraulic method of boater fitting. Yours looks like it would adjust itself easier to my noggin.

Cordite Blues

It's stiff, but much more flexible than a regular boater, which isn't flexible at all. It gives a little, so it has some leeway where a standard boater wouldn't. I'm a 7 3/4 long oval, and XXL fits me well, a little snug in front and back with room on the sides, so I think the same size would fit you well too, except closer on the sides with room in front and back.

P.S. After reading Ernest's post about his "hydraulic method" and from my own experience with repairing the weak brim on my Ponte Rialto Italian boater, I'm convinced that a standard boater hat can be stretched, maybe not a whole lot, but I believe it can be done with steam. Steam softens the shellac in the hat, so I believe a judicious application of steam to the hatband area and where the hat meets the brim while gently stretching the hat opening with a hat jack in the direction you want it to go would allow some minor adjustments. Once the hat dries it should go back to its original stiffness, but if it seems weak, hat stiffener spray will do the trick. I expect some warping of the brim might occur, but that's easily remedied by applying a steam iron and then weighting it down on a flat surface.

 

[Al Niente]

Taking the new boater (first time for me!) out for a spin today. High tea with the sponsors of the symphony. It's sunny out, it's high tea...couldn't think of a more perfect time for my "first run."

Actually, I like it a lot! It is going to get a lot of comments and, already at work i got some smiles and suprised looks. But, they were the kind of responses that put a smile on people's faces. Makes them happy. I can work with that! Post pics later.

 

[Mr E Train]

That's what I usually get too, Al, a surprised look or a smile. Most people aren't culturally savvy enough to pull out a "Hey, Harold Lloyd, nice hat!" or "Hey, where's your banjo?!"

 

[Al Niente]

Good to know I am not the only one. One person did ask me if I was going to get a cane with it. I told him that was for Fred Astaire and that he was confusing me with someone athletic. He laughed. Again, all in good fun.

 

[jeffconnors]

Hehe! Good to know the boater is going over well. I know when I ware mine I can't help but put on this big goffy grin alon with it. Glad to see the grin is contgious!

 

[Big_e]

Lot's of people compliment my boater around these parts. I have gotten 2 compliments where my hat was confused for a Porkpie and 1 guy called it a real nice Mark Twain hat. The way I see it, they were made for fun and sun, so I'll wear mine with a guayabera shirt or bowler shirt. It goes well with my Spectator shoes.
Ernest

 

[ASG]

This is my first boater. I purchased it in April from an online antiquarian fashions dealer. The black hat band has "Made in Italy" printed in gilt letters. As you can see from the photograph the lining states "Ponte Rialto VENICE."

I don't know much about the age of the hat. I saw an identical one for sale in a group of Bing Crosby collectibles. They claimed the hat was from the 1940s, but I can't independently confirm that assertion. Just out of curiosity, does anyone have an information about the age of this particular boater?

I'm a small-town Southern lawyer so I wear a suit every day. I've been wearing my boater on sunny days. Someone at the courthouse yesterday sarcastically asked me, "What is that on your head???" I said, "It's called a hat." Then he conceded that it looked pretty sharp. It's a shame more folks don't wear hats these days, but I'm not going to let that stop me.

ASG

 

[hag]

boaterville

I have a vintage "Beverly". Who are those guys?