Bowlers making a comback?

[jamespowers]

I saw a white derby in an antique store in southern Indiana a few months back. I'm not sure how old it was, it was too small so I didn't make the purchase. There was also a black one, it to didn't fit, and that's the one I really wanted. I'm still looking and it's out there somewhere

I was going to mention the bone colored ones as well but you rarely still find them out there. Too bad it didn't fit. That would have been an interesting find.

 

[Lefty]

The first person on the Lounge I ever saw wear a bowler with casual clothing and the only one from whom I've purchased suspenders.

Casual is the only way I'll wear it. To me, wearing it with anything "dressy" looks like a costume, though a few pull it off. YMMV.

 

[Dan'l]

I was going to mention the bone colored ones as well but you rarely still find them out there. Too bad it didn't fit. That would have been an interesting find.

Yes, it was bone colored, not a true white. It was in good shape and there have been times since then that I wondered should I have bought it and offered here to a lounger. One would need a small noggin' for it to fit.

 

[donnc]

I'm not a big watcher of movies, but I think the bowler shows up in enough Westerns to have a little of that connotation, in the US. On town folk, as alluded to by rlk. But I think a more vivid image is `carnie' - maybe a very nice light colored suit with tails, or not all that nice with just a vest, but some guy passing through town who talks fast and is there to sell you something you really didn't need. Tilt it back a good deal to get that look.

And sometimes black guys when they're dressing fine (tilt forward a little for this one), and for English equestrian competition.

I mainly wear mine when playing for a Morris dance team, so mainly costume.

 

[Quixote]

I certainly hope that they're not making a comeback. The only persons I've met in real life that could pull off a Coke hat with ease have been dames. Then there is this one chap who doesn't realize a bowler isn't a good match with a Bundeswehr camouflage jacket.

 

[mayserwegener]

I would think some working class people (see Chimney Sweeps) sane suit and tie wore Bowlers in England. Probably not top of the line models but I have to believe they were worn outside the business class.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Like this?

.....or this?

[/IMG]

 

[RLF]

Bowler Originally Designed as A Hard Hat.

I recall reading somewhere that the original English bowler/derby was designed to be a kind of hard hat for game wardens or sheriff types on a large estate south of London. I cannot pull up the lord's name off the top of my head (Derby, perhaps?), but it seems that some of his employees had the unfortunate habit of falling off of their horses while in pursuit of malefactors, so he needed protective headgear for them. The design was simple enough. The early derbies were reinforced with wood and leather. You will notice that the bowler as we know it bears a strong resemblance to modern equestrian hats.

As for wearing one today, I'm afraid that's going to be a tough sell. Not only have they fallen out of style, but they're now equated with clowns, buskers, street musicians and old time fiddlers. It's a shame, really. I have a square jaw and the rounded shape goes really well with my bone structure. I own two, one English in oxblood and one dark brown from Golden Gate. Surprisingly, the Golden Gate is the better of the two and cost less than half what I paid for the one made in England. I suppose that if I ever go on vacation to Bolivia or Peru I'll have to bring one along. You know, those Andean Indians love their bowlers.

 

[LocktownDog]

There's a gent living here in town that wears one very often. It looks quite good on him and no one says a disparaging word about it. Keep in mind I'm in cowboy country, and the guy is 6'5" or so and in the 250+lb range. He gets lots of nervous smiles.

 

[galopede]

I mainly wear mine when playing for a Morris dance team, so mainly costume.

Good to see there's another bowler wearing morris musician on here!

Gareth

 

[Brad Bowers]

I wear mine all the time, with suits and with casual, and have garnered many, many compliments. Nary a cross word have I heard.

Brad

 

[rlk]

I wear mine all the time, with suits and with casual, and have garnered many, many compliments. Nary a cross word have I heard.

Brad

I prefer as a casual hat(non-suit). They seem to produce the most positive comments of any hats I wear[huh]

 

[donnc]

Good to see there's another bowler wearing morris musician on here!

I'll be thinking of you when I put mine on Sunday. I believe I'll be playing tuba - I've tried my hand at the damned squeeze box, but it doesn't seem to be in me at this point. If our squeeze box player wears a hat, it will likely be a baseball cap.

 

[galopede]

I'll be thinking of you when I put mine on Sunday. I believe I'll be playing tuba - I've tried my hand at the damned squeeze box, but it doesn't seem to be in me at this point. If our squeeze box player wears a hat, it will likely be a baseball cap.

I'll be wearing my Dunn's bowler this evening while squeezeboxing for my team at a Harvest Home do at a farm in the Forest of Dean.

We have a tuba player in the side but he dances and plays during the drinking and music session afterwards!

No baseball caps on my Cotswold side I'm glad to say. In fact only myself and the squire wear hats, both bowlers.

Gareth

 

[The Edwardian]

I've always loved bowler hats. If it wasn't for the fear of being mistaken as some type of performance artist, I'd probably wear one in public every day. I'm from West Virginia and simply wearing a suit is enough to get hostile stares from people. They automatically think you're a government official who's trying to shut down their precious coal mines.

Even though the odds are greatly against it, I'd love for the bowler to make a comeback in the US. I'd be overcome with joy if I went outside one day and saw a scene like this. haha.

 

[Italian-wiseguy]

It seems a similar thread already exists

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?51516-Hat-Life-Article-on-England-s-Bowler-Resurgence

anyway, I quote myself (ops) from there:
"Weird as it may sound, I met two guys wearing bowlers this week (well, as you can see I myself own one, nor that I dare to wear it in public);
so, maybe there's actually a trend of sort.

When I was a kid, the only man wearing a bowler in the little town in which I was living, was (I swear) an ex-con with legendary ability with guns; I guess nobody made stupid comments about his hat...

Ciao!"

 

[jamespowers]

When I was a kid, the only man wearing a bowler in the little town in which I was living, was (I swear) an ex-con with legendary ability with guns; I guess nobody made stupid comments about his hat...

Ciao!"

He could have worn a dead skunk on his head and no one would have said anything.

 

[zbigniew]

hello gentlemen,got my 1st bowler and I am hooked....I noticed several bowler shapes,would like to know the shape of the one on my head.I have my eyes out for one more....
regards

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[filfoster]

There are a small number who can. John McMicking in Canada still can but you start at $250-275 per bowler. You can have it made to fit you perfectly and choose brim width and crown height. That is worth something. I was going to order one a while back but it got put on the back burner. I'll have to see if I still have his contact information. A Cambridge Bowler would be nice.
I found the contact info again:
L & H Hats
Proprietor: John McMicking
179 Melville St.
Dundas, Ontario
Canada L9M2A9
Phone: (905) 627-7492

He can make any type of hat happen for you from what I understand. In fact, he says:

Custom-made hats and caps for men and women individually hand made using equipment, methods and materials that pre-date the mid-19th Century industrial revolution. Subject to availability, can make anything in felt, straw, or cloth. Will do any period hats. Contact for details/prices and free catalog.
[huh]

This is only a testimonial: I have three of John's hats, a Regency fur felt topper, an 1812 US General's Chapeaux Bras and amazingly, a 7" silk plush topper! They are NOT inexpensive but really well made period style hats. John is not a speed demon either but the making times are reasonable, a few months. I would have confidence he can certainly make a bowler to any shape.

 

[danofarlington]

bowlers making comeback?

It's in The Sun so it must be true

Bowler hat on comeback trail

Although I live in Virginia, I'm from Missouri--you've got to show me.