Brim up or Brim Down

[hubbit]

Oh, you mean the neutral position.

Haha. I guess I could call it more of a "smile" brim. Upswept. Is there an official name for it?

 

[Sam Craig]

Oh, you mean the neutral position.

A.C., you are on to something there.

I think when many of us are considering "brim up" we mean, "brim neutral" as opposed to snapped down

There have been comments about the Archie Bunker look, where you have a forced "up" that is really rolled in the front, but what many of us think looks neat and friendly is really more of the "neutral" position

It's not down but it is off your face.

Sam

 

[danofarlington]

It was "good night Mrs. Calabash ... where ever you are!"

And the brim was UP while he was sayin' it!

Whadda guy!

Sam

Browsing through the public library a few years ago, with their collection of older books, I came across a biography of Jimmy Durante. It was an interesting story. I liked the guy even better after reading it, and likeability was one of his primary virtues in the first place.

 

[Espee]

The front brim of my psuedo-Panama got flipped up and I didn't realize it. A lady friend said, "I like your hat with the brim up... it looks like Abbott and Costello." A male friend came along immediately behind her and whispered "No, it looks better DOWN."

 

[Sam Craig]

Many people have been stumped on Durante's TV sign off and this is the story as he told it, late in his life:

He and his wife had been traveling and there was a community they visited .... I don't remember what it was called, but his wife would mispronounce it "Calabash," like the pipe.
He teasingly began referring to his wife as "Mrs. Calabash" and so she is who he was referring to with his send off.
At least that is how Durante explained it.

Dan, I agree, from all I have read and heard, Durante is one of those public figures who consistently seems better the more you learn about the man.

And he apparently had a genuine affection for really nice hats, too!

How we miss his ilk today.

Sam

 

[DNO]

This thread got me thinking, so I've been trying some of my hats with the brim up. I still look goofy in most of them (in my opinion, at least) but today I wore a grey stingy brim by Robert Hall with the brim up and, lo and behold, I kind of liked it. Made me feel a bit Rocky-ish, but I thought it looked okay. Always good to try something new.

 

[Duper]

I have an Akubra Tablelands with a shorter 70mm brim. The brim is meant to be safari or outback style like the Banjo Paterson, but I find I prefer it when I snap the back of the brim up. So this would be my up or down switch. It is a snap brim in the back. An unexpected option that presented itself that makes my Tablelands more like a fedora.

 

[Sam Craig]

What I have determined is that for most people, the degree of "rake" is important in choosing "up or down" in front.

See the rake thread.

A minimal rake ... in other words, a non-severe roll to the brim in front ... seems more popular for those who consider turning the brim up.

On the other hand ... a severe rake means that if you do wear the front up it will be more like that Archie Bunker or Ed Norton look that is considered rather oaffish.

BB King and other jazz greats who routinely wear a front up fedora do so with a fairly flat brim ... with very little "rake" so they don't have a great amount of roll to the front.

So all you have to do is snap up the brim, put on the hat and then ask yourself if you look like Archie Bunker or BB King.

Simple

(Disclaimer ... this doesn't fit if you are Rocky or Bogart, ala "They Drive By Night." However, if you are a cool as Bogart, you can do what ever you want with a hat. Who's going to challenge you?)

Sam

 

[El Sid]

For me it is always brim down in front, except if it gets in the way shooting 8 ball, a distraction I notice only when I'm losing.

 

[Chepstow]

Shorter brims looks sometimes good if the brim is up, maybee if you're the type for something, bigger brims rather down.
I prefer rather down.

 

[Sam Craig]

Maybe BB King tilts his up so he can see the strings on Lucille ... WHAT AM I SAYING?

BB King hasn't needed to look down to play for the past 80 years!

So he must do it for style's sake! The man is cool!

Sam

 

[Rodkins]

What I have determined is that for most people, the degree of "rake" is important in choosing "up or down" in front.

See the rake thread.

A minimal rake ... in other words, a non-severe roll to the brim in front ... seems more popular for those who consider turning the brim up.

On the other hand ... a severe rake means that if you do wear the front up it will be more like that Archie Bunker or Ed Norton look that is considered rather oaffish.

BB King and other jazz greats who routinely wear a front up fedora do so with a fairly flat brim ... with very little "rake" so they don't have a great amount of roll to the front.

So all you have to do is snap up the brim, put on the hat and then ask yourself if you look like Archie Bunker or BB King.

Simple

(Disclaimer ... this doesn't fit if you are Rocky or Bogart, ala "They Drive By Night." However, if you are a cool as Bogart, you can do what ever you want with a hat. Who's going to challenge you?)

Sam

I thought that the rake was the amount that the crown height decreases from the front of the hat to the back.

 

[gtdean48]

I thought that the rake was the amount that the crown height decreases from the front of the hat to the back.

You are correct sir! Not sure what brim snap has to do with crown rake????

 

[Sam Craig]

rake 3 (rk)
intr. & tr.v. raked, rak·ing, rakes
To slant or cause to incline from the perpendicular: propeller blades that rake backward from the shaft; rake a ship's mast.


I thought it involved the degree of pitch of any part of the hat, but, Hey, you guys are the EXPERTS, not me.

Sorry for the foou paws.

Reconsider the whole "pitch" of the brim instead ... that OK?

The point remains, the less "pitch" involved, the better it will look while "up."

Sam

 

[monbla256]

Here's what the American Heritage Dictionary has to say :


American Heritage Dictionary:
rake1


Home > Library > Literature & Language > Dictionary
(rāk)
n.
1.A long-handled implement with a row of projecting teeth at its head, used especially to gather leaves or to loosen or smooth earth.
2.A device that resembles such an implement.

v., raked, rak·ing, rakes.

v.tr.
1.To gather or move with or as if with a rake: rake leaves; rake in the gambling chips.
2.To smooth, scrape, or loosen with a rake or similar implement: rake the soil for planting.
3.Informal. To gain in abundance. Often used with in: a successful company that raked in the profits.
4.To search or examine thoroughly; ransack.
5.To scrape; scratch.
6.To aim heavy gunfire along the length of.
v.intr.
1.To use a rake.
2.To conduct a thorough search: raked through the files for the misplaced letter.
phrasal verb:
rake up

To revive or bring to light; uncover: rake up old gossip.

idiom:
rake over the coals

To reprimand severely.

[Middle English, from Old English raca.]

raker rak'er n.

rake2 (rāk)
n.
An immoral or dissolute person; a libertine.

Seems like there's a wide choice of definitions avilable to suit ANY purpose one wants. I personally like the last " An immoral or dissolute person; a libertine "



Read more: http://www.answers.com/topic/rake#ixzz1ZvGx2qCz

 

[Rodkins]

rake 3 (rk)
intr. & tr.v. raked, rak·ing, rakes
To slant or cause to incline from the perpendicular: propeller blades that rake backward from the shaft; rake a ship's mast.


I thought it involved the degree of pitch of any part of the hat, but, Hey, you guys are the EXPERTS, not me.

Sorry for the foou paws.

Reconsider the whole "pitch" of the brim instead ... that OK?

The point remains, the less "pitch" involved, the better it will look while "up."

Sam

I'm no expert, I'm just trying to learn like many of us and I was confused. Sorry if I sounded "snooty" - I didn't mean to.

 

[Sam Craig]

Naw,

It's my own fault for using a non-native language!

English.

I was raised speaking Kansan. It is a continual handicap. I should be able to get a federal grant!

Sam

 

[zackefeller]

I have several vintage fedoras ... dressier ones ... that I am coming to enjoy wearing with the brim 'up' in the front.
They just seem 'happier' that way. I wear a hat to the office every day and around the office during the day, and it seems like they have a more 'friendly' impact with the brim up, rather than snapped down.

So what is your choice?
Up?
Or down?

Just wondering ...

Sam

Well both brim up or down looks great from the side, however it is drastically more polarizing from the front.
IMO Brim down is more practical because you can actually shade your eyes, and in the heavy rain water has somewhere to flow as opposed to collecting in an all up brim. With the brim up, the hat becomes purely a fashion accessory on your head that blocks out the sun from cooking your noggin, but with the brim down the hat becomes fashionable utilitarian wear that not only blocks out the sun, but also shades your eyes so you don't have to carry fragile sunglasses with you.

Snappable hats should always be stored with the brim up, but when donning the hat I have trouble deciding whether to wear it up or down myself. What do y'all think?

I personally feel a bit goofy with the brim up all around, but that's probably cause I'm used to wearing brims down; I used to think of a hat like shoes, brim up = laces undone, and brim down = laces tied, so I keep the brim up when storing, and once it's on my head I flip it down. I'm trying to experiment with the feel here. Amazing how a simple flip of the brim can make it look like an entirely new hat, which is a problem because I over deliberate over which one looks better.

 

[scottyrocks]

but when donning the hat I have trouble deciding whether to wear it up or down myself. What do y'all think?

Depends on the brim size. 2" and less I usually wear it up. Except when the sun is in my eyes, I'll turn it down.

Larger than 2" I always wear it down.

 

[skydog757]

Zakefeller, I think "up" looks better on you. I agree that the cant of the brim depends on the function of the hat at the time (weather conditions, bright lights, etc). I think crown shape, brim size and pinch style all go into how "good" a hat looks brim up/down. As a general guide, I think pork pies and diamond creases work well brim up.