Can Anyone Pull Off a Wide-brim Fedora?

[jlee562]

Funny, sure sounded like one. You're entitled to feel any way you like, of course, but describing a clothing choice as a costume is inherently a judgement.

I wear nothing but vintage. Every day. And yet, I walk the streets and people don't point and stare. I do occasionally get comments from strangers, but they are invariably positive. Invariably.

Whoever said "standing out" was necessarily a bad thing? I can tell you that before I started dressing in my vintage suits and sportscoats and wearing fedoras on a daily basis, I went some thirty-plus years without a single compliment from a stranger; now I get probably three or four a month. That's not so many, but then, I'm 54 and no great shakes in the looks department. Three or four positive remarks in the course of a month, compared to zero over the course of a lifetime, is not too shabby.

Were I to wear a Robin Hood outfit or a Darth Vader mask -- y'know, actual costumes -- I might receive even more comments, but I suspect few of them would be complimentary.

All that said, blend in if that's your preference -- I won't judge you for it. Me, I opt to wear sharp, well-made vintage clothing that fits me pretty darned well, and plenty of people let me know they appreciate it -- especially my thirty-year-old wife (that's right, I'm shamelessly bragging about being married to a much younger woman), who probably wouldn't have been inclined to propose (more bragging!) to a man who wore costumes on a daily basis but appreciates a man who marches to the beat of a different sartorial drummer.

This post probably sounds as if I'm angry or offended, but I'm not, truly. I did have fun composing it, though.

Thanks for the kind words, tealseal.

I'm not really one for blending in, no.

But let me clarify a few points, because apparently I may have unintentionally caused some minor offense.

First of all, I don't assign a particularly negative connotation to the word "costume," quote dictionary.com
http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/costume?r=75
1.
a style of dress, including accessories and hairdos, especially that peculiar to a nation, region, group, or historical period.
2.
dress or garb characteristic of another period, place, person, etc., as worn on the stage or at balls.

To use the word to describe an outfit that consisted of period clothing would be accurate in strictly linguistic terms. But beyond that, the OP asked specifically how not to look like one was wearing a costume. Thus, my reply was intended to address this point. If the thread were more generally about "Golden Era" clothing vs contemporary styles of dress, my comment might seem more judgmental. But as the question posed was how to avoid looking like one was in costume, I offered my answer. I think wide brim fedoras can be accommodated in a contemporary style of dress - at any age. Younger folks my generation do prefer stingies; and I own my fair share of stingy brims. But one can wear a wide brim hat that compliments the way one dresses; in fact, wide brims started showing up in runway fashion shows last year or so. Granted, they weren't exactly the same as vintage styled hats, but they were there. For the modern businessman, a nice wide brim is a good touch and can work with a two button coat. And loungers here amply demonstrate how the fedora can be at home in any manner of casual clothing.

So yes, to answer the OP again in the affirmative, I do think anyone can pull off a wider brimmed hat. How wide depends on the individual. But the OP framed the question as a matter of width, and as I said, I don't think the line between regular dress and "costume" is the width of one's brim. That was all I was trying to illustrate.

 

[gdc]

When I started wearing hats I felt self conscious in anything with a brim wider than 2 inches. This 1940's paragon is 2 3/4. Although I will occasionally wear a narrower brimmed hat I now prefer having more hat.

 

[Dick Ireland]

For me the perfect brim width is 2 5/8". I don't like brims less than 2 1/2". If you were to post a photo of yourself with one of your current hats, we'd have a better idea.

Unfortunately, the forum won't let me upload a photo right now, which is probably good basic the only one I have is a candid shot right after I got off an airplane, haha.

I think I'll try something between 2" and 2.5" for now. I only wear fedoras with modern 2 or 3pc suits so I go for the business look of yesteryear, if that helps. My brown suits range cover light, dark, and medium; any suggestions on a shade of brown that would work for all of them? My gut says very light or very dark so it look complementary instead of like a mismatch.

 

[jlee562]

Dick, the forum doesn't host images, so if you have it on an external site, such as photobucket or flicker, you can use those links.

 

[Alex]

3" Adam Executive

Great example of a wide brim Eric, that Adam looks nice!

 

[samtemporary]

I have a bit of a pudgy, round face. I prefer my brims wider.

 

[Alive'n'Amplified]

I also used to wear short brims < 1.75". Then I met The Fedora Lounge. Now I'm loving the wider brims!

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Wide brims rule! Hats are functional as well as fashion. Hats protect from the sun, and that means at least a 2 1/2 inch brim. IMHO. You wear the hat, it does not wear you. Go forth with confidence, Amigo.

 

[kaosharper1]

Yes. One theory is that hat wearing stopped when the stingy brims in the 60s stopped them from being functional. At least thats one of many theories.

 

[TomS]

I prefer at least a 2.5 to 3 brim, and a tall crown. I dont even own anything else! Good luck on your choice!!

 

[William Stratford]

Personally, I categorically refuse to wear a hat with less than a 2 and half inch brim (to me, the smaller ones are Trilby rather than Fedora style, and Trilbys I associate with spivs ).

 

[Detective_Noir]

i dont really care for the short brimmed fedora (Trilby) but more of a 2.5 to 3 inch fedora where it will keep the sun out of my face
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?64959-Korean-War-Era-Stetsonian&p=1474323 heres a perfect example of a stetson i love wearing

 

[Detective_Noir]

but it all depends on facial structure.... IMHO i feel that a slimmer and defined face can go really well with a wider brimmed hat while a broader and rounder face can fit alot better with the shorter brims, but in a contradicting way i think that a fedora can go well with about everything if you pull it off right!

 

[job]

I feels it's the opposite. Big round faces look odd in little hats. Thin faces look lost in a big hat.

 

[Yeps]

Honestly, I think the crown is the part that matters for how it looks on an individual. If the crown looks good on you, and the brim looks good with the crown, it will look good.

 

[DesertDan]

No stingies for me, wide brims only please!

 

[masiaka]

I think associating between face shape and brim width is a lot like solving algebra, it's all made up and looks right no matter what answer you get.

(I tend to match my hat's brim to my lapels when I wear a jacket, however.)

 

[DeaconKC]

My fedoras see daily use as work hats [crushables, Scotchguard, etc], so they are wider 2"+ brims to keep rain, etc off the glasses and me! I've also got a block shaped head and visage, so the wider brim looks appropriate.

 

[John in Covina]

Let's not forget that the general trend for hat brim widths changed a lot in the last century. The last wide brim trends i think was late WWII to the early fifties. Wearing a wide brim may not fit everyone face perfectly but we can wear a wider lattitude of brims than what present convention may dictate. If it doesn't look clownishly comical then all you need is the right attitude to pull it off. My 3 go to hats are an Akuba campdraft, squatter and bushman all are pretty darn wide brims. I am uncomfortable with smaller brims, and consider stingy brims as more MTV trendy.

 

[suitedcboy]

The only person not able to pull off a wide brim fedora doesn't have a head.