Dating Stratoliner

[Mark G]

As an aside, I also like the hat you have on in your avatar. I've seen one like it somewhere before...

Yeah, I think I've seen a hat like that before. I had an Akubra Drover (open crown 3/12" brim that I made into a safari hat that was reminisent of the turn of the century British officers. I creased it into a pinched telescope and made the band from muslin. Where did you get yours?

 

[budward]

I have a strat that looks like Mark G's--same Royal Stetson, same liner logo, same plastic cover--except the hat is a light grey. On the side imprinted in gold it says "The Outlet Company, Providence, RI," and then there's a white, paper price tag that says "Outlet" at the top, and the stamped price is 11.95, which is marked through in green ink, and then 7.90 is also written in green and marked out, and then it says 5.69. I guess they couldn't get rid of it. Imagine that.

 

[Mojave Jack]

Yeah, I think I've seen a hat like that before. I had an Akubra Drover (open crown 3/12" brim that I made into a safari hat that was reminisent of the turn of the century British officers. I creased it into a pinched telescope and made the band from muslin. Where did you get yours?

A muslin band?! That's a great idea! Mine is an issue Australian slouch that I've had for years. It is a pretty low grade fur blend, and I swapped out the issue vinyl sweat for a coolmax sweat. I changed the band from the issue puggaree to the WWI/early WWII wool band because the puggaree was a little too Jungle Jim. I love this hat, but in the summer in the Mojave it is just too much. Art reblocked it for me into a copy of Robert Redford's from Out of Africa. Someday I'll get an Akubra slouch to replace it, but this is a great cool weather beater. It's not high quality, but man, can it take the abuse!

I am also anxiously awaiting my latest reblock from Art (I just slipped in under the wire; I may have the honor of having the last Art re-block!). It is an Open Road, but I asked Art to re-block it into a Stratoliner. Art was kind enough to re-block it for me just in time for the QM, and it should be here any day. Mine is a little lighter than yours, which is a great color, BTW. For 10 years of wear it is looking great. But that's just 10 years of character, right?!

I can see you're a man of good taste, Mark!

 

[Flyboy]

Am I going crazy, or did Stetson make Stratoliners with wider bands as well? I've seen a couple of wide-band Stetsons with the DC-3 pin, and I thought they were referred to as Stratoliners, but the only thing I can find anymore is the narrow-band version?

It's driving me nuts--I saw a cream- or almond-colored version with a brown band that I loved. I'm having Art make a copy for me, but I'd like to know what it's properly called. I can post pictures of the brown one if need be.

 

[Baron Kurtz]

I've only ever seen 'em with the thin ribbons. A wider ribbon-ed hat could always be blocked to look like a Stratoliner.

bk

 

[John in Covina]

Maybe, someone has re-done the Strat with a wide ribbon?

 

[Mr. Lucky]

Dating a Stratoliner?

Only if she's single!

 

[Rick Blaine]

Only if she's single!

Ask her if she's got a sister!

 

[feltfan]

Only if she's single!

Date her? Why don'tcha marry her?