Fedoras Getting Popular Again?

[Wild Root]

Talk about your sudden subject change! [huh] Yeah, we were talking about hats. Butters, you crazy guy. Jumping in here and talking about makeing vintage autos into hybrid's. That's a new one!LOL

Yeah, my 46 Plymouth isn't very good on gas, but, I don't care. It's a small price to pay for a classy auto. Some of the SUV's are just as bad on gas as my car.

I don't think they will ever make any classic or antique car into a hibrid seeing that most want to presurve an original car for future generations to see. Model A's are considerd by car collectors to be Antique and not classic. True Classic cars are those of the Duesenberg, Cadillac, Packard familys. Any pre war auto that had 8 to 16 cylinders.

Now, about the fedora thing. Let them come back! All I know is that we do wear them better then any one in Hollywood could wear them! We have better taste in felt quality and style. The fact is that manners today are just out of fashion! I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t see any man (Famous that is) taking his hat off inside, or tipping his hat to a lady. Well, it's a shame, but what are we going to do? Continue to set the example.

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by Wild Root
I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t see any man (Famous that is) taking his hat off inside, or tipping his hat to a lady. Well, it's a shame, but what are we going to do? Continue to set the example.

Root.

Setting an example is a good thing. Someone has to.
Let them come back. I was just interviewed by a newspaper reporter at my office. She noticed my hat sitting on my inbox and remarked how she noticed it when she came in. Her father always wore one like it. I think it made the interview go easier. My hats have more friends than I do! They have a personality of their own. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Brad Bowers]

Schwammy,

Don't look too conspicuously around the locker room!

I think Ford dropped production of the new T-Birds because sales were so weak. Still, retro-style cars seem to be on a comeback.

Brad

 

[Renderking Fisk]

I'm seeing a lot of these cars with the retro look. Question is, are the Chrysler cars built with enough headroom for my Akubra?

 

[jamespowers]

Unfortunately NO. I am not sure how tall you are but at my height (6'), me and the hat cannot occupy the same car seat of a Chrysler. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Matt Deckard]

If you want head room nowadays, you have to buy a pick-up truck. they still make those for Cowboy hat wearin' texans.

 

[Wild Root]

Guys, I sat in a P-T Curser and had enough room for a fedora! Also, the new VW bug has the headroom for a hat guy. But, I wouldn't buy one seeing that it's kind of known as a chick car. But, you can always paint it in a more masculine color like dark blue, black, dark green or burgundy.

The Chrysler 300 probably is not the car for a tall crowned fedora, nor is the Crossfire. This is a reason I bought a 1940's car! Yes, they can be a handful once and a wile, but all in all I feel that it's worth it! I make friends every where I go and I have like, almost a foot between the top of my hat?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s crown and the headliner! One word for it?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ SWEET!

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

That's good to know about the PT. I will have to check it out.
I am sure the 46 has enough room for a hat. You are preaching to the choir here. I do not own a car newer than 1959. My wife is another story. Her's is a 73.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Renderking Fisk]

Root, those might be fighting words: I have a VW New Beatle and it runs like a rocket and is as sturdy as a tank. No harm no foul, though. You have an authentic 40?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s car and that makes everything all right.

[Still wish I got a Jeep, though.]

Speaking of Trucks, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ve seen Chevy has a new Sports Truck that is very retro. Anyone know the model name?

 

[Nathan Flowers]

It's the Chevrolet SSR.

 

[STHill]

I don't know the name of that Chevy truck, but I know what you're talking about. It's kind of like that new Sky Captain movie, sort of "noveau retro," meaning, I guess, that even though it looks retro, it looks nothing like actual old trucks. It looks cool, though.

Me, I'm doing my best to cultivate an image as a charming eccentric by driving around wearing a fedora in my Tacoma pickup.

 

[jamespowers]

Ok, this vehicle I have had some experience with. It is actually quite a nice car that sort of bridges the gap between truck and sports car. With the right engine and transmission combination they are very nimble and quick.
You can wear a short crown fedora in it but a tall crown would probably scrape the roof for someone my size. If you are less than 6' I bet you could probably get away with a tall crown in that vehicle though.
The "bed" of the SSR is really interesting with the optional wood strips and carpet. It is not at all like my 57 GMC but the grille and fat fenders evoke the feeling of the 50 GMC. The most interesting feature is the retractable hardtop though. What took Ford a mile of wiring to do in 1957 is easily accomplished today with modern equipment and wiring. It operates flawlessly everytime the button is pushed on the keypad. You can get the car to start remotely and roll down the top from 50 feet or more away with this keypad as well. There are probably more things that I can say about it but this is the Fedora Lounge not Motor Trend. LOL

Regards to all,

J

 

[Wild Root]

Fisk: Those might be fighting words

Well, I have nothing bad to say about the new bug. I have seen the soft top ones and think they look very nice! I have seen one in a light tan and reminds me of a 30's model of some sort. It is a classy car by far! Have you seen the PT-Cruser rag top? That thing looks bad. And I don't mean bad in the good way.LOL

The problem I have with it is that they didn't work on it enough. Take a look and see that in the back how it looks ill fitted. And that roll bar needs to go. On the Bug, there is a smooth transition from body to fabric top! The PT however, dosen't have the smooth clean lines as far as the convertible top is conserned.

Fisk, over here in Southern California most of the people I see drive that car are girls. Little rich girls at that. I do know of a guy that has a few 1950 Ford Woodies that drives a new bug! It's sorot of a mellon color with a black rag top! Looks nice. I also had a friend that drove one for a few years and then sold it for a Minnie Cooper. She loved it and said it was a good car. I wouldn't mind haveing a convertable my self!

What color is your bug Fisk?

Root.

 

[Andykev]

Duck, it's the headliner

You know how expensive that car is? WOW.

My preference is a TRUE 1940's Buick where there was almost a foot (ok for me) of headroom wearing a hat. The seat was soft and you settled in to the leather.

I wear my hat witout a problem in the Toyota Avalon, and my Ranger P/U.. The wife's car is another story...Jetta.

 

[Wild Root]

Andy, the best head room is in a 20's, 30's, 40's and 50's auto! I feel that when hats whent out of favor, then so did the head room in cars.

It's a shame that head room is not there in most cars I see out on the market. It's hard even for a tall man with out a hat!

Times have not changed for the better in auto design.

Root.

PS. Andy, did you see that 1941 Buick for sell I posted some time ago? It was going real cheep.

 

[Andykev]

It's the 60's

Yep I did, and I found a better...I'.ll pm you later on that.

The roof height is said to be one of the reasons hats for men went out of fashion. Also, some say Kennedy's new look.

I think it was a bunch of things, to change this slightly.

I think the hats went out of favor due to the sloppy hippy long hair 60's. Anti conformity to the establishment.

You look sharp in a fedora with a nice haircut (please don't beat me up on this), but IMHO you don't look good with a mop of a hairstyle and a hat on it.

In any event you'd have to go up a full size to squeeze in all that hair.

 

[Wild Root]

LOL LOL LOL

Good one! I see some guys around that have nice hats, but seem to be allergic to scissors LOL

These hats look way better on a clean cut gent. I saw something the other day at work that just made me want to toss cookies! A young boy of age I would guess 13 or so. He had such long hair that I first thought he was a girl! He was of a very small build and he just didn't look like a guy! Blah! CUT IT OFF MAN! Do us all a favor! Oh, and that whole thing about girls digging a guy with long hair, yeah, I think their gate swings in two directions if you get my drift.

Any way, I would love to see your car soon!

see ya,

Root.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I am not sure of all the reasons hats went out of style, they did for women, too, in mid-century. I've heard that Kennedy was one reason, he of the beautiful hair and face, but I know that about that time, a lot of guys started wearing their hair long, even if it was a Beatles mop and, later, longer hair.

Men started having hair styles instead of cuts and I think, when you pay a lot for a hair style, you want to show it off and not hide it with a hat. Also, when you take off the hat, you have what a friend of mine calls "hat hair" and it doesn't look good. If you pay $60 for a good hair styling, you may be hesitant to ruin it when you go out.

And then, alas, by the 70's, fedoras were associated with drug dealers and pimps, the criminal element. It was, what I call the "Superfly" image. And it was so bad that, during the 80's and 90's, I had male friends who wanted to wear fedoras and were afraid to do so -- because the police stopped them on the streets and in their cars. I gave away two fedoras to a couple of guys I worked with, and neither of them wore the hats but once. When I asked them why, they said they had both been stopped by cops.
One was African American and the other was Hispanic, but they were both clean cut guys with short hair. And the fedoras were not zoot, they were ordinary 2" brims.

Maybe Hollywood will bring hats back, maybe we all will, who knows? I know I love my hats and get lots of compliments on them from both men and women. I haven't been "profiled" by the police, or, if I had, they saw a middle-aged woman wearing a hat and decided I wasn't a Cocaine Mama type.

And I think you guys look wonderful in your hats. So there!

karol

 

[Andykev]

And now for a different shade on things....

Your post struck a chord with me tonight. I just realized that what you said is true. Being stopped for "image" reasons. It is now politically correctness called "profiling".

But the larger question. The Lounge seems to me, well, monotone....if you get my drift.

Some of the people I work with are "African Americans", or as I say "black". Who cares, they are great co workers, and good friends. I also note that outside this "Lounge", most people here on the "Left Coast" that wear and accept hats are Black Men. And sharp dressers too. It's almost as if some are transports to the "golden age"....of course our members here share the love of vintage, retro, etc.

I just thought this funny, as when I started wearing my fedora to work..which, well took GUTS, the only people who did not have some jerk comment to make were the "African Americans". Hummm maybe some history in wanting accpetance transferred to others.

Just more "nice hat' from them instead of the white guys saying "hey Dick Tracy".

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Yes, I wondered if some of you fellows hadn't been hassled for wearing your hats. Some of you, from what I have seen of your photos, look fairly young, and society is pretty tough on and unfair to those who don't fit the mode. Out here it is ballcaps and straw hats and, further on in East County, cowboy hats. I thought to myself when I joined the Lounge, my god, these guys are pretty gutsy to wear those beautiful, vintage fedoras.

I think you are right on with your observations about African American guys -- many are not afraid to wear the "retro" styles. My union field rep wears fedoras, suspenders to match his suits, crisply starched shirts, great ties, cuffs and matching handerchiefs. I think he looks wonderful, and such a standout sitting next to all the county guys in their blah clothes.

And who but the black church ladies are carrying on the old tradition of great women's hats? (Well, also gals who go to the race track.)

We women can get by with more than you fellows can. It is eccentric for a white woman to wear a fedora, too, but I don't get hassled. I say "white women" because we have people of many cultures here and lots of Asian-Pacific women will wear short-brimmed hats (usually straw), not to mention the South American women who wear fedoras. Older women and men can wear what they want, and, of course, the rockers. Long live Santana!

It has been my experience that first you are eccentric, then people who like you begin to like what you wear, then, some start getting the guts to wear them, too.

So, wear your hats, my bravehearts, and we will change the world one fedora at a time.

karol