Frayed Bows

[redhawks2]

I have a few hats and have seen many more that have fraying at the rear of the bow and nowhere else. Anybody know how/why this happens?

 

[Dinerman]

It was a stylistic feature, done intentionally at the factory. It's not actually fraying. It's especially common on hats from the '20s and '30s and on Cavanaghs.

 

[CRH]

I have a few hats and have seen many more that have fraying at the rear of the bow and nowhere else. Anybody know how/why this happens?

Some were made that way back in the day.

 

[Herzen]

It was a stylistic feature, done intentionally at the factory. It's not actually fraying. It's especially common on hats from the '20s and '30s and on Cavanaghs.

+1

All my Cavanaghs have that.

 

[mayserwegener]

It was a stylistic feature, done intentionally at the factory. It's not actually fraying. It's especially common on hats from the '20s and '30s and on Cavanaghs.

It is also common on old P. & C. Habig hats.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Come to think of it, I've seen the same on a few hats that passed through my hands. Sort of a precursor of the "distressed" look in fashion? [huh] Kind of odd,...maybe to set a maker's hats apart from others at a glance?

 

[Nick D]

It also seems to be quite common, if not the norm, on bowlers.

 

[mayserwegener]

P. & C. Habig Frayed Bows

Fedora

Homburg

Both early 1950s.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Could simply be a case of this was the point at which the ribbon was cut from a roll,...the end just not finished because it was too time consuming to do so with the ribbon already in place. [huh]

 

[mayserwegener]

Could simply be a case of this was the point at which the ribbon was cut from a roll,...the end just not finished because it was too time consuming to do so with the ribbon already in place. [huh]

Have to believe it was done on purpose (visual effect?). The bow work on these Habigs is very top quality.

 

[Dinerman]

The majority of hats I've seen with this treatment have been higher end makers/ models.

 

[feltfan]

I still feel guilty about email I sent to an eBay seller, complaining
about the frayed edge of a bow... it was a Cavanagh of extremely good
quality, almost new condition, 7 1/2 extra long oval and quite reasonably
priced... If I still had her email address I'd send an apology.

I think it flaunts the fine quality silk used for those ribbons.
Nice style accent.

 

[Brad Bowers]

It's too bad the frayed look can't be done with modern hat band ribbon. Believe me, I've tried, but between the fabric content and the weaving, it winds up like a train wreck, unraveling all over the place.

Brad

 

[John Galt]

It's too bad the frayed look can't be done with modern hat band ribbon. Believe me, I've tried, but between the fabric content and the weaving, it winds up like a train wreck, unraveling all over the place.

Brad

Thought I'd responded to this thread with much of the same as above - maybe it's in the ether. [Edit - It is in the recent Bowler Ribbon Question thread on the same issue]. Anyway, I believe this was done for exactly the reason Brad notes - to show the quality of the ribbon as compared to inferior types. I seem to recall seeing an ad touting this once - probably an old Cavanagh ad, I'm guessing. Doubt I could find it, but will look...

[Edit: No luck, but I did find that there are products - including one called "Fray Check" -that those in the sewing arts use to prevent fraying.]

"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[KingAndrew]

Fray Chek is also used in costuming. It allows the costumer to leave the edge of the fabric unfinished (that is unhemmed) without it unraveling. It's not good enough for close inspection, but works great on stage.

 

[Mulceber]

Yep, what Galt said - the frayed edge look wasn't attempting to make the hat look distressed, but rather, to show off the high quality of the ribbon - hence why it was a favorite design feature of Cavanagh.

 

[DOGMAN]

I really like the looks of frayed bows.I have been able to fray modern ribbon on a few of my western conversions.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

"A Frayed bow add a youthful touch to the hat." from an issue of Hatlife.

 

[fabiovenhorst]

It also seems to be quite common, if not the norm, on bowlers.

Indeed, my 20's Tress & Co. bowler has a frayed bow. Also my german Arno Weiske opera hat and my Sombreros De Luca fedora

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Michael Gannon sent me some photos of his hats with frayed bows. I like the look, but I still prefer them unfrayed.