Future of hats

[Matt Deckard]

I've seen Nordstrom's cary Baily straws and some unmentionable felts that I thought were horrable for the over $100 price.

I have seen Brooks Brothers offer super floppy junky fur felts with cloth sweatbands.

Do you guys and gals think we will ever see the return of quality hats to department stores?

Stetson is not the best, but I'm sure they could make a killing with all the new interest in wearing hats.
The MTV music awards was awash with them, and they are popping up in magazines all over. Why isn't Akubra or Stetson leading the field.
I'm tired of the general consumer seeing only these chintzy lower quality more expensive felts on the racks.

 

[Wild Root]

I was at an Arco station filling up and I walked in to pay the man for the gas. He loved my fedora! He thought he was the only one crazy enough to wear one. I asked him what brand of hat he had. He said he only has an Indy fedora from Disney Land, but wants to get more hats. The average man has no clue to where one can find a good hat. Not every one can find a vintage hat in their size and the color they really want.

That's why custom hat making is the future of fedoras in this day.

Keep those hats on my friends! Well, unless you are indoors that is. Must remember our manners you know.

 

[Matt Deckard]

That ad is really pretty rad.

You'd think Ralph Lauren or one of the other companies that are starting to hark back to vintage style fashions would start carying something worth while to ear with a suit.

 

[havershaw]

I was in a hat shop in Palm Springs a few weeks ago, and they carried a few modern Stetsons. The felt seemed pretty nice on it (and was very well finished). Of course, they were about $200.

We also went into a men's shop which had a large selection of panamas. no felt fedoras, though.

I think non-vintage wearing folks buy their hats either online, or go western shops which also carry fedoras. I think two or three of the malls out here also have hat shops, which, along with their dizzying display of baseball caps and cat-in-the-hat lids, also carry a few fedoras.

You know what I think the greatest crime is? There's a big hat shop here in AZ. their bread and butter is western felts, but they have a huge fedora section too. When I first starting stopping in there, they carried borsalinos and stetsons in their fedora section. Now it's all Golden Gate Hat Company crap, wool and (weirdly) wool/fur felt blends. They're all lousy pre-shaped hats...well, you know the ones...with 'untouchable' printed in the sweat.

most times I see someone (non-vintage wearing) wearing a fedora, it turns out to be a cheapie wool. I get tons of compliments from folks and while I was in Palm Springs, more compliments and questions than I could shake a stick at. Everyone wanted to know where they could get duds like mine (I was wearing a black 1930s suit I bought from Art), but especially the hat. I gave Art's website to five or six folks.

I think if there were good hat shops, men would start wearing them again. I get enough guys asking me where to get a hat like mine that I kind of believe that. I don't know if it'll happen, though...

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I, too, get frustrated with al the cheapie hats around. I do own some and usually end of giving them away. I have some cheapie panama hats because I am fearful of getting something expensive and ruining it. I live in San Diego and it gets too hot here to wear the fur felts on some days.

I love my hats and would wear them almost everywhere if I could. I want to send some photos to this site so you folks can see my hats, but have to learn how to do that.

I hate to tell you how many shaved-head younger guys I see running around in the sunlight without hats. Andykev, in an earlier reply to me, wrote about skin cancer, but I wonder if some of those guys don't get sun stroke or severe sunburn on their domes.

As more and more people wear hats, many will gravitate towards the better quality fur felts and panamas. But, this is a throw-away society we are living in and cheap is what most people seek out. It is part of the Walmartization of America, I fear.

karol

 

[Wild Root]

Oh, man! I agree with that! It is a cheap throw a way society these days. Why buy something that will last for a high price when you can buy something for less at Wal * Mart and it will get the job done for a year or two. Well, one might as well sport those Styrofoam skimmers that they have at costume shops.LOL

 

[Andykev]

Attach pics

If you want to add a photo to your post look down under this box where you type your messages (here)...where it says "Attach file". When I hit the browse button, it takes me to the files on my hard drive where I store my digital photos...

Just find the .gif .jpeg .jpg...on YOUR computer and click the file. It gets put in the box. Then Submit Reply.

Should work. It takes the file (copies it) from your computer and puts it on the "Lounge". Just make sure it conforms to the size limits.

Here is an example.

 

[Wild Root]

Yeah, that's what I do to post pictures Works good!

Root.

 

[jamespowers]

That usually works for me. Using the IMG makes me feel like this:

 

[Wild Root]

LOL LOL LOL Yes.. yes it does.

Root.

 

[Renderking Fisk]

As I said in the Lost Pages and to a small extent on COW: I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m sick of cheap people. There were a few wet behind the ears Junior High drama queens who were whining about how expensive the Akubra Federation Regular is. Then they spend a few killobauds of my bandwidth explaining why the Dorfman is the better deal.

Since the age of 14 I've had to buy what I wanted and I learned quickly that settling for an inferior product more frustrating then waiting a few extra weeks or months to get quality.

Then, when I ?¢‚Ǩ?ìpolitely?¢‚Ǩ? explain in the ?¢‚Ǩ?ìBlack Bird?¢‚Ǩ? forum why The Dorfman isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t going to hold up to much wear and folks would be better off saving for a better lid, a mod came down on me and says that younger members have a right to their opinion just as much as I do. Which is nonsense; my opinion is based on actual experience opposed to those who sit down every afternoon watching Nickelodeon in between posts have no idea what they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re talking about. I have 20 years of experience of wearing these crazy things?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ these kids have less then 10 years experience of being able to feed themselves with out a bib or a sippy cup. Do the math, cha-cha.

What these cheap hats that are being sold now say is that ?¢‚Ǩ?ìFashion?¢‚Ǩ? or Fascism designers don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t believe this new retro-style doesn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t have any staying power?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ it?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s another fad to them. And yes?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ this is a throw away society, a fact that?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s evident when you have to go to the transfer station and see what people throw away; perfectly good items with just a bit of wear get tossed into the dumpster with no regards for the planet we live on.

 

[Matt Deckard]

As a bartender, I will never come down on you for panning the Dorfman.

Cost being a factor...

If you can't afford the low priced akubra, don't get a Dorfman as a pacifier... I'd like to see them pick up the quality or go into another business. I've seen better quality fur felt hats at Burlington coat factory for $12.

For the price, The Akubra is the best buy for the money at around $80.

Wear a ballcap or somethig to tide you over while you save the money if you want a hat that will last.

That's my opinion.

 

[Retro Grouch]

Everytime I hear about a dorfman, this is who I think of.

Sadley, the throw away society doesn't need quality. [huh]

 

[jamespowers]

LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL
I like it. Dorf on Hats! LOL LOL
I also know what you mean about a throw away society. Around here we have special grabage collection days where you can haul a load of stuff to the curb and the garbage truck will come and collect it. You cannot believe what people junk! However, you also have a bunch of people marauding around saving stuff from the dump.
How do I know? Well, on the way to work a few days ago, I saw a hat rack sitting in front of a neighbor's house. Wood and the whole nine yards. I resolved to pick it up on my lunch hour. Yeah right! It was gone! :cry:
So there are some out there who are savign things destined for the dump.

Regards to all,

J

 

[Andykev]

Originally posted by Renderking Fisk
As I said in the Lost Pages and to a small extent on COW: I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m sick of cheap people. There were a few wet behind the ears Junior High drama queens who were whining about how expensive the Akubra Federation Regular is. ...
Since the age of 14 I've had to buy what I wanted and I learned quickly that settling for an inferior product more frustrating then waiting a few extra weeks or months to get quality.

... younger members have a right to their opinion just as much as I do. Which is nonsense; my opinion is based on actual experience opposed to those who sit down every afternoon watching Nickelodeon in between posts have no idea what they?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re talking about. I have 20 years of experience of wearing these crazy things?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ these kids have less then 10 years experience of being able to feed themselves with out a bib or a sippy cup. Do the math, cha-cha.

WOW Ren, you went over the top on that one, bit strong? I see you have two wonderful little fedora wearers...wait until they turn 13! This is when you start getting gray hair.

My boy is almost 13. He now has his own wallet and spending money so he can learn the theory of burning a hole in your pocket. Guess what? You can't tell him anything! Gee, they couldn't tell me anything at that age either.

You have to prepare yourself, you great Dad's out there, for the day when your darling little boy will suddenly consider his smart father to be the stupidist SOB on the planet!

Mark Twain said when he was 16, he thought his father was the dumbest man around. When he turned 21, he was amazed at how much the ol' man had learned in 5 years.

My point, let the "kids" make their own mistakes, learn by experience, and put their money where they choose to or can afford.

And it is NOT NONSENSE, they do have every right to their opinion. Tolerance.

 

[Wild Root]

LOL LOL LOL Well.... Uh, that's what comes to my mind as well!

Fisk, I feel your pain. Though, I do fit in somewhere with those cheep collectors that have been collecting for 10 years. Un like them, I don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t settle for cheep crap when I want something now. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll wait till I have the cash for what I want before I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢ll buy something just to have it. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m the same with hats. I prefer vintage hats my self, but I would like to have a good Optimo some time in the future. I will never buy another cheep wool fedora from a department store. I was buying fedoras that were cheep, but when I found out one could find vintage ones for the same price, I converted and started to collect vintage.

There are a lot of cocky kids out there that like to think they know it all, but let them learn from their own mistakes. Over time they will learn that quality will always outlast the cheep have it now/ throw it way later ways of today.

Don?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t let it get you down Fisk!

All the best,

Root.

 

[Renderking Fisk]

Andy, you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re right to an extent. Personally, if these kids can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t take the advice of someone who?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s been there and done that, then there isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t much more I can do. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m more angered by the people who are ripping the kids off by selling licensed junk then the kids who won?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t take a little longer to buy something decent.

I was using sarcasm to prove a point and it came off too harshly.

Root, thanks for feeling my pain/shame. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m not even talking about these kids saving for an Optimo, I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m talking the Akubra?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s that are built to take the weather better then the Dorfman lids. These kids are going to get angry and bitterly disappointed like I used to when I bought cheap lids. I would like to think I could help kids learn from my experience. Just like I can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t force my sons to eat when they aren?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t hungry?¢‚Ǩ¬¶ I can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t make young fans listen to this old man.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Also, know that some people will never learn. I know folks who are cheap all their lives.

My father, like many who lived during the depression, never could get himself to buy something of quality, i.e., expensive. When he criticized my brother for paying $400 for a front door (this was some years ago), brother retorted, "Yeah, I see all the cheap junk you buy and, over the years, you have probably spent more than $400 replacing doors. This door will outlast me, outlast this house and it is exactly what I want."

Our big hope is that a lot of younger folks will gravitate at some point towards the good hatmakers and great hats. I see more of the younger crowd, guys and gals, wearing those old lids. But, as I said, many won't ever do it -- unless, for some reason, it becomes as much of a status symbol as, say, cars are. I see young people driving Mercedes who can barely afford them. Me, I will drive my Saturn and buy beautiful hats!

karol

 

[Andykev]

Originally posted by Renderking Fisk
Andy, you?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢re right to an extent. Personally, if these kids can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t take the advice of someone who?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢s been there and done that, then there isn?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t much more I can do. I?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢m more angered by the people who are ripping the kids off by selling licensed junk then the kids who won?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t take a little longer to buy something decent.

I was using sarcasm to prove a point and it came off too harshly.

.

I agree. I guess you can only tell them, but they have to make the decision and learn. No substitute for that.

I wish someone had told me about Akubra when I was new...they are a great hat for the price, and will last forever. Your reblocked hat from Art looked wonderful.

My first (non western immitation) real fedora was the Indiana Jones real fur felt hat. It had a real liner, plastic protector on top, leather sweat, and the felt was better than a modern Biltmore. Sadly, the nieces got to it at play time and it left the house without my knowing...all I have left is the liner.

 

[Wild Root]

Fisk, I know you were talking about the Akubra hats. But, I used Optimo as an example. I haven't seen an Akubra up close and have not touched one to know the felt quality. But, I know that you swear by it and that must mean it's a good hat.

I was just looking on the net at photos trying to find one of a young man in a zoot suit that were taken in the 40's. Original zoot suit photos are just so hard to find! All I saw were photos of guys in stupid looking yellow, lavender, green, red and black 100% Polyester zoots. And even cheaper hats! You know, the black wool with the white band.

This is what kids want! This is what most of them think is cool.:cry: It's the Neo Swing generation that likes the flames, dice and spades on their shirts and shoes. Sorry, not for me thanks. LOL

Root