Guidance in buying my first Fedora for winter

[Txmason]

Howdy!

I have now entered the hat world with my first summer hat, a panama from panamabob and panamas.biz. I am now in search of a Fedora for the winter months (that would be just half of January in Texas). I am looking for a classically styled Fedora with the snap brim and a low crown. One that I can wear dressed up or casual with the colors of grey, black, khaki dress pants, or a black, navy sports coats. I was in a store called, The Hat People in Old Town Spring, Spring, Texas and they had a Biltmore Senator size 7 1/2 for $160.00. I felt that that was high, so I googled it when I got to the truck and they are selling for $60.00 and they are the low end of the type of Fedora. Plus, I also found at the shop they had some packable Fedoras too.

Also, I am interested in the Akubra Stylemaster as well. Really, I have no idea where to start or what price point is where I need to be.

What I would like help with is:

1. Recommendations for style of Fedora that is classic
2. Has a low crown
3. Has a wide brim (like the Indiana Jones hat)
4. Fair price
5. Quality and trustworthy place to buy from

Thank you so very much! Maybe I need a hat shopping buddy! We should do that!

Best,
Jerry

 

[job]

The Akubra Stylemaster in mid-grey would be a great choice. It has a low crown and is a great hat for the money. Under $120 delivered.
http://everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=535

 

[gtdean48]

Hats Direct is another Aussie source of fine Akubra fedoras. http://hatsdirect.com/cgi-bin/products.cgi?group=Fedora+Hats
David Morgan is US importer of Akubras & has some exclusive models. www.davidmorgan.com

You can find some cheaper but few better....

 

[jlee562]

If you're buying a new, off the rack, modern factory hat, I'd say a good range is $100-$250. Past $250, you're really getting to the point where it makes sense to get a custom hat made. Black Sheep Hatworks rabbit fut hats start at $235 for example, while Falcon Park Hattery's rabbit felts start at $195 and Beaver at $295. Below $100 is probably a wool felt, or not of great quality. Akubra is an all around good choice for a felt hat; they're durable and stand up to rain well, and the finishing (ribbon work, pouncing, etc) are well done for a factory made hat. In addition to Job's suggestion of Everything Australian, many of us have dealt with hatsdirect.com, the online presence of The Hattery in Katoomba, Australia. They stock Akubras as well.

 

[MrAcheson]

Akubra Stylemaster or Sydney. I have a Sydney and I really like it although the charcoal/carbon gray is quite dark. You can probably make a Federation work too as the crown height is really all in the bash.

 

[fedoralover]

Really for not much more money ($175.00) you can get a custom 100% beaver felt fedora, made to your specs from Mike Miller in Eugene Ore. You can locate him at www.northwesthats.com His phone number is 541-515-0422.

I have seen Mike's work and he does an excellent job. He made this hat for me and did a great job. I've had him renovate 4 others and they turned out great. He uses Winchester felt for his bodies and does a great job pouncing them to a fine finish. His edge bindings are tight and sewn at the back seam.

Here's one he renovated for me. It was unwearable before he reblocked it and put a new sweatband in it.

fedoralover

 

[TomS]

Hi there... Always good to see another Traveler!

I have an Akubra that I bought a year or so ago, and I think its a great hat. They are tough, good looking, and require very little care. The most important thing, make sure you smile when you put the lid on!!

Best,
Tom

 

[Edward]

If you want an Indy style hat for a first fedora, I'd look no further than the Akubra Federation, as mentioned above - www.hatsdirect.com. The moonstone grey is probably the most flexible option.

Howdy!

I have now entered the hat world with my first summer hat, a panama from panamabob and panamas.biz. I am now in search of a Fedora for the winter months (that would be just half of January in Texas). I am looking for a classically styled Fedora with the snap brim and a low crown. One that I can wear dressed up or casual with the colors of grey, black, khaki dress pants, or a black, navy sports coats. I was in a store called, The Hat People in Old Town Spring, Spring, Texas and they had a Biltmore Senator size 7 1/2 for $160.00. I felt that that was high, so I googled it when I got to the truck and they are selling for $60.00 and they are the low end of the type of Fedora. Plus, I also found at the shop they had some packable Fedoras too.

Also, I am interested in the Akubra Stylemaster as well. Really, I have no idea where to start or what price point is where I need to be.

What I would like help with is:

1. Recommendations for style of Fedora that is classic
2. Has a low crown
3. Has a wide brim (like the Indiana Jones hat)
4. Fair price
5. Quality and trustworthy place to buy from

Thank you so very much! Maybe I need a hat shopping buddy! We should do that!

Best,
Jerry

 

[Benzadmiral]

Jerry,

The Akubras are great recommendations. I bought two Federations just from reading about them here, long before I actually joined the Fedora Lounge. They came all the the way from Australia in good order, fit well, were easy to shape, and have stood up to rain and cold (what little cold we have in Da Swamp, anyway).

If you want a little lower crown but a relatively wide brim in a dress hat, Stetson's Temple model is a good choice. I've owned a few, still have two, and wear them from time to time. The Stetson/Resistol Outlet is, I've read here, in Garland. They have no website, but you can search here for the phone number. You might get a bargain in your size.

Here's what a Temple looks like in mink brown: http://www.meyerthehatter.com/meyer...3201+TEMPLE&pf_id=PAOHIDAKEIIDMLMF&dept_id=31

 

[Dick Ireland]

I started the other way around, felt then straw. Having a good hat sure makes you feel like a million bucks, right?

My two cents: a nice, gray hat would be the most versatile; you could wear it with any of the colors you mentioned, some better than others depending on the shade I think.

 

[fedoralover]

I had a Temple, wouldn't recommend it for the rain, it lost it's shape rather quickly when worn in bad weather. If you are going to be wearing your fedora in the weather a lot, a 100% beaver is still the way to go in the long run.
Second best bet would be an Akubra Deluxe felt. The Deluxe has a higher quality sweatband and the felt is also higher quality than the regular. Higher pice, but will last a lot longer and look better after being in the elements.
fedoralover

 

[John in Covina]

Akubra Squatter.

 

[scottyrocks]

I love this. Was this a mash-up of two older hats? Is this the same hat I saw on FL a couple of months ago that I actually commented on? I would love to make one of these for myself.

 

[fedoralover]

I love this. Was this a mash-up of two older hats? Is this the same hat I saw on FL a couple of months ago that I actually commented on? I would love to make one of these for myself.

I had a vintaqe Cuenca panama that I wasn't wearing much so I asked Mike Miller, a hatter I didn't even know was in my home town until a month or so ago, if he could put a felt brim on it. He said he could and this is the result. It's a steel gray rabbit felt, with a new ribbon and sweatband. Since I had my own straw body the cost of the marriage was $100. I get a lot of compliments on it.

As noted in my above post, I've seen examples of Mikes finished work and it is really good. He's a smaller operation and doesn't have all the options some of the other hatters have but if you want a high quality 100% beaver felt custom hat you would be hard pressed to find a better buy than $175.00. I would be puzzled why you would want an off the shelf store bought rabbit for around the same money. But life is full of mysteries to me.

Here's the contact info for anyone who just wants to check out what he can give you. mike@northwesthats.com phone #541-515-0422

fedoralover

 

[scottyrocks]

Thanks so much for the background info. I still want to make one of these myself. I guess I can scrounge up a couple of hats somewhere to make into one of these.

I see a lot of hats on FL. Most of them are nice, a few make me look twice, but this one makes me gasp when I see it. It's that good.

 

[DougC]

You know--I've read and re-read this post and keep coming back to a modern Stetson Strat. Low crown, wide-ish brim, classic look and available at just about any hat shop. I'm sure there is a good hat shop in Houston that can help out. If not, come to San Antonio and visit Paris Hatters.

 

[Landman]

If you are not going to go the custom route I would recommend an Akubra Campdraft in Silverbelly. The color goes with anything and since it is an exact copy of a Stetson Open Road it would look right at home in Texas.

 

[DougC]

I'll second the Campdraft--BUT the OP wanted a low crown. BUT, I love my Campdraft.

 

[Landman]

I'll second the Campdraft--BUT the OP wanted a low crown. BUT, I love my Campdraft.

I notice that too but since the Campdraft is 5 1/2" open crown I think he should able to bash a crown anyway he wants. The Stetson Stratoliner you recommended are nice too. I have never worn mine in any rain though so I don't know how it would hold up. I do know the Campdraft and all the other Akubra's are great in the rain.

 

[carldelo]

You know--I've read and re-read this post and keep coming back to a modern Stetson Strat. Low crown, wide-ish brim, classic look and available at just about any hat shop. I'm sure there is a good hat shop in Houston that can help out. If not, come to San Antonio and visit Paris Hatters.

This is what occurred to me as well - I have a modern Strat in Caribou and it is really nice, especially in that it has a gray rather than black ribbon, which for some reason makes it very versatile. For a reliable dealer (which the OP was interested in), you can't do better than Bencraft, who will make sure you get the hat you want.

Akubra is also a good idea of course - my only reservation is that, for a beginner who's not 100% sure what he wants, returns are not really much of an option, as shipping a hat back to Oz is prohibitively expensive. Same goes for custom - I would think a custom lid is really for those who've been wearing hats for a few years and know exactly what they want, and what looks good.