Has anyone been tempted to buy...

[Razzman]

I have to agree with some of the previous posts. That guys prices are outrageous. You could buy a new Akubra Campdraft for less than half of what he is charging. The Campdraft being a nice thin ribboned fedora, that can be shaped and creased to look like Depps style. Depp is wearing vintage hats, and has creased them to his liking. Everything said, it all depends on what your tastes are and what you feel comfortable with. If you like a particular hat, thats all that matters.

 

[barrowjh]

Reverse Effect

I liked the center dent bash when first starting out with felt fedoras, and avoided the C-crown or teardrop because I did not want to be perceived as trying to imitate IJ. I eventually got over it, and now prefer a C-crown, teardrop, or diamond bash. The transition started out as something we refer to (here on this site) as hatitude; and as hatitude becomes second-nature instead of a cerebral effort, you no longer react to the fact that your preferred bash looks like someone else's, or one made famous by a movie/actor. I still have some center-dent bashed hats and some center crease hombergs, but they are not my preferred style.

The way Depp angles the front brim was featured on an old Stetson ad I have seen on this site, and it was labeled as 'hollywood' - it was an ad that featured several different bash/brim combinations, each with a title. IMHO, this causes me to have greater respect for Depp; he is aware of hat history and is deliberately using that knowledge. I think that particular 'hollywood' look is one that only a handsome face can really pull off; as it pulls in attention to the wearer's face, and he is clearly among the few that can wear that bash and make it look good. I certainly have no intention of trying to mimic that one . . .

 

[gtdean48]

.... I think that particular 'hollywood' look is one that only a handsome face can really pull off; as it pulls in attention to the wearer's face, and he is clearly among the few that can wear that bash and make it look good. I certainly have no intention of trying to mimic that one . . .

Douglas certainly pulls that brim shape off!!!

 

[barrowjh]

The angled 'hollywood' brim just seems to go better with some faces than with others. In the Monteagle 2009 thread (Events), post 3, the 'hollywood' bash goes OK with the Major also.

If you wear your fedora with a tilt, and the brim is snapped down in front, you get a similar angle, but it shows less face (definitely less forehead!) than getting that angle via the 'hollywood.' It is a combination of the snap-brim fedora tilt angle with more open access to the face (homberg or bowler), particularly the eyes.

 

[hatflick1]

Why not just get the Squatter by Akubra?
http://www.davidmorgan.com/product_info.php?products_id=82
It's real fur felt for $120. The crown is higher. To me, it looks more like Depp's hat.

 

[Visigoth]

The way Depp angles the front brim was featured on an old Stetson ad I have seen on this site, and it was labeled as 'hollywood' - it was an ad that featured several different bash/brim combinations, each with a title.

Man, if you could track down that ad, I'd love to see it.

 

[barrowjh]

1940 Stetson Playboy Ad

As requested by Visigoth. 'Hollywood Stars' is the bash on the lower left, and Depp's brim configuration matches up with this. Unlikely that he just accidentally happened to naturally choose that bash (natural for a hollywood star to bash his hat just like the 'hollywood stars' bash?), so I presume his choice was based on research or knowledge by someone in costuming, or possibly his own research, but I believe that he is aware of it. And as previously stated, I respect him that much more because he wears his hats with pride and respect for 'hat' fashion.

 

[Visigoth]

Excellent! Thank you! I've in fact seen this ad before, but I was never able to read the fine print.

 

[kaosharper1]

In "The Changeling," which is set in the 1920s, John Malkovich's character wears a fedora with the Hollywood brim treatment. Also, Douglas here uses it often. I've never been able to get it to work.

Since Depp did a great take-off on both Buster Keaton and Chaplin routines in one of his first movies, "Benny and Joone" where he wore a Keaton porkpie, we have to assume that he is very familiar with the Golden era. And I don't think he's ever tried to take credit for inventing his hat's style.

 

[Visigoth]

On the other hand, have you ever seen a hat with the same *combination* of features as Depp's? Hollywood brim; one size too big; huge crown with a high deep pinch?

 

[Lefty]

Depp only gets away with his shenanigans because he's Depp. If you had never seen Depp, and saw someone dressed just like him on the street, you'd laugh about it for weeks.

One of the most common photos posted here always makes me wonder, how should I pair my 8 necklaces with my hat & frosted highlights?

 

[kaosharper1]

On the other hand, have you ever seen a hat with the same *combination* of features as Depp's? Hollywood brim; one size too big; huge crown with a high deep pinch?

How true! He has made the look his own, which is what we all strive to do I think. And he does get away with it because he's famous. In "Bull Durham" I remember Costner saying something to the rookie pitcher about how when he's famous, whatever it was would be considered "colorful" but right now it was just "gross."

 

[dschonn]

I like Johnny Depp's style. I think it suits his personality, and it parallels his acting style to a degree. Most of his memorable roles are a mishmash of different disparate affectations, but he employs them with such conviction and skill that it works most of the time.

What I don't like is when other people try to copy his style. What fits him well looks bad on most everybody else (I definitely include myself in this; I could pull off that hat, maybe the facial hair, but not the necklaces or embroidered shirt or blue-tinted glasses). They usually don't have the conviction to pull it off, and they end up looking silly. It's like how the Beatles weren't hippies (too clean/employed), but hippies were influenced by the Beatles to a fairly ridiculous degree. But they took it too far, and now we all laugh at them.

It's not just that he's famous, it's that he knows exactly what he's doing and believes in it.

 

[Viper Man]

I think you nailed it. Be true to yourself. If you try to dress like Depp you'll fail because you aren't Depp.

 

[JJWord]

I think half the fun in wearing a rare and classy piece of clothing can come from the fact it is/was worn by a screen icon like Bogart, Sinatra or Harrison Ford (as Indiana Jones).

Funnily enough, I found an Indiana Jones hat the other day (that was the brand name) and as nice as it was, it looked very different from the film versions. It was good quality but the crown shape was all wrong. Funny how widely these reproductions can distort from the original.

Keep in mind the hats from all 4 movies are different, and made by 4 different hat makers. If I can recall what Gary White told me, I think Stetson made the hat for either the 2nd or the 1st but I'm pretty sure it was the 2nd (Temple of Doom), Mr. White did the hat for the 3rd (Last Crusade), and the 4th was made by a gentleman who apprenticed under Mr. White.

 

[Justdog]

Depp hats

I have several OR vintage hats that well emulate the look J Depp has if I chose to wear them JDs way, as in, emulate that particular unique style.
I think it is great J Depp wears hats and brings attention and interest back to hats. Personally I wear mine in my own style and own confidence. That fur felt modern 225 dollar hat wont come close to the quality of a less expensive vintage hat with similar dimensions. We are aware of course of a person who could make one for not much more but of far superior felt quality. As long as interest keeps increasing in hat wearing again I think it is great, emulation or individualism.

 

[Chinaski]

This is an interesting topic. The cynical among us will say Mr. Depp is over the top and ridiculous with the oversized, unconventionally bashed lid, blue shades, necklaces, etc., while others will recognize Depp is making the style his own.

As we can see daily based on pictures posted on The Lounge, sometimes the overall look works and sometimes it doesn't. That kelly green porkpie Borsalino with the Hawaiian shirt pic posted by (insert fictitious FL'er here) might or might not cut it - it all depends on personal style and wearing it like an old, favorite pair of jeans.

 

[Mario]

I think that particular 'hollywood' look is one that only a handsome face can really pull off; as it pulls in attention to the wearer's face, and he is clearly among the few that can wear that bash and make it look good. I certainly have no intention of trying to mimic that one . . .

I always loved this particular bash that Jimmy Stewart is sporting here:

Ever tried it, anyone?

 

[Torpedo]

I liked the center dent bash when first starting out with felt fedoras, and avoided the C-crown or teardrop because I did not want to be perceived as trying to imitate IJ. I eventually got over it, and now prefer a C-crown, teardrop, or diamond bash. The transition started out as something we refer to (here on this site) as hatitude; and as hatitude becomes second-nature instead of a cerebral effort, you no longer react to the fact that your preferred bash looks like someone else's, or one made famous by a movie/actor. I still have some center-dent bashed hats and some center crease hombergs, but they are not my preferred style.

Interesting. Every one of the hats (both the brown and the grey ones) worn by Ford in the movies is a center dent, in fact. Crown height, severity and characteristics of the frontal pinch, brim width, taper, etc, all of these change from movie to movie AND even in the same given movie (because differents hat are used), but it remains a center dent.

But, curiously, "official" merchandise Indy hats, those with the Indy pin and labels, including those available at DisneyWorld for instance, do sport a teardrop/c-crown (probably because moulds for these are readily available, although so are center dent moulds, too, so go figure). Even the hats sold by Stetson, as official Indy hats, after they provided some hats for the 2nd movie, were c-crowns if I am not wrong -unlike the very ones that appear in some scenes of the movie.

This may probably have something to do with the wrong perception public at large have, about Indy wearing one of those.