Hat seasons in Southern California

[kaosharper1]

As a recent Northeast transplant, I'm not sure how I'm going to transition my hats here, so I thought I'd ask for some help. I've been wearing my Panama Bob hats since my arrival in mid-June. Of course, being from the Northeast originally I have a number of fur felts - 3 Akubras (a DM Adventurer, a Federation III, and a Sydney) and a new Camptown Metro. When can I expect to be able to wear them?

I'm hoping some fellow SoCal Loungers can give me some advice.

Thanks.

 

[GWD]

I plan on wearing my felt hats on weather appropriate days. Lets face reality, the weather here in So. Cal. isn't very seasonal it could be 85 degrees in December here. So on cool days I'll wear a felt hat and on warm days I'll wear a straw. Very few, if anyone, will notice if you're not wearing a season appropriate hat.

 

[SweetieStarr]

All year long!

 

[kaosharper1]

I plan on wearing my felt hats on weather appropriate days. Lets face reality, the weather here in So. Cal. isn't very seasonal it could be 85 degrees in December here. So on cool days I'll wear a felt hat and on warm days I'll wear a straw. Very few, if anyone, will notice if you're not wearing a season appropriate hat.

So I can hope to wear a light felt, like the Sydney, in late September or early October?

I'm afraid that I'll overheat if I wear them "all year long" as much as I'd like to, SweetieStar.

I'm dying to wear the Metro but 89 degrees is a little to much for the heavy felt.

 

[GWD]

So I can hope to wear a light felt, like the Sydney, in late September or early October?

I'm afraid that I'll overheat if I wear them "all year long" as much as I'd like to, SweetieStar.

I'm dying to wear the Metro but 89 degrees is a little to much for the heavy felt.

It does get kinda cold here a few weeks a year, down in the low 40's so yeah expect to wear your felt hats at least 3 to 4 weeks.

 

[Miss Neecerie]

So I can hope to wear a light felt, like the Sydney, in late September or early October?

Late Sept and Early October is the Traditional and Official 'Last heat wave' 4 weeks. Its been known to get well up into the 95+ range those weeks....sort of a 'goodbye to summer' without the goodbye.

So Late Oct....probably a better transition point.

 

[duggap]

Well get you a Panama hat that has about 600 weaves per square inch and see if your felt doesn't seem cooler to you. I know my last one is a beauty but it is a hot hat to wear because of the fine weave. I believe I could carry water in this one.[huh]

 

[kaosharper1]

Thanks, everyone.

 

[Tony in Tarzana]

I wear felts pretty much year round, I have some lighter weight felts that work well in Southern California's generally dry heat.

This summer has been a lot muggier than normal, though. Muggy weather brings out the Panama, or my boater on occasion.

 

[Magus]

No "set season" in a fashonista sence, BUT mainly I wear straw (Panama and Cuenca) through the summer and about Oct I start wearing felts. Just be ready to mop your brow from time to time and give the hats a decent cleaning to remove the sweat marks periodicly. Not to be "gross" but a nice build up of sweat in a hatband and felt is fairly cooling. If I waiteed to chilly enough weather to wear my felt I would ge to put them on about 2 weeks a year ;-)

 

[John in Covina]

In a way, Southern California is not a very rule orientated place. If your sensibilities will not allow you to wear a felt hat when it is warm then your season for felt will be from about mid November until April or early May.

Note that as mentioned in a previous reply, hot weather can occur in Southern California at any time, 80's, 90's, and even 100 degree weather can pop up out of season. (Usually, that hot weather will be associated with Santa Ana Wind conditions, but even then sometimes not.)

So now you may be saying, "Shoot, I'll hardly get to wear those marvelous fur felt fedoras I own!" Well then, it maybe time to change your sensibilites and wear what you like when you like. I will say that many of the guys i know out here are not committed to wearing straws and Panamas exclusively during hot weather, they wear what they feel like wearing. I wear a straw now and again, but mostly fur felts even in the hottest weather. Mostly I know that I need to keep the sun off of my head and I can take off the hat for a short period of time to cool off.

For historical background, in most real US city crowd photos from the vintage era, you will note even in the summer time it is rare to see a high percentage of straws or Panamas, most ordinary folks did not have a bevy of hats, so felt hats are more common in most places. I would also add that for the most part cowboys who were out in heat and cold seemed to stick with a fur felt cowboy hat (mostly).

That's just the way I see it, there are rules and there are Rules, some are meant to be broken.

The most important thing is to have fun and share with others.

 

[kaosharper1]

No fashionista sensibilities here! I grew up in the 60s. I was thinking more practically since I tend to heat up pretty easily. But the low humidity here in SoCal does make a difference so I think I'll be able to wear the felts at higher temperatures than I could in the northeast where high temps and high humidity go hand in hand.

The other day when the temp hit 89 in Pasadena I wore my Sydney (which I rebashed into a porkpie) and it felt fine. So I guess I'll just have to experiment a little. The Camptown Metro has a ventilated seatband so maybe I'll be able to wear it in warmer weather. Once it gets back down into the lower 80s I'll give the heavier felts a try.

Thanks again everyone for helping out a new Angelino.

 

[zeus36]

Living near the beach means lots of marine layer days, fog, and cooler temps. Allows for lots of coat and hat wear. So if you can move west of Pasendena....