Hat size versus acceptability.

[HoundstoothLuke]

We've all been through it, the stares, the comments and so forth when wearing a hat. However, has anyone else noticed that it seems to be that the shorter the brim, the more "socially acceptable" it is to wear a hat? I found that recently when switching from a fedora to a trilby, it attracted far fewer comment and strange looks, despite being the same shape and shade of grey, and the only difference being a a 1inch shorter brim.

 

[Brent Hutto]

Absolutely. The shorter the brim and the shorter and more tapered the crown the more people will generally like it. There's a good reason mass market hats have gotten smaller in the crown and brim over the years.

My preference would be to wear something with a 2"-ish brim and something more like a porkpie or shortish telescope or teardrop in the crown. My head does not allow it but that's what I think looks best.

 

[stlenney]

Yup. Just look at all the hats at Target, department stores, etc... Pretty much nothing but low crowns and stingy brims.

 

[LocktownDog]

During the summer, I wear straw hats with 7" brims. I tend to get nothing but "amish" comments.

 

[M6Classic]

We've all been through it, the stares, the comments and so forth when wearing a hat. However, has anyone else noticed that it seems to be that the shorter the brim, the more "socially acceptable" it is to wear a hat? I found that recently when switching from a fedora to a trilby, it attracted far fewer comment and strange looks, despite being the same shape and shade of grey, and the only difference being a a 1inch shorter brim.

Nope.

Buzz

 

[Stan]

Hi,

I find that the brim width and crown size that works best has to be considered with the size of the individual and the shape of the face.

If a smaller man with a thin face wears a hat with too tall a crown and too wide a brim, then they look - odd.

If a larger man with a full face wears a hat with too short a crown and too narrow a brim, then they look - odd.

If one looks odd, then one is bound to get odd looks!

Personally, I look *very* odd when wearing a Trilby or a Stingy brim Fedora. I also look odd in anything approaching a typical Western hat with one exception. If the crown has been greatly shortened by restyling it into a Gambler, then I can get away with a 3" to 3-1/2" brim.

My best look is with a 4-1/2" to 5" creased crown height and a 2-5/8" to 2-3/4" brim width. Anything outside those ranges wind up looking odd on me.

This is something we all need to think about. Back in the day, the hat shops used to have styling charts showing several face types with which hat dimensions went with which. I'm sure that those references are around here somewhere, but it's not something that exists in the mainstream these days...

Later!

Stan

 

[St.Ignatz]

Brent, I think that to some degree your attitude sets the acceptability. No matter what hat you wear you will always get a second look from some people whether it's a "what is he trying to prove" or " that's not bad" or some times they seem surprised that they actually like a fine fed. If a wide brim seems like a beach umbrella on your head try wearing a sombrero around the house for a few days. You won't believe how small the wide brims have gotten on your other hats. I'm 5' 5" so I know a tall crown can make you look like one of the gangsters in that old Bugs Bunny cartoon. One half inch makes all the difference in height you need as long as you don't whack out the proportions too radically.
Tom D.

 

[Ray-Vigo]

Judging by what's selling in the discount Target bin and the like, the hat should have a brim of about 1/16 of an inch.

Call me out-of-touch, but I think they're ugly.

 

[dhermann1]

From what I read and see, it appears the the UK is even more intolerant of people being "different" than the US is. That's a darn shame, in a land that used to be proud of its "eccentrics".

 

[CRH]

During the summer, I wear straw hats with 7" brims. I tend to get nothing but "amish" comments.

Amish? If judged by the upstanding character of the Amish folks I know, consider it a compliment.

Seven inch brim in the summer? You might be the smartest person here, LTD.

 

[gtdean48]

There does seem to be a point where you go from getting the John Wayne/Malboro Man/Roy Roger/Gene Autrey comment to the getting the Bogart/Indiana Jones/Gangster/Mafia comment. When going to horse shows & having to fly, I don't get as many comments with a western hat as I do if I had a fedora & an overcoat on a business trip... [huh]

 

[CRH]

There does seem to be a point where you go from getting the John Wayne/Malboro Man/Roy Roger/Gene Autrey comment to the getting the Bogart/Indiana Jones/Gangster/Mafia comment. When going to horse shows & having to fly, I don't get as many comments with a western hat as I do if I had a fedora & an overcoat on a business trip... [huh]

It's probably the merry jingle of your spurs that sets folks aback so far that their tongues are paralyzed.

 

[Dreispitz]

From what I read and see, it appears the the UK is even more intolerant of people being "different" than the US is. That's a darn shame, in a land that used to be proud of its "eccentrics".

At this point I do have to defend our neighbour country. There are certainly enough "eccentrics" around in the UK to create a critical mass to keep some national identity erect. So, don´t worry about that.

What, indeed, can be observed is a Pan-European - if not international - tendency of political and social normative reasoning based on arbitrary notions of political correctness not challenged by reason, as such. The term "diversity" is used in a sense only applying to a very narrow pre-defined spectrum relative to the notion of the frivolously alleged norm, as it were.

Hats, and there dimensions in particular, might fall into this category when the wearer is confronted with phenotypes of such pretentious collective mindset.

Solution: Non hat wearer´s ingroup bias against an outgroup minority of hat wearers can easily be overcome by the gradual increase of hats being worn in public.

Therefore: Have courage and wear your hats!

 

[Delthayre]

Twa-ha-ha-hee-hoo

I have the luxury of being oblivious to stares, but given that I could not be free of them without changing nearly ever physical aspect of me, I have little choice. Regardless of their gawking, most people seem to in fact like my hats, which all have wide-brims, so there's little real bother in wearing it.

Narrow brims do seem to be more popular, although a few months ago in the lobby of my apartment house a young couple asked me where I'd bought my hat, an Art Fawcett original with a 2 5/8" brim, as they only one's that they'd found for sale were stingy brimmed, which is not what they wanted. I directed them to Mister Fawcett, but I wish I'd come up with the Akubra Federation or Stetson Nostalgia as I don't think that they were ready to spend quite what Mister Fawcett charges, more than reasonable as his price is.

 

[gtdean48]

It's probably the merry jingle of your spurs that sets folks aback so far that their tongues are paralyzed.

Those suckers make me have to check baggage!!!! :eusa_doh:

 

[JimWagner]

Back in the day, the hat shops used to have styling charts showing several face types with which hat dimensions went with which. I'm sure that those references are around here somewhere, but it's not something that exists in the mainstream these days...

Try this:

http://www.fabulous-hats.com/man-face.html

 

[daizawaguy]

Therefore: Have courage and wear your hats!

:eusa_clap

 

[Lefty]

One thing that is barely mentioned here, because we try to play nice, is that some hats just look bad on some people.

In other cases, the person becomes identified with a certain style of hat, and any change is out of place. Having seen RBH almost exclusively in wide-brimmed thin-ribbons, if I saw him in a wide-ribboned stingy, I'd probably think he looked terrible - though if I had previously never seen him, it might be fine.

The last case is the affectation - the costumed look. Some guys can pull of a trench coat, sunglasses, black and white spectators, and/or various other items with a hat, but many look like they're playing dress-up. To me, this is no different from the guy with the sagging pants, backwards cap, jersey over a t-shirt, gold chains, etc. There's a balance to be achieved.

 

[Stan]

Try this:

http://www.fabulous-hats.com/man-face.html

Hi,

Yes! That's what I was referring to. I have a vintage chart much like this one. It uses different text, but has the exact same pen & ink line drawings. It's great that it's online and even greater that you knew where it lived out there in cyberspace.

FWIW, I fit into category #1.

later!

Stan

 

[Sam Craig]

hat-equette

Most of us have encountered the fellow with a conspicuous lid who refuses to follow proper etiquette and leaves all non-hatters an out, but the reality is that it is up to each of us to use good judgement about the type hats we wear and to, within reason, wear them in an appropriate manner.

That means placing them under our chair in a public meeting or in an eating establishment where they aren't safe — perhaps even leaving them in the car if we must — rather than wearing them inappropriately.

Beyond that, however, I agree with the comments that it's up to each person's style to find those designs that are appropriate, whether it be a western broad-brim or a stingy-brim trilby.

We hatters could just as easily get offended by outlandish ear rings or year-round flip-flops that clump around these days.

At least a nice fedora doesn't make a popping sound as it is scooted down the office hall!