Hat size versus acceptability.

[Riot Earp]

I started by wearing Western hats with 3 1/2" brims here in upstate New York and got lots of strange looks and snickers. Then I dropped down to Outback hats with 3 1/4" brims and still got the looks, and an occasional "cowboy" comment, but not the snickers. Now I'm dropping once again, to uh ... a three-inch brim.

 

[jaymag_87]

Being in Texas, the cowboy hat is very much accepted. However, when I wear mine, I tend to feel like I'm playing dress up. Noone else would know that, unless they know me, but that is not the point.

I have recently ventured back into the Fedora world. I picked up a 100% wool, Stetson Lodi at the Stetson/Resistol Factory Store for $25. I must admit feeling a bit "out of place" when I wear it . I'd better get used to wearing Fedoras. I just ordered a custom "Indy" from Peter's Brothers in Fort Worth. Let's just say...it cost more than $25 . I do have one thing going for me. A couple of my co-workers have complimented my Stetson and I detected no sarcasm.

 

[R. L.]

Since I've been lately paying attention, there are guys out there wearing hats. Not just Amish guys, either. Even here in Small City Indiana. They're usually older than me, but those few with nice hats are striking that "balance" that Lefty mentioned. I haven't seen any that look to be affectations (except maybe myself, though I hope that isn't the case--I should post pics and y'all can be the judge).

That said, I, too, dislike the Target Justin Timberlake hats. But they make me feel pressured to direct my future hat upgrade to a stingier brim. Moral support is welcome

 

[Mickey D]

I'm currently at a cross roads with my fedora style. I've lost 30 lbs. since I started wearing fedoras and what looked questionable in my eye now looks or seems ok. I've grown accustom to an medium hight and slightly tapered crown and 2 3/8" to 2 1/2" brims. I still think they look good for my face shape. But since the weight loss, I'm even comfortable with a stingy brim.
I'm still exerimenting with different dimensions, hopefully settling on something to have Mister Fawcett construct in the very near future.

 

[Stern-Hank]

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.

It's different with everyone. I have a hat with a 2 1/2 inch brim and I've gotten nothing but "Nice hat", I would look hideous in a trilby.

 

[cptjeff]

I would have to agree with different hat sizes being more or less acceptable. After all, between you and me, 7 1/4s should never be allowed in polite company, everyone knows that they do that thing with the thing, and it's disgusting.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Out here it seems that the stingies get more of a stare than the wide brims. It may be because western hats with wide brims are much more common than elsewhere, particularly London. I'll test that this summer because we are coming to England to visit my wife's family and I'll take something like a Stetson Open Road or a Resistol San Antonio.

 

[Dreispitz]

Out here it seems that the stingies get more of a stare than the wide brims. It may be because western hats with wide brims are much more common than elsewhere, particularly London. I'll test that this summer because we are coming to England to visit my wife's family and I'll take something like a Stetson Open Road or a Resistol San Antonio.

Better take a Bowler with you and wear it. Tourists will ceriainly mistake you for a local

 

[Wolfwood]

I beg to question the entire usage of the word and pondering of such an issue as "acceptability" when in comes to hat wearing. By definition, hat wearing is a minority phenomenon and therefore "not acceptable" by the majority (if we draw a conclusions of acceptability from the frequency of hat wearing).

Personally, I find the existence of baseball caps, linen fedoras etc. entirely unacceptable. But I'm sure no one will listen to me in this - just like I will not listen to anyone who is too worried about fitting in with the masses to discover and express their own selves (some of these include people whom I consider to be my friends, but I refuse to listen to their uneducated arguments on topics that they have no inkling of ).

 

[Jauntyone]

Here in France, my vintage, dark-colored stingies get far less attention than the lighter colored, 2 1/2" brim Stratoliner-type hats that I have. The Strats will invariably get "cowboy" remarks, even when worn with a business suit--though I would consider them more of a fedora than a cowboy hat.
I think color has as much to do with the equation as brim size. The lighter colors draw more attention.

 

[Havana]

Attitude and self confidence can certainly aid in getting your hat "accepted." Choosing a style that truly suits you will also help immensely. Just remember, the style that really looks best on you might not be the style that you prefer. In fedoras, I've always gotten excited about tall crowns and wide ribbons. Through experience, I've come to realize that shorter crowns and thinner ribbons are what really look best on me. I once replaced a 1.5" ribbon on my Fed III with a .5" ribbon and lowered the c-crown. The next day I had a guy at work tell me he really liked my new hat much better than that "other crazy looking one."

 

[Sam Craig]

Your hat makes me mad

Wasn't it Uncle Buck who said he had a hat that just made people mad?:rage:

Around these parts, no one will comment much if you wear a western hat, especially if you have the boots to go with it.

In the spring and summer, until it gets too hot, I love to wear a Hawaiian shirt with a matching color, short-brimmed western hat — like a vintage Open Road bashed with a "Gus" crease. NEVER with boots, though.

Keep them guessing.

Eventually, in a small town at least, they just give you up for a kook and there are fewer and fewer comments.[huh]

I do try to look it over before leaving the house, though, so at least I and the few other hatties in town will appreciate the effort.

 

[Richard Warren]

Certainly some hats look better on some people than others. I've never got an odd look that I know of. Children seem to like cowboy hats. Young women in a sales position (and a very few others) will compliment a fedora. People seem surprised when I take of my hat and have hair underneath. Otherwise, nobody seems to care in the least how I look or what hat I may or may not wear.

 

[filfoster]

Don't hate, appreciate....my hat.

Accepting all the comments about styles to match the face, build, and accounting for geography (American West, wide brim hats, western hats are ubiquitous), I think it's a fair observation here in the US midwest, that narrow brim, not so tall fedoras and hats in general don't attract as much attention or comment as wider brim, more 'vintage' look hats. Why? My guess is because they look more 'modern' and don't suggest the wearer is aping some movie character. Or is Amish or Orthodox. Who knows?

I feel the same way Wolfwood does about linen fedoras and ball caps although I occasionally wear ballcaps, but always with the brim pointed forward. And the waistband of my trousers and jeans is never near my knees unless I am taking them off or putting them on or answering some imperative of nature.

 

[DOUGLAS]

I've just come back from Bruges. I brought 2 hats with brims 2-1/2" and crowns 5"+ and no one gave me the slightest look of disapproval or strangeness. I saw many men wearing hats with wider brims although all most all were wool or leather.

 

[Big_e]

As stated above, I really think that a person should find the hat that expresses him/her. Not everybody can wear just any hat. Your style plus your personality and how you carry yourself make the difference. Suprisingly, this gives you alot of options as to what you can wear.

Not to derail this thread but today I found new hope for the city I live in. As I drove around town at work, I saw two young men at different locations wearing fedora style hats. One had a stingy brim, the other one had a really nice aqua-green ribbon on his. Further down in the same part of town I saw an older gentlemen wearing a nice London Fog trenchcoat and an equally nice houndstooth wool cap. A block away (I swear!), I saw a young man dressed in nice slacks wearing a cool peacoat, scarf and a deerstalker (Sherlock Holmes hat). Did FL infiltrate Dallas today? It was a refreshing break from all the baseball caps with the bills sewn on backwards that I always see. That is all.
Ernest

 

[jtrenalone]

Interesting thread, as I have just started wearing hats, and was wondering the same things as being addressed/asked here. Timely..

I enjoy certain styles of clothing, much is vintage. My thought is that as long as it was not to 'extreme' at the time, good taste is always in style.

But, as has been mentioned, one wants to look good/modest with out looking like you are on a trip, or too "costumy".

Anyway, I have enjoyed reading the comments,
Joel

 

[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".

Here is another proof of current UK eccentrics:

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And this is how it works:

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[Mario]

Here is another proof of current UK eccentrics:

No wonder they lost their empire...

 

[portolan]

Tell us about that hat in your avatar....

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

LocktownDog -- I really like it a lot....Details.....give us details..