hatless :(

[dummkauf]

So I've recently developed an interest in hats and am looking to purchase a hat or two, probably a straw hat initially since summer is here followed by some sort of felt fedora for fall/winter(assuming this recent obsession continues anyway).

Unfortunately googling hatters doesn't turn up much for my area, and searching for hat shops turned up a whole bunch of sports stores Google did however lead me to this site, so I'm hoping someone can help me out here. Can anyone recommend any hat shops in the Minneapolis/St. Paul MN area? I'm not prepared to spend hundreds of $$$'s on a hat just yet(would like to keep this under $100), so most of the custom hats are probably out of the question, I'm also aware(thanks to this site) of some reasonably priced quality hats available online, but since the only hats I currently own are my winter stocking hats, I would prefer to find a local shop where I could try on a few different styles and decide what I like on my head.

Any suggestions for Minneapolis areas hat stores?

 

[HatsEnough]

... a decent straw for under $100?? Good luck with that. But welcome to the Lounge, anyway.

 

[Tomasso]

... a decent straw for under $100?? Good luck with that.

It is so refreshing that you are unfamilar with the redundant Fedora Lounge mantra of ................

Panama Bob

 

[dummkauf]

It is so refreshing that you are unfamilar with the redundant Fedora Lounge mantra of ................

Panama Bob

Actually, I kind of expected that response from a bunch of hat aficionado's. I have friends who will spend thousands on suits, but I have never spent anywhere close to that and my suits look just as good, if not better, though a good tailor also helps a lot in that department So I'm going to assume hats are similar, you have the handmade custom hats that are absolutely beautiful, superbly crafted, that will run $500 and up, but I would think you could also get a quality hat(eg:not the best hat in the world) for a reasonable price. While I do appreciate quality craftsmanship, I am new to hats, and I am also realistic enough to realize that I may get one, and decide I don't like it, so I'm looking to start small........though if history has anything to say about it, I will probably wind up purchasing more expensive hats in the future(though I still will not be spending $5,000 on a Montecristi straw hat).

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Good evening from a fellow MPLS/St.Paul resident. I am a newer hat wearer and afficionado. I suggest that you gander at Fedora Store or the like (google and you shall land on the internet site) find a style you enjoy, and use that to seek the purchase of a like kind. You can seek additonal info by using the search function on this forum. The forum search, while clumsy, yeilds interesting stuff. While I have sorted thru "bulky" searches I have discovered MUCH sage wisdom that applied to me and my situation. Ebay, and many retialers exist on-line to source the hats. Use your fav search engine and look it up. I am still uncertain of any MPLS/St.Paul hat retailers of merit.

If you locate a model of interest and do not know how to source info or hat, ask a question on the sticky thead on this forum. I have found that your answer will come from the plethora of knowledge of members.

Nice to hear from other MN's folks who consider hats good attire and not just a social statement.

best, Eric -

 

[AtomicEraTom]

I bought a cheap straw, 38 bucks and I won't do it again. It's good for nothing more than a beater for the drive from work.

 

[Mulceber]

So I'm going to assume hats are similar, you have the handmade custom hats that are absolutely beautiful, superbly crafted, that will run $500 and up, but I would think you could also get a quality hat(eg:not the best hat in the world) for a reasonable price.

uhm...sort of. There are some decent factory made hats out there for a reasonable price, but in this case, "reasonable" means more than $100. And they still don't deserve to mentioned in the same breath as some of the wonderful creations available from VS, Optimo and the like. So by all means, start out at the lower end, but realize that if a vendor is trying to sell you a new hat for less than $100, it most likely isn't worth it. -M

 

[Oldsarge]

I think the first question you have to ask yourself is "What is my hat for?" Are you aiming to keep the sun out of your eyes and prevent burning the top of your head or do you intend this hat to be worn when dressing up? Any of the "traveling straws" from assorted online vendors will do the former quite well. And if you are new to hats this isn't a bad place to start. While I would refrain from wearing one around the cognoscenti of this forum, the common run of humanity compliments me on mine. Until I learn more and decide to go for a Montecristo (a low end one, mind) it will do. As you said, one can look good in a suit that wasn't bespoke.

 

[Alex]

Panama Bob is well respected and sells quality straws. You can get a low grade panama hat for a good price. I have one myself. I would recommend you at least get your size and try hats on first so you get the feel. And welcome to the lounge, dummkauf!

 

[cybergentleman]

If you are not looking to wear the hat with a suit, but general wear, business casual or just outdoors- the sunbody is a good option. My issue with panamas is that they can crack. The sunbody is a more durable material- Guatemalan palm.

Positives:
cheaper
you can style it yourself and reshape it often if you desire
durability
excellent customer service
www.sunbody.com

negatives:
not as dapper looking
yellows with age to a sandy color from a very light tan
cloth sweatband...could be a positive too depending how you look at it, fairly absorptive

panama hats...in general:

positives:
dapper looking
light

negatives:
tend to cost more...panamas that is.
may crack
not as durable


i would not wear my sunbody to a dressed up affair, but for everyday wear its been great.

 

[job]

I think some of you are sooooo into hats that there made need to be an elitist section. Straw or straw like hats can easily be found for under 100. Most Stetson, Biltmore, Dobbs, etc make summer hats that look good with and without leather sweatbands. I own several straw hats that I paid less than 100 bucks for. I have most of the major straw types. I didn't go after a panama hat only.
Dumkauff wants to buy his fist hat. Your first car did not need to be a 50,000 dollar Bmw and your first hat does not need to cost more than 100 dollars.

 

[HungaryTom]

I advise to buy first a cheap wheat straw hat - I got mine for lets say 20 USD back in the early 1990's. Yes it was a beater and cracked after years but helped me through several summers for over a decade.
It wasn't a dress hat, it had cloth sweatband but it did ventillate since it was coarse and was good for yardwork, hiking etc.
My Cuenca brisa panama hat is also under 100 USD - it cracked a bit but it is still a nice hat after 4 years. When it was new, I did wear it even with my cream suit - from 5-10 meters distance you can not tell anyhow coarse or fine a panama hat is.
**
If you want a dress hat for the summer than it is the Montecristi fino. Summer hats should be made of straw. Montecristi are fine and expensive enough that you won't challenge them every day. You do that with cheap hats.

I don't think that felt hats whatever lightweight they are - could be good at all for the summer. Not (ant)arctic summer. Neither alpine summer above 2500 meters, where snow can fall any time. I mean real summers, with +30-35 Celsius.

 

[fmw]

Yes, plenty of elitism here. Panama Bob has Panama hats for $40. The Stetson pictured below was $35 new on Ebay. While I can afford a fine Montecristi if I want one, I don't want one. In the first place, straw hats don't last forever. In the second place, I love hats but I prefer to spend my money elsewhere. If you make a visit to my blog you will see a list of hatters that you can consult on line as well as by telephone. All of them have straw hats for under $100 that are attractive and practical. Here's the link to my blog. And here's shot of my cheap Panama:

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I am a buyer of Sun Body hats, custom Fur (including beaver) hats, and will probably buy something from Panama Bob. I buy my hats to wear. I live in Kansas where it's already 100 degrees F in early June, and it rains too. Expensive Fur Felt Fedoras are usually more durable than the cheap wool ones, so I buy expensive. The Sun Body hats are thicker, and can be soaked (in water) to make then more flexible again making them more durable. It helps that they're also less expensive. They are hotter than other panama / straw / grass hats being thicker. If you do decide on a Sun Body hat, I suggest getting a few (two or three a side) vents put in it.

I strongly suggest that you NOT buy anything too expensive in a first hat. I did, and I regret it, not a lot but I do regret it. After you work out your size I suggest buying a Sun Body hat, roughly 5.5 - 5.75 inch crown and a 3 inch brim. This seems to be a decent middle of the road sized hat that could be styled as a Fedora or a Western hat. This is the one I'm talking about, it comes already creased as a Fedora.

http://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/product/68_6/fedora---3quot-brim.cfm

Good luck with the hunt.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

Check the classified section here. I just bought a beautiful and like new Akubra (Rabbit Fur Felt) Camp Draft Silver Belly for $90 shipped. That's probably half of the new price if you count shipping from down under. If you have a regular size head (unlike my 7 1/2-7 5/8 melon) it's easy to pick up a decent hat for a great price. To get your size get a sewing (cloth) measuring tape and wrap it just barely snug around your head just above your eyebrows and just above your ears or where the hat band would actually sit on your head. Post that measurement here and somebody will tell your your size. Most of the major hat sellers have the conversion chart if you click on "sizing" on their web page. I'm a 23 3/4 I believe which is just between 7 1/2 and 7 5/8 I believe. They always say to round up because most leather hat bands and fur felt hats will shrink just a tad after the initial break in. This is a good group of people on the lounge but they aren't about "cheap" - LOL. I'm a Tilley hat wearer and the Raffia in my Avatar Picture is $95 (cheaper from "DelMonico's) and one of the most comfortable hats I own. Check out www.tilley.com and look for the Raffia R7. They don't sell a real Fur Felt so you'll have to find a nice one either here or from information given to you to locate a good hatter.

 

[scottyrocks]

I'm not much into straw, myself. I prefer felt. But here's another option:

http://www.villagehatshop.com/vhs_panama.html

http://www.villagehatshop.com/mens_straw.html

Village Hat Shop has a nice selection. The above links are for their panamas and straws, many under $100.

 

[fmw]

Hi

I am a buyer of Sun Body hats, custom Fur (including beaver) hats, and will probably buy something from Panama Bob. I buy my hats to wear. I live in Kansas where it's already 100 degrees F in early June, and it rains too. Expensive Fur Felt Fedoras are usually more durable than the cheap wool ones, so I buy expensive. The Sun Body hats are thicker, and can be soaked (in water) to make then more flexible again making them more durable. It helps that they're also less expensive. They are hotter than other panama / straw / grass hats being thicker. If you do decide on a Sun Body hat, I suggest getting a few (two or three a side) vents put in it.

I strongly suggest that you NOT buy anything too expensive in a first hat. I did, and I regret it, not a lot but I do regret it. After you work out your size I suggest buying a Sun Body hat, roughly 5.5 - 5.75 inch crown and a 3 inch brim. This seems to be a decent middle of the road sized hat that could be styled as a Fedora or a Western hat. This is the one I'm talking about, it comes already creased as a Fedora.

http://www.sunbody.com/index.cfm/product/68_6/fedora---3quot-brim.cfm

Good luck with the hunt.

I wasn't even aware of them. They look great. I'll order one later today.

 

[dummkauf]

Thank you all for the advice, on the hats, the SunBody hats look like a good option, and I'm not too concerned if I only get a couple of years out of my first hat.

So does anyone know of any local hat stores in the Minneapolis area where I could just go try some on. Even if it's only high end hats that would be fine, I just want to figure out my size and try on some different styles before I start ordering anything online.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Dummkauf,

Check out this thread:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?31181-Hat-Stores-a-list

This is where the various hat stores are listed. You'll probably have to read the whole darn thing, the search function on the site making deal isn't the best.

http://www.heimies.com/index.php

Later

 

[zetwal]

Welcome dummkauf ... :yo: