HATS OFF TO LOUNGE FATHER'S

[hatflick1]

Happy Father's Day to all of you Pops out there.

I encourage you to share a story about your own dad...and maybe his favorite hat.

My tale is simple enough. Back in the "Wonder Years", my dad was a plant manager at a medium sized rope mill in Philadelphia. Clearly, his days were long and challenging. There was often a gruffness as he returned home from the office and swept through the back door with a grumbled "I'm home." Yet, whatever his mood, he always displayed the ritual of carefully placing his fedora among his other hats along the upper shelf of the hall closet. The arrangement always reminded me of the hat check room at some thirties dinner club as shown in countless classic films.

http://memoryanddesire.typepad.com/blog/images/2008/01/24/021867.jpg

God bless him, my dad is ninety-three and traveling out from Philly to visit me in Los Angeles next week. No, he won't be wearing the fedora. I've asked. He has no idea what became of it. Perhaps one of you is wearing it today.

 

[carouselvic]

A Common Event

Dad 1941


Dad 1942


Dad passed away two years ago March at the age of 87 years.

 

[Dr Doran]

My dad is 87. I hope he won't pass away soon.

He tells me he never wore hats much, even in the old days. That sounds strange to me, but who knows.

 

[Chuck Bobuck]

My dad had a gray or taupe, wide brimmed hat in a coat closet when I was young boy. I can still remember being curious about that hat. I'm not sure I remember him ever wearing it. I do remember his stingy brims, mostly black, with a feather in the band. He always wore one in the Winter with a suit and coat. Later in life, after he retired, he wore wool flat caps or trilbys more than a furfelt hat. There was always a hat box in the closet with a dress hat for him to put on for a special occasion or church on Sundays. Dad passed away in 2007 at the age of 91. I found a Stetson stingy in the closet with gentle wear, if any at all.

This photo was taken sometime in the 1940's. Not sure if it's post WW II or not.

Happy Fathers Day. Thanks for the thread hatflick1 and God bless your dad.

 

[shortbow]

Thanks and right back at ya. My dad always wore silver belly OR's one of which I still have and wear. He also had a OR style Borsalino which he bought some time in the fifties and never wore it was always in its box on a shelf in his closet. I have it and wear it. He was a gentleman like they don't make any more. God bless him and all of yours.

 

[Al Niente]

Memory

Both my father and grandfather wore fedoras. My first "hat memory" is when I was very young, going into the front closet and taking my father's hat out of the hat box. I remember being fascinated by all the details; the feel of the felt, color, ribbon and especially how the lining was attatched. My father noticed my interest and then showed me a new hat he had gotten. It was "crushable," which he demonstrated, then he showed me the proper way to bash a hat. It is a distant memory now, but a fond one.

My father passed many years ago and the young age of 52. Happy Father's day, Dad. And thanks for teaching me how to bash a hat.