hello and need a bit of help

[John J]

Good afternoon from Upstate NY , I hope all is well. Ive been lurking for quite a while and decided to finally register.

In the last 2 years Ive really kicked the wardrobe up a notch or two. Ive also now have become a thrift store junkie and have to say Ive made out like a bandit probably 4-5 K$ worth of very good to top shelf menswear for around $400.00 not including alterations. Im always dressed nice now.

anyway I started wearing hats again (they look so good) for cold weather Ive always worn an Elequosi beret and for warmer outdoor activities I have several Tillys. that said I wanted a dressier hat for summer when dressed nicer (almost always now)

I purchased a lower end panama (Biltmore) fedora bleach white, the shape looked good dent fedora almost 5" crown< my wife hates the color.

I then bought a Builtmor Milan straw fedora that I just love!! it looks great and I get tons of compliments.

having the hat bug I wanted a nice everyday fedora for fall winter and decided to get in line with Bob at black sheep hat as I wanted somthing different that fits well.

Im looking forward to getting something But I cant decide what would look best and I dont want to keep bugging Alex at the shop , and I cant return it so I need to dial my choice in . My Milan straw looks great but it is a pretty plain design.

I do believe Im going to go with the Black cherry color (its different and goes with most colors, its the same as Optimos Blackberry) gray is always good but I want somthing different for the $$ custom. I was pondering the Curator or Boardwalk perhaps keynote or traveler?? seems that I look better in a bit higher crown as Im a big guy (Ill choose different ribbon ) pinches further back from front so not to have a real tight pinch can that be done with teardrop??. I also like the Regulator style but not sure if crown is tall enough and If Id look too wide with that big teardrop crease.

the above styles I like but Im really torn on what crease (I dont like a real tight pinch ) and from what I seen the diamond is a tad too unfinished (from the diamond Ive seen on web) .

also at a mens shop last week I tried on some stetson and dobbs straws in dent and teardrop and C crown and the sales guys advised the dent looked the best . one thing with many of the dent crowns they do hit the top of my head (annoying)

also for a brim treatment ribbon binding or underwelt im thinking the welt? (everyday wear) Ill probably look for a vintage hat for in dark gray for more formal dress up.

Im 5 10 240 lb 7 5/8 head wide guy.

thats it for now many thanks , glad to be in the lounge. suggestions please.

"John"

 

[TheDane]

Compliments may be grounded in your looks, but they may also be grounded in radiated wellbeing, self-esteem and confidence. There are a lot of 'rules' about what colors to wear with this or that color suit - what brim or crown size to wear, when you have this or that body size and shape, and so on. Use those rules only as vague pointers, and wear what you like to wear. What makes you feel good, often makes you look good

You can use narrow or wide front pinches with most creases, though actual side pinches work best with a center dent or a derivation hereof (ie. FDR's crease with a very elongated 'triangular' center dent).

Any crease can be done more or less 'unfinished' (if I understand your use of the word). Some people like a very 'neat' crease, that almost look factory creased or 'blocked into shape'. Others like a more casual look where small bumps an irregularities add character, proprietary to the wearer. Creasing styles are (also) very much a matter of personal taste.

I'm not quite sure if that was what you meant with 'unfinished'. Teardrops, C-crowns and diamonds can be done with or without a center dome, depending on the desired and actual height of the crown and amount of 'loose' felt left in the top. No dome can maybe add to your experience of the crease as being 'unfinished'(?) At least it could be the reason, why the crown rests on your head ... it shouldn't.

If you order a hat from a custom hatter, ask for it in 'open crown' and crease it as you like. The crease can be blocked into the felt, but hand hatters very seldom do. A good felt hat can - with some limitations - be creased as you like. Try different styles to get closer to a qualified decision, and discuss that with your hatter.

Raw brim edges and welts are usually considered more casual than bound brims. A wide binding (ie. Stetson Whippet) is usually considered more dressy than a thin binding (ie. Stetson Open Road). But again: What you find the dressiest, will probably make you look the dressiest

I have just recently begun to post, myself. I may therefore not be the most obvious person to say so, but welcome to The Lounge. It's populated by very nice people, and it's a monster of an information source! A great place to be ... enjoy

 

[jlee562]

You know, Bob @ Black Sheep is not a bad guy to ask advice of either...although I think he's still "out of the office" on his cross-country trek.

 

[John J]

Hi TheDane , thank you very much great info great philosophy. Yes I see now that a shallow pinch will work with most creases I failed to see the engineering as such.

I could very well do a teardrop with less pinch in front , that may work dep on hat, if I go tall , center dent will work..

as for the creases thanks for clarifying that a crease can be as sharp or disheveled as one wants. My comment on diamond creases was the result of looking at Diamonds that were a tad beat up and did not Have sharp NEAT lines (probably on purpose) . anyway your info makes my choice a bit easier now , I do like the teardrop but do not want a real pointy front.

many thanks!

 

[dhermann1]

John: Welcome! Where in upstate NY are you? There are a few upstaters here (I live in the City, but grew up in Chautauqua, NY), and we should stick together!

 

[jlee562]

Hi TheDane , thank you very much great info great philosophy. Yes I see now that a shallow pinch will work with most creases I failed to see the engineering as such.

I could very well do a teardrop with less pinch in front , that may work dep on hat, if I go tall , center dent will work..

as for the creases thanks for clarifying that a crease can be as sharp or disheveled as one wants. My comment on diamond creases was the result of looking at Diamonds that were a tad beat up and did not Have sharp NEAT lines (probably on purpose) . anyway your info makes my choice a bit easier now , I do like the teardrop but do not want a real pointy front.

many thanks!

Bob's Diamond crease is great, BTW. I usually prefer to crease my own hats, but Bob is much better at it than I.

 

[John J]

hey again J lee.

a sharp diamond may be an alternative to a dent. Id have to see one, again most diamonds I noticed on line looks like it was blocked then hand bashed but nice sharp lines could work! what crease do you do the most? I could certainly crease my own. I own teapots and have a standup jiffy steamer that I do my clothes with.

'j"

 

[Neophyte]

Go ahead and bother them. You're about to drop buku bucks on a great lid. They appreciate the profit, and you'll want to have a hat you won't regret.

 

[TheDane]

I remember a thread with a poll on favourite bash/crease among loungers. As far as I remember, the diamond came out as the most popular.

The lounger 'Jimmy the Lid' is known for doing a beautiful C-crown crease - almost looking factory creased. I've seen several pictures of the lounger Marco's quite long and sharp looking diamond, but I can't find any of his pics right now. Both loungers do a very nice, crisp and clean crease - and both of them pop a dome in the top center of the crown.

I personally prefer a diamond quite close to Marco's, but I have hats with most of the 'standard' creases. My favourite brim size is around 2 1/2" - 2 3/4", and crown height around 5 1/2" - 6" (open crown), but I don't restrict myself to those. A narrow-brim-day is different from a wide-brim-day and calls for a narrow brim. The same with creases

Another thing to notice is the desired crown height vs. the actual crown height. If you have to crease the hat down a lot to suit your ideal height, it may get an unwanted silhouette in the top. The position of the crown's shoulders and the roundness of the top has a lot influence on the final shape. There's a world of difference, if you crease the top down to below the shoulder in the front of the crown - or you crease it to the middle of the shoulder. Two quite different profiles. A cheap beater or two from a second hand store are great to practice your creasing skills on

A Jiffy steamer is all you need. Steam lightly and form the felt while damp and warm - steam a little more, if necessary - and so on. Never steam the sweat band! It will turn hard and stiff or even curl up.