Help in choosing a hat in Los Angeles

[EdinLA44]

Hi folks,

I'm a noobie here and I've been reading all the posts for the last week or so and I'm trying to narrow down which hat(s) to possibly buy. Right now, I'm just trying to figure out which hat would look the best on me and where in Los Angeles I could find one to try on.

I'm currently looking at the Stetson Chatham, Temple or Humphrey, and the Worth & Worth Siena or Treviso. I have an oval shaped face so I don't want a hat with too high of a crown, say something 4 inches or slightly less. Does anyone have experience with these hats or any suggestions from other makers?

I'd really like to be able to try the different hats on to see how they look instead of buying on-line and spending several weeks and lots of money shipping hats back and forth from the various vendors. Based on the posts I've read so far, folks have mentioned World Hat Mart in Pasadena and Baron Hats in Burbank and I plan to visit them possibly next weekend. Does anyone know of any other hat stores in the LA area where I can try on hats from the makers listed above?

Ed

 

[J.B.]

I believe Village Hat Shop has a brick & mortar store on Shoreline Village Drive in Long Beach...

 

[EdinLA44]

J.B.,

Thanks. You're right, they do, and they're open until 9:00pm tonight!! They have the Stetson and Borsalino Fedoras in stock. 'Scuse me, I gotta go jump in the car and head for Long Beach.

Ed

 

[John in Covina]

How did the hat run go?

Were you able to get down to the Hat shop and check out any fedora's?

Wadja get?

 

[Doh!]

Another option is Hollywood Hatters on Melrose (near La Brea). They cater mainly to the Orthodox Jewish gentleman so their choices are limited, but the owner seems quite knowledgable. It's a pretty small shop so I've never bought anything there myself but you might find what you're looking for.

http://www.hollywoodhatters.com/company.php

 

[EdinLA44]

Got a hat

Well, I got to Village Hat Shop in Long Beach around 6:00pm. First off, this is not a typical men's hat shop. It caters more towards novelty and casual hats. The place was jammed with close to 25 people (kids, dogs, tourists, etc). It's in the Shoreline Village tourist area so there's lots of looky-loo traffic. The majority of the store is devoted to baseball hats, novelty hats, party hats, etc and they had some loud rock music playing on the sound system. I thought I'd made a mistake going there but after some of the folks left, I found that they do have a small collection of more serious hats behind the register. They had a few Borsolinos but their stock was kinda low. I found a nice Borsalino Panama hat but they didn't have my size. I used their measuring tape and found that I wear a 7 1/2, so that's good to know.

I looked at the Stetson Chatham (C crown) and the Temple (center dent). I tried on several different hats and the wide brim (3 inch) Fedoras just don't look that great on me. The wide brim overpowers my face. The 2 3/8 is about perfect and the 4 inch crown is just right.

I ended up buying a grey Stetson Chatham for $118. They had it in black and also brown but the black was a bit too formal and the grey seemed the most versatile color. They steamed the brim for me to take out some of the curl from being stored in the box and they also put it on the stretcher so that it fit my head perfectly. I also got a hat brush. The sales lady said that they would be getting more Borsalino Panama hats in with their spring/summer hats in about another month so I may go back and get that Borsalino Panama that I liked. All in all it wasn't a bad experience and I got my first hat that I really like. I'll be checking out the other hat stores in the LA area in the coming weeks. For an entry level hat, the Stetson isn't all that bad, and now that I know my size, I can also look for vintage hats on eBay. Thanks to everyone that offered help. This is a great site and a great group of folks.

Ed

 

[Doh!]

I picked up a Jaxon Iconoclast in that very shop last year, for under $50. I don't dress vintage but wanted something to wear once in awhile when it rains or if I visit a colder climate. It does the trick.

 

[EdinLA44]

I saw the Iconoclast and it's a nice hat. I didn't want a brown hat at that time though. I may go back and get one when the time comes. You can't beat it for the price.

 

[John in Covina]

Good if rocky first step.

It's in the Shoreline Village tourist area so there's lots of looky-loo traffic. I found that they do have a small collection of more serious hats behind the register. They had a few Borsolinos but their stock was kinda low. I used their measuring tape and found that I wear a 7 1/2, so that's good to know. I tried on several different hats and the wide brim (3 inch) Fedoras just don't look that great on me. The wide brim overpowers my face. The 2 3/8 is about perfect and the 4 inch crown is just right.
I ended up buying a grey Stetson Chatham for $118. They had it in black and also brown but the black was a bit too formal and the grey seemed the most versatile color. They steamed the brim for me to take out some of the curl from being stored in the box and they also put it on the stretcher so that it fit my head perfectly. I also got a hat brush. This is a great site and a great group of folks. Ed

Hey Ed! Good luck with the new hat, if you can -post a picture. Ah the tourist trade!

Here is a tutorial on head shape and hat style at Miller's Hats:
http://www.millerhats.com/hatcare_index/hatfaces.html

If you go by this it will help you select a "proper" hat and understand what fits your face. Now you know your head size, and that allows you to visit all of the hat makers and hat vendors on line web stores, this opens up a lot of other opportunities for choice. There are vendors and makers that are part of the Fedora lounge and they will help you to the best of their ability.

It is nice to be able to go to the Brick & Mortar store, to try on the hats, and to get that customized service that the sales people can provide when all the elements are there, you, the hat, the various tools of the trade, and a salesperson that wants to help.

Now, don't forget short of being encased in cement, or taking a trip through a tree shredder, most mishaps with your hat can be reversed by a good hat guy, and your hat returned to near new condition.

Best wishes!

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

The sales lady said that they would be getting more Borsalino Panama hats in with their spring/summer hats in about another month so I may go back and get that Borsalino Panama that I liked. Ed

Ed, before you do that, check out...

http://www.panamas.biz/

truly the best deal in Panama hats around. You can get a true Montecristi for about 1/3 what the Borsalino will cost you. You can get it raw and have it blocked by Art Fawcett of Vintage Silhouettes...

http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/index.htm

This is what I did and I wasn't disappointed...KC

 

[Twitch]

I'll have to check out Village next time I cruise down that way. It's as close as any store to me.:fedora:

 

[jake_fink]

This is what I did and I wasn't disappointed...KC

Hey KC,

Any pictures? What was the total price?

Cheers!

 

[thefedorastore]

Ed, in your area I would suggest checking one of the other VHS stores, i.e. LA. If you visited the Seaport Village store, then you are bound to encounter the novelty merchandise. However, in the other store(s) you will find more of what you are looking for.

 

[MattC]

Beware of the Worth and Worth

In case you plan to try online hatters. Their hats are Cervos. A once great name, and the trim on the hats is still first rate. But the felt on mine could not stand up to mositure, wobbled and shrank.

 

[BulovaBry]

Fedoras in Pasadena, CA

This is my first post here, and I know that this is an old long dead thread but I thought I'd add another location in LA.

World Hats Mart
444 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101

I always wanted a Fedora, and as I recently started doing a little research on what I would buy I read this tread. After more searching I found World Hats Mart right in my own back yard.

They have quite a large selection and they are reasonably priced. As I said I am a total Newbie here so I know nothing about hat quality or anything but they had a ton of styles to choose from.

I was talking to a nice guy in there who was buying a Fedora also (and wearing one as well) and he approved of my selection of a Golden Gate Hat Co. Wool crushable "Blues" Fedora. He said he has had one for three of four years and it has done him well. I have only had it a little while but so far so good, and it was only $36 plus tax - cheaper than I see them online, and I got to go try it on and think it over in front of a mirror!

The salesman was not very friendly or helpful (he didn't speak great English) but for my first purchase it seemed like a great entry level Fedora to "top off" my vintage style.

Thanks to all who post info here, and help browsers and lurkers alike without ever knowing it.

 

[Bama Mike]

This is my first post here, and I know that this is an old long dead thread but I thought I'd add another location in LA.

World Hats Mart
444 E Colorado Blvd
Pasadena, CA 91101

I always wanted a Fedora, and as I recently started doing a little research on what I would buy I read this tread. After more searching I found World Hats Mart right in my own back yard.

They have quite a large selection and they are reasonably priced. As I said I am a total Newbie here so I know nothing about hat quality or anything but they had a ton of styles to choose from.

I was talking to a nice guy in there who was buying a Fedora also (and wearing one as well) and he approved of my selection of a Golden Gate Hat Co. Wool crushable "Blues" Fedora. He said he has had one for three of four years and it has done him well. I have only had it a little while but so far so good, and it was only $36 plus tax - cheaper than I see them online, and I got to go try it on and think it over in front of a mirror!

The salesman was not very friendly or helpful (he didn't speak great English) but for my first purchase it seemed like a great entry level Fedora to "top off" my vintage style.

Thanks to all who post info here, and help browsers and lurkers alike without ever knowing it.

Welcome to the forum. I'm pretty new around here myself. I lived in Los Angeles for 4 year between high school and college and I once bought a fedora from a store in downtown LA. For the last few weeks I've been trying to remember the name and location of the store, but I can't. I do recall, I think, that the only items they carried in the store were hats or at least mostly hats.

 

[feltfan]

Any decent vintage shops for hats, etc in LA?
I believe I'll be headed down that way later this month.

Thanks in advance.

 

[scarlett]

I was in My Baby Jo last weekend - they have loads of hats and a very helpful and friendly staff. You can check out their site http://www.mybabyjo.com hats are on the site as well as in their actual store.

 

[feltfan]

I was in My Baby Jo last weekend - they have loads of hats and a very helpful and friendly staff. You can check out their site http://www.mybabyjo.com hats are on the site as well as in their actual store.

Thanks, but I didn't see any vintage hats on that site.

I don't suppose that in all of LA there is a single store
that carries decent older vintage hats and jackets?

 

[scarlett]

Sorry, I missed the "vintage" part.