Help my find my old friend (hat)

[Eric_L]

Hi; I am new to the forum and this is my first post. I hope that I am doing it correctly.

I joined here looking for help;

In my younger days I had a beautiful white canvas fedora with a navy band. I loved that hat. In college it had a traumatic accident and was stained, so I let it go. I never imagined how difficult it would be to find a replacement hat.

I have been looking EVERYWHERE and come up empty. I have found countless Trilby hats (which I find unappealing) that have similar attributes, but no full on Fedora hats. In fact most places I look all I find are Trilby. I am starting to resent them! I found some felt hats which were close, but they didn't have the same feel and the ones I found were cheaply made.

Can anyone here please point me here in the right direction? I would dearly love to have a good quality white canvas Fedora with a dark band. Surely such a think is not extinct?

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Eric_L, welcome to our world!... you certainly came to the right place for info about hats! Do you have an old photograph of yourself in said lid? If we could see it and get a better idea of it someone here should have some suggestions. If you are not yet able to post photos, let me know and I'll give you my email to forward it to and I'll put it up for you. In the mean time welcome and good luck, mate! -dixon cannon

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Eric, which of these two most closely resembles what we're looking for?
#1

#2

-dixon cannon

 

[Eric_L]

Thanks guys. Sadly I don't have any photos of me in it. I don't recall ever having any, but if I did they were most certainly lost after hurricane Charley.

The one I had was more similar to the second, or bottom, hat, but it was not a trilby. Here is a photo of one I found online which is similar;

The band on mine was half that width and navy blue. I don't recall if it may have had a feather at one time. I recall the brim didn't curl up in the back like a trilby - and it was full sized the full circumference. It may be my imagination but I seem to recall that the hat had a slight 'angle' to the back brim vs the front so that if you looked at it face on the front brim seemed level while the back seemed to angle downward, framing your face. Mind you it's been over 20 years, so my memory is a bit foggy.

I really appreciate your interest in helping me.

-E

 

[Dixon Cannon]

Getting closer! ≈ http://www.rubylane.com/item/545303-RL1311/1970s-Vintage-Stetson-Canvas-Feathered and http://www.hatscaps-business.com/indiana-jones-cotton-twill-safari-fedora-hat-p-853.html

-dixon cannon

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Here is a canvas shape able adventure hat but with a leather headband....

http://www.territoryahead.com/products.asp?sku=190626

 

[Eric_L]

thanks. Those are in the general neighborhood, but not quite. The white seems off and the brim isn't quite there.

 

[carldelo]

This just turned up in the newest J Peterman catalog - white canvas fedora with a blue band. I wish it came in proper sizes rather than S-M-L-XL, but it looks pretty good. I like the spiral stitching on the brim (width not specified in the ad, a rookie mistake):

http://www.jpeterman.com/Mens-Hats/Blue-Period-Hat

I note that JP is now including zoomable photos on most products, I guess they've finally bowed to customer pressure...

 

[Eric_L]

Thanks Carl Delo - that one is getting real close. I have found some felt ones that are similar, but canvas is elusive. Maybe it's a bad picture, but the canvas looks more khaki than white. The canvas looks a bit flimsy too, but it could just be a rookie like you said. I am tempted to buy this one. Very tempted. It isn't the same as my old one, but it's the closest I've seen yet.

 

[carldelo]

^^^ It looks pretty white on my computer, but mileage varies. The hat is not creased properly in that photo, the center dent should be punched down. It's not clear if the brim will snap much, either. My big problem is the sizing, I wear 7-3/4 so the XL is likely too small, otherwise I would probably go for it as I need a new kayaking hat. I'm always happy to wait for a sale at J Peterman, it lessens the sting...