HOLY GRAIL? /What fedoras are you pining for?

[DJH]

Javier, Borsalinos are always to be found. You have to be prepared to pay the "Borsa Luxury Tax" though (especially on eBay, since everyone interested in hats has a number of Borsalino searches saved) as they seem to be very popular at the moment.

Also, keep an eye on the classifieds here at the Lounge. I've seen some nice Borsalinos (along with lots of other great hats) sell at very sensible prices. You gotta be quick though; good hats at good prices don't hang around for very long - we're talking a few minutes to get that PM off!

Worth waiting for though - a Borsalino that works for you is special.

 

[JAVIER]

Javier, Borsalinos are always to be found. You have to be prepared to pay the "Borsa Luxury Tax" though (especially on eBay, since everyone interested in hats has a number of Borsalino searches saved) as they seem to be very popular at the moment.

Also, keep an eye on the classifieds here at the Lounge. I've seen some nice Borsalinos (along with lots of other great hats) sell at very sensible prices. You gotta be quick though; good hats at good prices don't hang around for very long - we're talking a few minutes to get that PM off!

Worth waiting for though - a Borsalino that works for you is special.

Thanks for the encouraging words, I did find myself trying to snag the ones Douglas posted on the classifieds but yup the went before
apparently anyone PMed as i was first to post my PM but they were already sold like hotcakes. I see they are in demand and for a seller of one this would be good news for us buyers but also gratifying if you to know they are around. Say, whats a sensible price for a Borso and whats "Borsa Luxury Tax", thanks for the knowledge and words.

Side Note: I bid on the James Lock and Company Fedora Hat 50s-60s Size 71/8 you had on the bay, it bit 6 times but broke the string but hey, it did fatten the fish.

Regards,

Javier

 

[DJH]

Hey Javier,

I'd say there is a "Luxury Tax" - having to pay more than the item is really worth - on several hats at the moment. I guess is really a supply and demand issue, the demand is high so the price increases accordingly.

Anything with a Borsalino label fits into this, as do some Stetsons such as Whippets and Playboys. Any of those (along with some others) in good condition can get to be pretty expensive. I've bought 2 Borsalinos on eBay, both in the $140 - 150 range - I've seen some go for much more and a few for a fair bit less. You wear 71/8? There have been a couple in that size around of late (the one that looks like an Open Road) that have sold for under $100 I think.

From the pics you've posted here, I say that's the model you should be looking for - the Borsalino Alessandria - that would look better on you than my Lock hat would have done.

You know what though, the search is half the fun. I only started being interested in hats this year and I'm having a blast, learning about the companies and their styles, tracking down hats I like and getting to hang out with a bunch of really interesting people here!

 

[JAVIER]

The Lock looked to my novice eye to be like that of the "Last Man" Standing that Bruce Willis donned. I enjoy most styles, as long as its not super wide that the hat would wear me. My palm is big but fits the summer... most hats i own are smaller. The search is part of the fun plus this site is pretty cool!!!

 

[Seth Hawkins]

I'd like to have a nice vintage Stetson Strat in silverbelly. I figure it would be a good first vintage hat.

 

[hubbit]

For me it would be a Borsalino (I do not have a Specific style, since I am still learning here) but every Borso I have gone after I have lost out on That's the luck of someone budgeting their hat collection.

I see from your information that you're in Upstate NY. If you are at all looking for a new Borse and have the time for a trip to Brooklyn or Manhattan, I'd suggest looking there. Particularly close to Crown Heights. Borsalino fedoras are the hat for Lubavitch chassidim, and they can be found in abundance in the area. Caveat: if you go into a small mom-and-pop place, chances are all you'll find is black. Other colors can be had at some of the larger hat places.

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

I'm probably the first one here to rattle off this list of easy to find hats that nobody else wants but here goes:

7 5/8 LO Stratoliner Silverbelly
7 5/8 LO Whippet (pretty much any color)
7 5/8 LO Playboy (pretty much any color)

It does not have to be in that order or anything and I can probably make do with a plain 7 5/8 so if anyone has one or all of the above just give me a shout. I'll be here.

Terry

 

[JAVIER]

I see from your information that you're in Upstate NY. If you are at all looking for a new Borse and have the time for a trip to Brooklyn or Manhattan, I'd suggest looking there. Particularly close to Crown Heights. Borsalino fedoras are the hat for Lubavitch chassidim, and they can be found in abundance in the area. Caveat: if you go into a small mom-and-pop place, chances are all you'll find is black. Other colors can be had at some of the larger hat places.

Interesting, I had to look you Lubavitch chassidim... makes since though.

 

[hubbit]

My own holy grail is an early 1930s soft fur that can be bashed with a high pinch and a center dent. I doubt I'll ever find a vintage one in 7 3/4, which is what I wear. Not a lot of call for that size today; heads were probably slightly smaller all those decades ago. Most vintage hats seem to be closer to 7, with a 1/8 inch play either direction.

Had I joined The Fedora Lounge a year or two earlier, I would have known about the Stetson Nostalgia while it was still in production. For a hat that was discontinued because of low sales volume, every hat store I've talked to has told me what a great seller it was for them, that they couldn't keep it in stock, and no they don't have any lost and forgotten in the warehouse. BUT, they'll gladly sell me a Stetson Temple, or Chatham, or some other tapered-crown fedora. Sigh.

 

[zetwal]

My own holy grail is an early 1930s soft fur that can be bashed with a high pinch and a center dent. I doubt I'll ever find a vintage one in 7 3/4, which is what I wear. [...]

Had I joined The Fedora Lounge a year or two earlier, I would have known about the Stetson Nostalgia while it was still in production. [...]

If what you really want is a good 30s fedora, I don't see how a Nostalgia would satisfy anyway. Just get a good custom to hold you over while you wait. If the present dream hat never comes your way, at least you will have something nice.

 

[gtdean48]

... no they don't have any lost and forgotten in the warehouse...

I saw a few in the Garland Outlet store. One was a 7 5/8 but I wasn't looking for 7 3/4.
Worth a call to check...
I agree with the perplexing fact that the stores are telling you they were hot but HatCo saying they didn't sell in the numbers needed????

 

[Justin B]

I'm probably the first one here to rattle off this list of easy to find hats that nobody else wants but here goes:

7 5/8 LO Stratoliner Silverbelly
7 5/8 LO Whippet (pretty much any color)
7 5/8 LO Playboy (pretty much any color)

It does not have to be in that order or anything and I can probably make do with a plain 7 5/8 so if anyone has one or all of the above just give me a shout. I'll be here.

Terry

Oddly this trio was what I was looking for too. I'm down to just the Playboy now though. Helps that I'm a size 7, but then again that means I'm competing with Josh. LOL

 

[T Rick]

If what you really want is a good 30s fedora, I don't see how a Nostalgia would satisfy anyway. Just get a good custom to hold you over while you wait. If the present dream hat never comes your way, at least you will have something nice.

I agree with the Custom, but will say the Nostalgia is far underrated here IMHO. The more vintages I get, the more I appreciate what a great hat my Nostalgia is. It's soft malleable felt (it has softened since new in December) is second in my collection only to the 1930's Stetson Standard Quality.

With it being discontinued, I worry that I'll somehow lose or damage it, and wish it was still a regular production hat that could be easily replaced. It will end up being treated just as my rarer (?) vintages are, due to the inability to replace it.

 

[hubbit]

If what you really want is a good 30s fedora, I don't see how a Nostalgia would satisfy anyway. Just get a good custom to hold you over while you wait. If the present dream hat never comes your way, at least you will have something nice.

Good customs are priced way out of my ballpark. The Nostalgia could be had (and still can be according to websites that haven't taken it down yet) for anywhere from $140 to $170. Admittedly, for that kind of money (hat plus airmail is about $150) I can get a Federation in moonstone with a black ribbon, in brown, or even in fawn, but I'm unsure of doing things across continents, should there be any slipups. Also, I've heard the Federation felt is a bit thicker, so I don't know how well it will hold an unsteamed bash.

 

[hubbit]

I saw a few in the Garland Outlet store. One was a 7 5/8 but I wasn't looking for 7 3/4.
Worth a call to check...
I agree with the perplexing fact that the stores are telling you they were hot but HatCo saying they didn't sell in the numbers needed????

I did. They don't. And yeah, it is perplexing. Obviously the stores are looking at their individual volumes, while HatCo is looking at the complete distribution numbers.

 

[DJH]

Good customs are priced way out of my ballpark. The Nostalgia could be had (and still can be according to websites that haven't taken it down yet) for anywhere from $140 to $170. Admittedly, for that kind of money (hat plus airmail is about $150) I can get a Federation in moonstone with a black ribbon, in brown, or even in fawn, but I'm unsure of doing things across continents, should there be any slipups. Also, I've heard the Federation felt is a bit thicker, so I don't know how well it will hold an unsteamed bash.

There are custom hat makers that can make you a nice hat for a very similar price to the Nostalgia - check out Falcon Park Hattery for example. Bowlerman, here on the forum just received a super hat from the Falcon Park guy - do a search and you'll find his pics. Bowlerman's hat has that tall crown 30's look as do the hats I have from Tumwater Hat (a little more expensive, but really good value, I'd say!)

Also, in my opinion, the Federation IV is a way better hat than the Nostalgia was and tons of people here have purchased from Hats Direct with no problems. I haven't bought from them personally, but I bought a Campdraft hat from Everything Australian with no issues.

I'd say you have plenty of options if you want to get a new hat.

 

[Brando11]

I agree wholeheartedly on the Nostalgia. Mine's not my favorite hat- my '63 Open Road holds that honor, but the Nostalgia is a close 2nd.

I call HatCo every few weeks looking for a brown one in my size. I love 'em.

-Brando

 

[Yeps]

Not so much a holy grail (like a longhair homburg which I would love) but I would really like to get a moonstone federation and have the brim trimmed to 2.5 even and bound. I think that would be a snazzy and long lived hat.

 

[gtdean48]

Not so much a holy grail (like a longhair homburg which I would love) but I would really like to get a moonstone federation and have the brim trimmed to 2.5 even and bound. I think that would be a snazzy and long lived hat.

I've got one in the works but had the ribbon band changed to a Playboy style treatment.
My inspiration is my VS Custom Blue Smoke, ArtLite "Wanderer" =

 

[bond]

The one that I havent found yet, is the one that Iam not sure even exists ,that is until I see it then Ill know it, and then Ill have to have it.Yes thats the one Iam pinning for,but in all seriousness its got to be a vintage 1940s Borsalino with that soft velvety hand with a touch
of angora in it perhaps and that fits like no other and is just like the one that I recently lost this past winter.