Homburg vs. Fedora? Which would be a better purchase?

[fmw]

^ lol


All of you gentlemen look wonderful, but you're all 'old hats' at this.... sorry bad joke It's true though. Someone just starting out should go for something more subdued, in my opinion. Okay, I'll stop......

I think old hats are the norm here on fedora lounge.

 

[rue]

^ That's funny lol

Personally, I prefer a Fedora/Trilby.......and it helps if there's a "Mrs Mop" on hand, to give it a quick brush over!


What looks good on one guy, may look completely out of place on another. As to which is the better purchase, I don't think there's much to choose between them?

Danny O

You are one dashing gentleman Danny O. I'll bet Mrs. Mop was all over you

 

[SLOshank]

I sure appreciate the wonderful advice. I think I will go with a very basic Panama or maybe even (gasp!) just my Tilley. Posting #10 made a great deal of sense to me "...However since the old hat rules mean absolutely nothing in todays society, what is more important is that you wear the hat that you feel the most confident about..." I think I look inherently better in a homburg in a purely aesthetic sense but I do now realize that knowledgeable hat connoisseurs might scoff at me wearing a homburg when a fedora or a trilby might be more appropriate. I would never pull-off a bowler. No how, no way.

For some reason I stereotype fedora-wearers to be short pencil necks who almost appear if they are going to fall over due to the weight of their hats. I know, it's a ridiculous stereotype and one that is not deserved but it might be why I shy away from them to some degree.

After thinking about it for a few days I think my interest in homburgs derives from the movie "The Sting" and the black one sometimes worn by the Doyle Lonnegan character played by Robert Shaw. As I read about homburgs it seems like their reputation has been dimmed somewhat by Al Pacino wearing one in one of the Godfather flicks and their use by hip hop gangstas. I have never seen this in the community where I live but apparently it exists in other locales. Thanks again.

 

[SLOshank]

I find homburgs very comfortable to wear... nicely balanced and the brim is out of your face. If you are considering vintage, older styles will have nice wide flat brims with less curl and might actually be a bit less formidable to wear. This is a 70+ year old black Barbisio. I don't pay much attention to dress codes, I am as likely to wear my hats with a t-shirt as with a suit. I think if you have fun with your hats, they will suit you well regardless of style.

I think your homburg looks wonderful. I would wear that with a nice sweater and a black leather car coat to a football game -OR- with a tux or almost any business suit I own. I agree -- I like the older style with less curl like your own or that show in posting #32. Very, very nice...

 

[scotrace]

Posting #10 made a great deal of sense to me "...However since the old hat rules mean absolutely nothing in todays society, what is more important is that you wear the hat that you feel the most confident about..."

And that's the one you caught?

Here are a few hundred posts that apply.

 

[Dreispitz]

I have two questions that I hope some of you sages can answer for me. I will be attending a number of outdoor events this summer where I will be wearing either a navy blue or charcoal grey business suits. I need a decent hat to wear because even though it won't be overly hot I detest the ball cap/emergency hankie/just let your head burn options that so many people take.

What would be more appropriate -- a Homburg or a Fedora? I was considering a black fedora but I really don't know if that's a good choice or not? I think a homburg might look better on my huge skull (7 7/8 or 8) and possibly a little bit less contrived than a fedora.

Also, I have always wondered, in post WWII USA, in a business setting, who wore fedoras and who wore homburgs? I remember asking my uncle who always wore a fedora to work (AT&T in San Francisco) if he ever wore a homburg? He just laughed and shook his head "no." My question was so absurd to him that he wouldn't answer any further after repeated prodding. Almost as if I asked him if he wore a tuxedo to work. What's the story? Thank you.

Go for a Bowler/Derby

 

[EggHead]

If you decide on a felt hat and on an Akubra brand, I would recommend Glen Grey color. It will go well with dark gray or blue suits that you plan to wear. I have a glen grey Stockman and like the color a lot.

 

[mayserwegener]

The Derbynator strikes back!

 

[EggHead]

Don't laugh May, "The Governator" cartoon character of our beloved ex-gov/actor is coming soon near you!

 

[Tiller]

^ lol


All of you gentlemen look wonderful, but you're all 'old hats' at this.... sorry bad joke It's true though. Someone just starting out should go for something more subdued, in my opinion. Okay, I'll stop......

I think your right rue. A guy has to have the right face, and the right homburg to make it work as causal wear. Some guys pull it off well, I know I don't though lol.

 

[rue]

I think your right rue. A guy has to have the right face, and the right homburg to make it work as causal wear. Some guys pull it off well, I know I don't though lol.

Oh please don't let me discourage you Tiller. You should try one on for size and see if it works. You'll never know until you do

 

[Tiller]

Oh please don't let me discourage you Tiller. You should try one on for size and see if it works. You'll never know until you do

Oh you aren't discouraging me a bit rue. I own a homburg, and I know what it looks like on me when I dress down . It just doesn't work. Now wearing one of my three pieces with it is a different story .

A guy who used to come around here named Goose could wear a homburg as casual wear and make it look real well. I can't . I think it's a harder look to pull off then some gentleman seem to.

 

[rue]

Oh you aren't discouraging me a bit rue. I own a homburg, and I know what it looks like on me when I dress down . It just doesn't work. Now wearing one of my three pieces with it is a different story .

A guy who used to come around here named Goose could wear a homburg as casual wear and make it look real well. I can't . I think it's a harder look to pull off then some gentleman seem to.

Oh good... I didn't want you to think I was being bossy lol
I think they look best when one is wearing an appropriate suit, but I understand what you're saying and have nothing against anyone that wears it casually. To me, it's all in the attitude

 

[Tiller]

Oh good... I didn't want you to think I was being bossy lol
I think they look best when one is wearing an appropriate suit, but I understand what you're saying and have nothing against anyone that wears it casually. To me, it's all in the attitude

lol Don't allow my horrible writing style to get you down rue. I know you weren't being bossy, and I'm sorry if you thought that I was trying to make it seem that way. I actually agree with you completely, most guys who don't add an appropriate suit when they are in their homburg, just can't pull the look off. I'd take it a step farther and say that it isn't so much about attitude, but simply about how a homburg compliments your features. For a homburg or bowler to work when you are dressing down, I think it needs to compliment you without looking like you are overcompensating. Some guys can pull it off, but I would say that the majority can't.

There are a few guys who can do it, as some on the Lounge have proven. I would say that it can't be done with a top hat though, or you end up looking like that ridiculous "T-Pain".

Yeah.... no... no...

 

[rue]

lol Don't allow my horrible writing style to get you down rue. I know you weren't being bossy, and I'm sorry if you thought that I was trying to make it seem that way. I actually agree with you completely, most guys who don't add an appropriate suit when they are in their homburg, just can't pull the look off. I'd take it a step farther and say that it isn't so much about attitude, but simply about how a homburg compliments your features. For a homburg or bowler to work when you are dressing down, I think it needs to compliment you without looking like you are overcompensating. Some guys can pull it off, but I would say that the majority can't.

There are a few guys who can do it, as some on the Lounge has proven. I would say that though it can't be done with a top hat, or you end up looking like that ridiculous "T-Pain".

Yeah.... no... no...

Silly man... you couldn't ever offend me No worries

Yeah um... big no on that guy lol

 

[Pompidou]

There's only one of each of us. I think T Pain is respectable for trying to stand out from the crowd, but I agree with everyone that it's not something just anyone can get away with - not in the same way. I think there's a one of a kind look for everyone, but it's hard to find. To me, that's the goal. No two penguins wearing the same color tux.

 

[SLOshank]

Amazon even has homburgs... Would this hat be a piece of junk? http://www.amazon.com/New-Black-Godfather-Homburg-Fedora/dp/B002AK3RP8/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1301731913&sr=8-2 The reason I ask is that I actually like the brim/crown relation, they have my size so to speak (XXL) and it's cheap. Any input on this hat or a better one for a low price in 7 3/4 or 7 7/8 would be appreciated. Thanks so much again.

 

[scotrace]

Would this hat be a piece of junk?

All the hallmarks are present. Wool+Dodgy Sizing+Feather = Junk. I'm not just being a snob. People standing nearby could see. "Wow. Cheapo hat."

 

[danofarlington]

Oh good... I didn't want you to think I was being bossy lol
I think they look best when one is wearing an appropriate suit, but I understand what you're saying and have nothing against anyone that wears it casually. To me, it's all in the attitude

I think generally speaking it's true that homburgs need a suit as a complement. I think fedora hats but especially homburgs are basicaly dressy, whereas other hats, like baseball hats, porkpies and Tilley's canvas hats, are basically casual. That is not to say that fedoras and homburgs can't be worn with other clothes. In fact, I like to see photos of the exceptions to the rule, although I would add that just anyone who tries it is not automatically an exception to the rule. Whether or not people agree with the foregoing, everyone can see that hats require "outfitting" to work well. You can't put a hat together with just anything, generally, and have it look good. Men, who do little conscious outfitting, have a hard time grasping this need. But basically you have to coordinate the things you wear to some degree, and with a homburg, among the dressiest of hat styles, most people have to match it up with dressy clothes.

 

[rue]

That's basically what I was trying to express, but you did a much better job Dan.


Oh and I agree with Scott about that hat too. I'm sorry to say this, but it looks like something you could buy at Wally World.