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How do folks react to your hat wearing?

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,846
Location
New Forest
This tale goes back a couple of years, but there's a great legacy that's a postscript from our day out. As always, there's a bit of history first:

The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was frustrated in its efforts to build a line across the River Dart by the Royal Navy, whose Royal Naval College was on the river Dart, and so was forced to terminate its line on the east side of the river. A site near the floating bridge (a chain ferry also known as the Higher Ferry) to Dartmouth was preferred but the site was too narrow and so it was extended into Kingswear.

A site on the quay in Dartmouth was obtained and an 8 feet wide jetty provided to accommodate a ferry from Kingswear. An 83 feet long pier was built out from the quay, and a 60 feet jetty linked this with a pontoon to which the ferry could moor. The jetty was hinged to the pier and so could rise and fall with the jetty as the tide went in and out. The pontoon was 58 feet long and up to 18 feet wide, and a hut was situated on it as a ticket office. The station opened with the railway on 16 August 1864. you can get a clearer vision of this from an artistic impression that the railway demonstrates: Kingswear is the rail terminus, and the planned terminus, that never happened, is across the river at Dartmouth. Look closely on the riverside to the right and you will see the image of a train. Dartmouth is on the left, just above those two castles at the mouth of the river.
sdhr1.png

My missus and I were spending a rather good weekend in the popular nearby seaside town of Torquay with another couple, with whom we are very good friends. Our weekend had a vintage flavour to it, and most of the activity was centred around the ballroom. There was dancing in the evenings, with Saturday night being the main black tie event.
Day times were given over to dance instruction and as that didn't appeal we went off with our friends to see the famous railway station at Dartmouth that has never had any tracks laid.
sdhr2.jpg

Our period appearance caused quite a lot of attention, none more so as we got off the ferry after crossing the river Dart. A professional photographer was taking pictures of the station, she was a French lady, and how she clicked away when she caught sight of us. We dined in the cafe inside the station, with regular comments from diners and staff, then we left to cross back over the river to join the train for our journey home.

We never did find out which French publication the photographer was working for, how cool would it have been do have done so. But there is, as I said at the beginning, a lovely postscript. Many people that day asked the railway staff, after seeing us, if this was a vintage weekend, the staff must have been impressed because we learned recently that The heritage railway now put on such an event. Next year we plan to return to see how it's progressing. The following photos show us, our friends and the ticket collector who came back time and again to see us in our hats.
Camera 1 320.JPG Camera 1 324.JPG Camera 1 331.JPG Camera 1 332.JPG
 
Messages
18,590
Location
Nederland
This tale goes back a couple of years, but there's a great legacy that's a postscript from our day out. As always, there's a bit of history first:

The Dartmouth and Torbay Railway was frustrated in its efforts to build a line across the River Dart by the Royal Navy, whose Royal Naval College was on the river Dart, and so was forced to terminate its line on the east side of the river. A site near the floating bridge (a chain ferry also known as the Higher Ferry) to Dartmouth was preferred but the site was too narrow and so it was extended into Kingswear.

A site on the quay in Dartmouth was obtained and an 8 feet wide jetty provided to accommodate a ferry from Kingswear. An 83 feet long pier was built out from the quay, and a 60 feet jetty linked this with a pontoon to which the ferry could moor. The jetty was hinged to the pier and so could rise and fall with the jetty as the tide went in and out. The pontoon was 58 feet long and up to 18 feet wide, and a hut was situated on it as a ticket office. The station opened with the railway on 16 August 1864. you can get a clearer vision of this from an artistic impression that the railway demonstrates: Kingswear is the rail terminus, and the planned terminus, that never happened, is across the river at Dartmouth. Look closely on the riverside to the right and you will see the image of a train. Dartmouth is on the left, just above those two castles at the mouth of the river.
View attachment 176486

My missus and I were spending a rather good weekend in the popular nearby seaside town of Torquay with another couple, with whom we are very good friends. Our weekend had a vintage flavour to it, and most of the activity was centred around the ballroom. There was dancing in the evenings, with Saturday night being the main black tie event.
Day times were given over to dance instruction and as that didn't appeal we went off with our friends to see the famous railway station at Dartmouth that has never had any tracks laid.
View attachment 176487

Our period appearance caused quite a lot of attention, none more so as we got off the ferry after crossing the river Dart. A professional photographer was taking pictures of the station, she was a French lady, and how she clicked away when she caught sight of us. We dined in the cafe inside the station, with regular comments from diners and staff, then we left to cross back over the river to join the train for our journey home.

We never did find out which French publication the photographer was working for, how cool would it have been do have done so. But there is, as I said at the beginning, a lovely postscript. Many people that day asked the railway staff, after seeing us, if this was a vintage weekend, the staff must have been impressed because we learned recently that The heritage railway now put on such an event. Next year we plan to return to see how it's progressing. The following photos show us, our friends and the ticket collector who came back time and again to see us in our hats.
View attachment 176488 View attachment 176489 View attachment 176490 View attachment 176491
Great story, GHT! Very nice pics and looking at both couples: you make it look easy (which is the hardest part)! Inspiring an event should make you feel good.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,846
Location
New Forest
Great story, GHT! Very nice pics and looking at both couples: you make it look easy (which is the hardest part)! Inspiring an event should make you feel good.
Thanks for the compliment, I must admit, it did stroke my ego when I heard that the heritage railway was putting on a vintage inspired event. To be honest, who knows who inspired them? Chances are that others have mentioned it, or perhaps left a suggestion on their website. But I do like to think we might just have kick started the idea.
 

The Jackal

One of the Regulars
Messages
210
Yesterday the teller at the gas company was so enamored by my hat that she almost forgot to ask for my address to access my account.

From there I went to the grocery store, where I watched a gentleman reroute his wife's shopping cart so that he could pass by me to compliment my hat.

I was still in my black panama that I wear to work.
 

GHT

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,846
Location
New Forest
both my wife and I regularly get compliments on our hats. Hers are all wide brimmed..5"-6" as her goal is to keep the sun off of her face.
Congratulations to both of you on getting regular compliments. It's so heartwarming when it happens.
A few years ago, I treated my wife to a trip on The Orient Express, afterwards I started a thread here, about our adventure.

One of the most endearing compliments that my wife received that day was from an elegant looking lady, who told her that her husband pointed my wife out and commented favourably on her appearance. The lady said: "My dear, fashion is fickle but class is timeless," and then she added, "you look fabulous. Tell me, where did you buy your clothes?" When my missus told her that she had made the dress, the hat was a reworked a gents trilby and the shoes new, but made to an authentic period pattern. The lady was amazed, "You made it?" She exclaimed, "and you reworked a gents hat, I need your phone number."
005.JPG
 
Messages
10,606
Location
Boston area
I was complimented by a group of girls at a railstation in my dream last night. I wore my Wegener hazelnut traveller hat and the darkrey type III jacket thrown over my shoulder. Can't exactly remember what they said.

Go back to the station!! If you’re not sure which one you dreamed about, try all of them!! A dream like that deserves follow up! You deserve the girls, Trenchy.
 

dkstott

Practically Family
Messages
727
Location
Connecticut
The reactions I get depend on which hat I'm wearing.

If I'm wearing a fedora, it doesn't matter if it's western looking or not, I'll get- "where's your horse?" comments.

I get a lot of "Nice hat" or "Looking pretty Dapper, today" comments when I'm wearing my newsboys.
 
Messages
13,026
Location
Germany
Go back to the station!! If you’re not sure which one you dreamed about, try all of them!! A dream like that deserves follow up! You deserve the girls, Trenchy.

It was the main station in the next bigger city. This (20s!) station is still my favorite and part of my childhood, too. But the dream didn't really make sense, because the girls sat in a U-shaped group of seats, which is imaginable in shoppings-centers, but not existing on railstation platforms. :D
The compliment happened, when I directly passed by and one of the girls said with an entranced expression to the others "Have a look at him!!" or something like this.
 
Last edited:
Messages
10,606
Location
Boston area
It was the main station in the next bigger city. This (20s!) station is still my favorite and part of my childhood, too. But the dream didn't really make sense, because the girls sat in a U-shaped group of seats, which is imaginable in shoppings-centers, but not existing on railstation platforms. :D
The compliment happened, when I directly passed by and one of the girls sat with an entranced expression to the others "Have a look at him!!" or something like this.

Good job of pulling the dream details together. That's not always possible.

So, now that you know where, it's time for action, not dreams!! There MUST be something to this, even if not yet obvious and the only way to find out is to make yourself available and be as personable and outgoing as you are here. I have a very good feeling about this for you, my friend.

Dreams are important to pay attention to.
If you never dream, you'll never have a "Dream-come-true!!"

GO FOR IT, mon ami!!!
Keep us updated, please.
 
Messages
13,026
Location
Germany
Good job of pulling the dream details together. That's not always possible.

So, now that you know where, it's time for action, not dreams!! There MUST be something to this, even if not yet obvious and the only way to find out is to make yourself available and be as personable and outgoing as you are here. I have a very good feeling about this for you, my friend.

Dreams are important to pay attention to.
If you never dream, you'll never have a "Dream-come-true!!"

GO FOR IT, mon ami!!!
Keep us updated, please.

I got an idea, why my brain mixed this stuff. When I was in my favorite old 90s shopping-center, the last time, I came from the concession stand with my Bismarck-sandwiches and walked to the other end of the center, to eat in the more "relaxed corner". And when I reached the relaxed corner, I looked around and saw three cheerful, young women in the small chainstore-barbershop, looking and smiling at me. I wore the Wegener hazelnut, too.

But that doesn't explain the curious U-shaped group of seats on the railstation platform. :D
 
Messages
12,032
Location
East of Los Angeles
We have a friend who dabbles in dream interpretation. At one time or another I've described dreams to her that were very strange to me, but once we discussed them and she explained what the things and people in the dream represented (or could possibly represent) they suddenly made complete sense.

For example, a "railstation" generally represents some sort of transition in your life. Just as we would go to a train station to board a train, or to transfer from one train to another in order to continue our journey, in a dream it can represent a change of direction with multiple options for you/us to choose from. The fact that you describe the station as "still my favorite and part of my childhood" could also have some significance, but you would have to figure out whether or not it does and what that significance might be. The "girls" and the fact that at least one of them appeared to be attracted to you, the "U-shaped group of seats", literally everything in a dream could represent something. But it's up to you to figure out what those things represent.

On the other hand, sometimes a dream is nothing more than your brain doing some "mental housekeeping" and keeping itself entertained while you sleep. *shrug*
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
The reactions I get depend on which hat I'm wearing.

If I'm wearing a fedora, it doesn't matter if it's western looking or not, I'll get- "where's your horse?" comments.

I get a lot of "Nice hat" or "Looking pretty Dapper, today" comments when I'm wearing my newsboys.

At camp this summer, as usual, if I'm wearing a fedora, which I usually am, the most endlessly common comment is the question, 'Why are you wearing a cowboy hat?'

My answer is most often, 'Because I'm a cowboy.' It may not be accurate, but a straightforward answer is the best way to end a discussion.
 

andrew_AU

A-List Customer
Messages
330
Location
Australia
I was inside a shopping centre (aka shopping mall) wearing an Akubra Campdraft.

Young Shop Assistant: I like your hat
Me: thank you
Shop Assistant: can I ask you something?
Me: sure
Shop Assistant: why are you wearing a hat inside?
Me: to keep the sun out of my eyes
Shop Assistant: [looking up] there is no sun in here
Me: See, it's working!
Shop Assistant: o_O
Me: :)
 

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