How do folks react to your hat wearing?

[Mighty44]

I was wearing my 3X OR when I went into a local western wear store today. When I went to check out the gentleman behind the counter said "Open Road right? My dad always told me the wide brim cowboy hats were for the workers the man who's calling the shots wears one of those." He was really nice and we chatted for a bit about hats.

Classic!

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

This Autumn I was sitting in a car park on top of a mountain in the Pyrenees and this tres joli punkette ran over to me and she said ... in perfect French, "'ere mister, I hope you don't mind but I had to tell you how much I love your hat."
I said "Well thank you and you're looking rather special today yourself."
" And you're wearing Dr Martens ... and a cross zip." she squealed.
I'm thinking ... gosh, this is all very easy, I wonder if it's too early to be thinking of a holiday romance?
Then she said "I wish I had a grandad like you."


View attachment 677448

Epic….until reality set in.
B

 

[StoryPNW]

I had another fun experience today, my family and I were having lunch at a little teriyaki joint today. I was wearing my Gannon Highwayman. Another family with younger kids came in a little later and after a few minutes the dad and his little girl, probably 5 or 6 years old, came over to our table and introduced themselves and the dad says that his daughter wanted to tell me that she really liked my hat. It was really cute. Stuff like that always makes a guy feel good.

 

[SnappyHat]

It's not stopping.

Out shopping today I'm checking out at the register and a guy walks in that is by himself and jabbering away loudly. An earpiece stuck in his head he seems to be purposefully performing for others within earshot. Still jabbering away he walked directly toward me and interrupted whatever private conversation he was having by saying "I like that hat! ...and you are WEARING it"!

A couple minutes later a woman walks over and said "You look stunning today".

I'm the same old boot w/ a shaved head and a gray beard that I was before. Apparently the magic bullet is a Lost Worlds leather pea coat and a green Stelentino fedora. Wish I'd have known a little earlier.

I could get used to this.

Ok so Im newish here, although recall making this account years ago seems like any of my old posts arent here again but anyhow I was just minutes ago I was reading your first post and your hesitation on even wearing a hat and then in that thread you did buy your first outback type hat and now to read your out there with a green Fedora really make me smile .

 

[SnappyHat]

So been wearing hats for a long time I even have pics of me at 2 years old wearing berets , 5 wearing cowboy hats . From there its been a mixture, mostly black berets in the 80s then 90s a few cheap summer fedoras .
2000 to 2024 , flat caps and about 40 ball caps. and cheap fedoras
always keep a few in my car . So Dec of 2024 I get a desire to buy a Akubra Snowy River , (bought 5 in 2 months) . Never wore a outback type out until these last few months and I like them . Got 2 more Snowys coming in from auctions I won , got to have all the colors.
So Dec was wearing all black , black wool jacket , black Akubra , black boots and at a local store , girl at counter said " hey I really like your style".
I thanked her . First compliment from a female in over 30 years lol.
*I have worn all black for years never had a compliment and never had a black Akubra so Im saying it was the hat .

 

[Jon Crow]

So been wearing hats for a long time I even have pics of me at 2 years old wearing berets , 5 wearing cowboy hats . From there its been a mixture, mostly black berets in the 80s then 90s a few cheap summer fedoras .
2000 to 2024 , flat caps and about 40 ball caps. and cheap fedoras
always keep a few in my car . So Dec of 2024 I get a desire to buy a Akubra Snowy River , (bought 5 in 2 months) . Never wore a outback type out until these last few months and I like them . Got 2 more Snowys coming in from auctions I won , got to have all the colors.
So Dec was wearing all black , black wool jacket , black Akubra , black boots and at a local store , girl at counter said " hey I really like your style".
I thanked her . First compliment from a female in over 30 years lol.
*I have worn all black for years never had a compliment and never had a black Akubra so Im saying it was the hat .

Here in Madrid 300 days of sunshine, warm summers, hats are a staple along with sunglasses I have a nice Spanish made traditional Panama for summer rest of the time, various ball caps and a Harris Tweed Baker cap for cold days

 

[Frunobulax]

Got a "nice brim" from a waitress at a local eatery the other day.

 

[Trouser Bark]

Ok so Im newish here, although recall making this account years ago seems like any of my old posts arent here again but anyhow I was just minutes ago I was reading your first post and your hesitation on even wearing a hat and then in that thread you did buy your first outback type hat and now to read your out there with a green Fedora really make me smile .

It's oddly addictive and I'm getting to the stage where I need to consider getting rid of a couple in order to get a couple more. I have eight fedoras now counting one that's en route from fleabay and another being built at a custom hatter.

Another poster mentioned that it would take a while to figure out what I liked and not that long ago they all seemed nearly the same to me. Now I know what he meant and am getting to the point that I can be more selective and a little more certain that I'll enjoy it when it arrives. So far the first hat I bought here is the one that's also the most comfortable and has gotten the most wear time.

What would I wish I had known earlier?

- I have a gigantic head at somewhere between 61-62cm. There are fewer of this size available 2nd hand.

- If it's an older hat buy it a little big as it's probably shrunk

- Green hats match well with a wider selection of clothes than I'd have ever guessed.

- Young Asian women appreciate extra effort having been put into your choice of what to wear and they're not shy about mentioning your sense of style. I'm not sure I had one before.

- LO doesn't mean the same thing to everyone.

- Questions about the best way to store and display are in my future and not far off.

- Fedoras are refining my taste in leather jackets

- Of all the people I encounter there's only one guy that puts on an odd smirk when I walk into his office wearing a fedora. I thought it was interesting at first but I'd wager that it may have been a long time since he's been complimented for any effort put into his appearance. Hi-zoot for him is a black ball cap w/ out an advertiser's logo and whatever's least wrinkled.

- I wish I'd have recognized that very subtle nuances change hats in a huge way, particularly minor differences in crown shape or hat band.

- I wish I'd have known that I have preferences I never imagined. I like the way my Borsalino is stiff, tapers little and doesn't have a severe pinch. I like the way my 20 year old Dr. Indiana Jones hat looks paired w/ an old leather cafe' racer. I like the way that proper fit can make a not-so-attractive hat be the one you reach for anyway.

- And there's something a little more difficult to articulate. When I look at a nice set of wheels on a car or truck I immediately know that any raised white lettering on the tire goes to the inside so as not to detract from the wheel. A jacket that is a little flashy or casual may not pair well w/ some fedoras though I'm not sure I understand how that works yet.

 

[SnappyHat]

Here in Madrid 300 days of sunshine, warm summers, hats are a staple along with sunglasses I have a nice Spanish made traditional Panama for summer rest of the time, various ball caps and a Harris Tweed Baker cap for cold days

Nice and how do people treat you when you wear your Tweed Baker cap there in Madrid

 

[belfastboy]

I had another fun experience today, my family and I were having lunch at a little teriyaki joint today. I was wearing my Gannon Highwayman. Another family with younger kids came in a little later and after a few minutes the dad and his little girl, probably 5 or 6 years old, came over to our table and introduced themselves and the dad says that his daughter wanted to tell me that she really liked my hat. It was really cute. Stuff like that always makes a guy feel good.

It doesn't always happen but often a comment turns into a nice conversation, a human to human touch point and I always value that.

 

[Jon Crow]

Nice and how do people treat you when you wear your Tweed Baker cap there in Madrid

No different to anything else as I've seen guys wearing Baker carps, panamas, tweed flats, Madrid being the capital is very Bohemian and has millions of tourists both foreign and Spanish