If you could only have one hat...

[Dav3]

it's an interesting question. Your best hat isn't always your most versatile, so it's kind of hard. If a guy were to only have one hat, what would it be?

Actually, I've decided that's no quite a fair question. If you could only have two hats. One straw one felt.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

I have yet to find an indispesible straw hat. I've had a few that I liked, but none have ever been a must-have.
In terms of felt hats, it would have to be an Art Fawcett custom. I have three, so could we make it "if you only had three hats..."?
NB

 

[Snrbfshn]

That's tough, but since you put a gun to my head...

I'd go with my gray thin-ribbon Borsalino, which I wear more frequently than any of my other felts:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jtban1/album/576460762329104783/photo/294928803404059687/0

And for the straw, my Resistol Venetian:
http://new.photos.yahoo.com/jtban1/album/576460762329106481/photo/294928803404101973/0

 

[DOUGLAS]

Always a tough decision.

I would give up my entire collection for five of these in my size.

This would be my second choice

 

[Vladimir Berkov]

I am assuming caps are included? If I could had to keep one hat/cap it would be this one. I wear a cap much more often then a felt hat. I could get along without a felt, I could not get along without a cap.

 

[The Wingnut]

Panama Bob Montecristo by Art Fawcett, optimo block and wide black ribbon with Art's signature contrasting bow stripe in white or off white for the straw.

...and for the felt, I've got a Dobbs Fifteen with a cav edge in a bluish medium gray and midnight blue ribbon which is just about perfect...I'd like to switch it from a back to left bow, though. Gray goes with nearly everything except for lighter earth tones, which I don't have many of and the straw would work with.

This is the only 'picture' I've got of the Dobbs:

 

[AdmiralTofu]

I hope this means any hat, not just hats one owns. Otherwise, given my meager collection, I'm stuck with a good-but-nothing-special Jaxon Bogart that's still in transit.

If I were to have only one hat, it would definitely be my Joe Friday dream hat: slight taper, pinch-front, teardrop crease, medium gray, heavy downward slant in the crown from front to back, wide-ish brim (no welt, if I'm to guess from the photos correctly), black ribbon half the height of the crown itself. Then I'd spend my days walking around saying "This is the city..." to myself a lot.

 

[Samsa]

Straw: my boater.

Felt: One of Art's customs, something in a medium gray...

 

[WEEGEE]

ONE OF ARTS

But which one???

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Without a shadow of a doubt:

This 1940s Knox Tom 'n' Jerry. So light, so versatile, the stitching, the bow. it's just all around perfect for me . . :

bk

 

[Feraud]

I would probably choose this Dobbs.

She has no lining but soft felt, cavanagh edge to give the brim support, and a nice shape.

 

[Andykev]

Only two, what do I do with the other 60+ ?

Felt:

My MacLaughlan SILVER BEAVER 50 in the rusty chocolate brown.

Straw:

Optimo's Super Fino Montecristi Panama, with the wide brim. Soft and tight as linen.

 

[jamespowers]

Geez, my hats are legion. Forcing me to choose one or two is nearly impossible. I can reference a few though:
Knox two tone:

Custom straw from Art:

Dobbs Rainbow:

Stetson Deluxe with more fashionable ribbon treatment.

I suppose that would be good enough for now.

Regards,

J

 

[internetgamble]

Nice cap

I am assuming caps are included? If I could had to keep one hat/cap it would be this one. I wear a cap much more often then a felt hat. I could get along without a felt, I could not get along without a cap.

Hey Vladimir, I like your cap - may I ask where you bought it - I own a few caps myself but never managed to get hold of the big single panel caps of the 20's/30's era - all seem to be small single panel or big 8 panel.

Thanks


Internetgamble

 

[RBH]

For my straw, my "Supernatural" panama:
<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img152.imageshack.us/img152/6747/supermw7.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>

For my felt, my Penneys Marathon:

[picture to come later]

<a href="http://imageshack.us"><img src="http://img91.imageshack.us/img91/5974/penneykk3.jpg" border="0" alt="Image Hosted by ImageShack.us" /></a>

 

[Stoney]

If you could only have one hat.... It would have to bring such joy to your life that you would never miss the others. This would be my pick.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I agree with Stoney. The other consideration is: what looks best on me? (Unfortunately my mother's opinion differs from mine and some of my friends also have different opinions).

I guess if it is my opinion that counts for the most, I have to say I think that Art's Manhattan silvermist looks best on me, partly it is the style, partly the color.

I have bad luck with straws, do have a VHS wide-brimmed panama with a hurricane strap that I wear out in the garden in the summer, but would not want to pick that as a hat to keep.

Also, agree about the caps. I love my caps, wear them here in Iowa more than I do the fedoras and Brett has made so many wonderful caps for me, it would be hard to choose. Maybe the denim, maybe the fuschia, maybe.... oh, lord, I don't know. Isn't it great I don't have to make those choices?!

karol