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Indiana Jones hat dimensions

MJH

New in Town
Messages
30
Location
UK
I'm sure this has been answered many times before, but what are the correct dimensions for an Indy hat?
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
This is from Indygear.com. This is for the Raiders hat:

The specifications for the actual hat Ford wore are reportedly as follows:
Size: 7 ¼ (size 58 European)
Crown: 5 ½ (5.5) inches
Brim (front & back): 2 ¾ (2.75) inches
Brim (sides): 2 5/8 (2.625) inches
Ribbon: 1 ½ (1.5) inches (39mm)
 

Mobile Vulgus

One Too Many
Messages
1,144
Location
Chicago
You know, when I first saw Raiders I never once gave a second's thought to his fedora. The era was the 1930s, after all, so it didn't seem to me so terribly unusual or out-of-the-ordinary "cool." Me, I have absolutely no interest in getting a "real Indy hat." But I have to say I am glad that so many people really got excited about fedoras because of the Indy hat. For a long time I thought it goofy that so many people wanted to buy an "official Indy hat" -- mostly because few of the ones being sold really look anything LIKE the real hat -- but heck if during all these years since the movies first came out it is spurring people to get into hats again, then it is worth all the annoyance on ebay (everything sold as an Indy hat whether it is one or not, for instance).

So, here is the question: How many Loungers here first got interested in fedoras because of Indiana Jones?
 

Yeps

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,456
Location
Philly
So, here is the question: How many Loungers here first got interested in fedoras because of Indiana Jones?

I must say, I never thought of his hat as a fedora. I always associated outback styles with it, until joining here, watching the movie again and paying closer attention.
 

Gromulus

Practically Family
Messages
573
Location
NE Ohio, USA
Interesting. Like many, I too love the Raiders movies but I can't say Indy's fedora started or even rekindled my interest in hatwear. If anything, "The Man From Snowy River" and "Crocodile Dundee" (although not HIS hat) had more of an influence on me. While the traditional western hat never did much for me, the Aussie/outback (whatever that is) style always turned my head.
 

senoreme

New in Town
Messages
35
Location
Bronx, New York
The Indiana Jones movies were great but they did not do it for me as far as wearing any type of hat. Other movies such as Casablanca, Dead Men don't wear plaid, and more recent movies such as Public Enemies, finally provided me with the push. Hats just down right look good. And the man who wears them is secure about who he is. The best part of it, women love it.
 

Wolfwood

A-List Customer
Messages
319
Location
Finland
So, here is the question: How many Loungers here first got interested in fedoras because of Indiana Jones?
Interestingly enough (or not), I started to think about hats and a new casual style for me and hearing my pondering and descriptions of what I was thinking of, my wife remind me of Indy. I ended up checking some images of him online (didn't own the movies back then) and fell in love with the hat.

My first 3 hats were Indy hats and even my latest one (the avatar on the left) is Federation IV Deluxe, even though it is not in any of the official Indy colours.
 

theinterchange

One Too Many
Messages
1,673
Location
Why do you ask?
My love of hats has its roots in two places, Frank Sinatra and Indiana Jones. Even though my parents wouldn't let me see the Indy films, I loved the look, plus my friends and I would play Indy at school... it was little more than making whip crack sounds and digging around in playground sand. :D

Randy
 

Doctor Strange

I'll Lock Up
Messages
5,243
Location
Hudson Valley, NY
I was into hats WAY before Indiana Jones - I was 26 when Raiders came out - but Indy pushed me in the direction of a brown fedora, which was something new for me.

(I'd been collecting hats since my early teens. I already had: two boaters, two top hats, a derby, a homburg, a deerstalker, two kaffiyehs, a pith helmet, a WWII-surplus leather flying helmet, a hard hat, a chef's toque, a few straws and westerns, etc.)
 

XPLSV

One of the Regulars
Messages
215
Location
Colorado Springs
I loved Raiders and loved the hat. Never bought a fedora, though, until after I retired from the military and was looking for something to put on my head for my coat & tie job. The one reference that initially popped into my mind was the Raiders hat. What I found in the local stores were mostly wool fedoras with rather short brims. Searching for something on the internet more akin to the Raiders is what led me to the Lounge and a few other places...and it has all been storage shelf requirements since then ;)
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
You know, when I first saw Raiders I never once gave a second's thought to his fedora. The era was the 1930s, after all, so it didn't seem to me so terribly unusual or out-of-the-ordinary "cool." Me, I have absolutely no interest in getting a "real Indy hat." But I have to say I am glad that so many people really got excited about fedoras because of the Indy hat. For a long time I thought it goofy that so many people wanted to buy an "official Indy hat" -- mostly because few of the ones being sold really look anything LIKE the real hat -- but heck if during all these years since the movies first came out it is spurring people to get into hats again, then it is worth all the annoyance on ebay (everything sold as an Indy hat whether it is one or not, for instance).

So, here is the question: How many Loungers here first got interested in fedoras because of Indiana Jones?


Initially, I was more into western wear and cowboy hats (as well as the history of the old west and settlement), rather than fedoras. I don't recall Indiana Jones being too much of a "western inspiration" even then, come to think of it. I wore a cowboy hat for several years during my childhood, and I was very interested in not only the history of the wild west, but the culture, and films based on it as well. My cowboy phase burnt out by the time I reached the age of eleven. When it comes to fedora hats, my main inspiration behind liking them was The Godfather, although I still always thought Harrison Ford's Indiana Jones fedora was cool, since childhood. He was just one of those really cool film characters. As for The Godfather, there are quite a few fedoras featured, especially in the first one, as well as homburgs. The spin-off video game of The Godfather furthered my exposure towards these hats, and I eventually decided to purchase a wool felt Jaxon, and a straw Panama style one. Last Christmas though, I was determined to buy the Indy hat, and I did! Still wear it to this day, on and off.
 

monbla256

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,239
Location
DFW Metroplex, Texas
Having grown up in a family of men who wore hats ( father, uncles and grandfathers) and family photos of them back in the 30's/40's I was more than familiar with the Fedora as well as the Western hats worn down here. When I saw the first Raiders movie I thought what an abomination they had done with his hat. It DID NOT look like ANYTHING the male members of my family wore ! It was SO exagerated ! I guess it works for some but really does nothing for me :) JMHO
 

1961MJS

My Mail is Forwarded Here
Messages
3,370
Location
Norman Oklahoma
Hi

I went to see Raiders of the Lost Arc in Champaign IL while in college. My Dad took me to see it with one of the guys in the dorm. EVERYBODY likes it when the Nazi's get creamed in the end. Jewish kids from Chicago LOVE it when the Nazi's get creamed. There was a LOT of cheering during the movie. I liked the whole whip idea pretty well, but didn't ever think I could get by with walking around town wearing one. I though Indy was cool, but never really thought about the hat.

Later
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
Having grown up in a family of men who wore hats ( father, uncles and grandfathers) and family photos of them back in the 30's/40's I was more than familiar with the Fedora as well as the Western hats worn down here. When I saw the first Raiders movie I thought what an abomination they had done with his hat. It DID NOT look like ANYTHING the male members of my family wore ! It was SO exagerated ! I guess it works for some but really does nothing for me :) JMHO


In theory, I really like Indiana Jones style hats, but the untapered, straight blocked look does me in particular, little benefit. I prefer a little taper and a lower crown to make it seem less as if the hat is the dominating feature of the outfit, although it probably is already.
 

Mulceber

Practically Family
Messages
756
Location
Ann Arbor, Michigan
I prefer a little taper and a lower crown to make it seem less as if the hat is the dominating feature of the outfit, although it probably is already.

To be honest, I think that was basically the hat-wearing philosophy of the 50's-60's and I'm not a fan - to my mind, when I see people with those short, tapered crowns, it looks like they're trying to be as inconspicuous as possible. It's like they're trying to wear a hat without wearing a hat. But to each his own. -M
 

scottyrocks

I'll Lock Up
Messages
9,178
Location
Isle of Langerhan, NY
I prefer the Indy hat in as close to the actual original dimensions as possible. But then, there are a bunch of other nuances in the hat(s - there was more than one in RotLA) that make the hat(s) from that movie the icons that they are.

Edit: I should add that I am quite happy with a hat that has the general shape of the Raiders hat. I dont go in for that every last nuance. Thats very difficult to maintain (for me).
 
Last edited:

azhiker

One of the Regulars
Messages
218
Location
Phoenix, Arizona, USA
I grew up with my grandfather wearing a fedora everyday. He did not go out side without his hat! And NO ONE but he or my grandmother touchd it. We werent told not to, it was just a respect thing. As I grew up, I started first with straw western hats (being from the south) and progressed to Felt western hats when I moved to Tucson Az for a period. The western hats looked good on me, but I got alot of negative feedback/looks even in Tucson. Like Tex, or cowboy, etc. During a hatless trip to Fairbanks AK in 2009, I purchased an 'Indy style' wool felt outback type Scala fedora. This hat not only looked good, felt good, and was very comfortable to wear, but I got a ton of compliments! Mostly from ladies, but a few men gave me compliments on it also.

My desire to move to a higher quality hat resulted in me finding the FL, and the rest is history. I have two moderate quality Biltmore fedora's, love them, and am looking for more all the time. And yes, I get lots of compliments on them! I'm hooked, and yes, some of it is due to Indy Jones, God bless him!
 

Ronald

New in Town
Messages
13
Location
Geel - Belgium
Here in Belgium you don't see many people wearing fedoras whatsoever. There are, here and there, but you don't see it on the streets sadly. As for the Indy fedora, I own a Akubra Federation since 2002 and still wear day in day out. Guess I'll be needing a new one soon as this one has seen a lot of action.
My interest in Fedoras did not really come from Indiana Jones but I think of the gangstermovies I saw when I was younger and maybe Crocodile Dundee.
But the Indy fedora from Raiders and from Crusade are my favourite styles.
 

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