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Is An Open Road an Open Road if it Doesn't Say Open Road?

Justdog

Practically Family
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819
Location
North of 48
Clone

John in Covina said:
I have written on this previously, that when it comes to the Open Road style of hats, "Imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery" and that Open Road clones should be as welcome as family.

The Open Road style transcends the lettering on a sweat band & trumps any argument for Hat Purity. See the original thread and you'll get the jist of the comraderie not the concept of Exclusion.

If it were not for my Adams clone I would never have found the style I like, The Stetson Open Road.
 
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My mother's basement
John in Covina said:
I have written on this previously, that when it comes to the Open Road style of hats, "Imitation is the sincerest form of Flattery" and that Open Road clones should be as welcome as family.

The Open Road style transcends the lettering on a sweat band & trumps any argument for Hat Purity. See the original thread and you'll get the jist of the comraderie not the concept of Exclusion.

The style transcends Stetson, for that matter. Hats in what we now think of as the Open Road vein predate the Open Road. And many of us can point to examples of factory-made OR-ish hats that are (arguably, at least) superior to all but the finest offerings from John B.

There's a good reason so many ORs have been made over the decades, and why so many other manufacturers produced their own versions (back when there still were so many other manufacturers). The Western-esque style may not be everybody's shot of bourbon, but it's certainly been a hit here in the States, eh?
 

Justdog

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819
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North of 48
Style

I agree the style trancends the maker. The open block can be styled so many different ways. I did read the hx somewhere and in the text was described the Texas businessman who may have been resposible for the design first. He was well known but the name escapes me. I know he created a large museum of art in Texas. I,ll try and find the HX again
 

Rick Blaine

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,958
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Saskatoon, SK CANADA
NewStrawOR.jpg


New very fine Straw Stetson... no O.R. on the sweat though just "genuine panama" and the Stetson logo.
 

RBH

Bartender
Rick Blaine said:
NewStrawOR.jpg


New very fine Straw Stetson... no O.R. on the sweat though just "genuine panama" and the Stetson logo.
Rick.... you are a god!!!!
How do you find so many fine thin ribbons!!! ????

I love this straw! Really like the crown crease, plus the brim looks like it is wide enough... great find!!!
 

Rick Blaine

My Mail is Forwarded Here
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3,958
Location
Saskatoon, SK CANADA
RBH said:
Rick.... you are a god!!!!
How do you find so many fine thin ribbons!!! ????

I love this straw! Really like the crown crease, plus the brim looks like it is wide enough... great find!!!

Thanks Bro'. Dumb luck would be my sole defense. Judging from the box this was no later than mid 6o's. And it was as new. I'll post some detail shots if I can this weekend. I was very pleased. It is by far the finest weave I own or have seen in the flesh.
 

AlanC

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3,175
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Heart of America
Well, I think it's clear--and it's been said already, but I'll say it again--that 'Open Road' has become somewhat like 'Coke' or 'Kleenex'. Yes it refers to a specific brand and model (in this case Stetson), but it is such a common thing that it has become a generic designation for a style of hat across different brands.

Just as any sort of cola is called a coke, so any sort of Open Road style hat is called an Open Road.
 

Lefty

I'll Lock Up
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8,639
Location
O-HI-O
That is one cool map. As you can see, we're pretty solidly "pop" in OH. I wonder what all of the "other" names could be.

I just noticed the major problem with the map - a county can have only 30% use of one term and still be assigned that term's designated color. There's a bit too much extrapolation going on here - especially with only 120,000 responses determining every county in every state.


A southern girl (Georgia) that I worked with went to a pizza place soon after she moved here. The guy behind the counter asked her if she wanted a pop. Being accustomed to the generic "Coke", she took it to mean something sexual and nearly hit the guy before her boyfriend explained the finer points of beverage linguistics.
 

Stan

A-List Customer
Messages
336
Location
Raleigh, NC
Hey! Yeah!

Hi,

Hmmm. A Green Open Road.....

That's what I need! A green Open Road with Yellow ribbon. Just the thing to wear to my antique farm equipment shows!!

lol lol lol lol lol

Later!

Stan
 

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