Looking for a hat like Lee Van Cleef wears...

[Benjammin]

That doesn't cost over $100. I've found a few that are advertised as reproductions, but I can't justify the price. I've found a few that are similar (2 by Jaxon) that look close, but it's tricky "window shopping" online. If anyone knows the style I mean, and can point me towards a retailer, I would greatly appreciate it.

 

[gtdean48]

Try this website...
http://www.riverjunction.com/Mens-Hats.html

 

[philosophy101]

Try tha Akubra Squatter: https://everythingaustralian.com.au/shopexd.asp?id=20

 

[DougC]

http://www.thelastbestwest.com/old_west_hats.htm#TownBoss

Never seen one of their hats in person--the Texas Flat looks pretty close.

 

[Benjammin]

Thanks for the suggestions

 

[FrankMc]

Find a used felt cowboy hat and have it reblocked and shaped, cost about $40 to $50 for the reshape & block, find a good stetson or resistol on the bay for a great price.

 

[RJR]

I agree with FrankMc...s/b pretty reasonable and a quality hat when complete.

 

[DougC]

Sorry--I completely skipped over the $100 criteria in my attempt to vicariously buy a hat!

 

[tonyb]

Find a used felt cowboy hat and have it reblocked and shaped, cost about $40 to $50 for the reshape & block, find a good stetson or resistol on the bay for a great price.

I was thinking along similar lines. Find a good used cowboy hat and have a hatter make it look like the hat in the photo. I'd be looking for a bit more than 40 or 50 bucks to do it myself, but you could still get in for something close to your preferred $100 limit, provided you got the donor body at the right price. Seeing how it'll be taken apart and cleaned and blocked into a different shape anyway, the donor hat may as well be some crunched, dirty, bottom-of-the-bin job at the Goodwill clearance outlet, where they sell stuff by the pound. Just make sure that body isn't worn thin at the creases, etc., and that it is made of fur felt, and not wool. If you start with such a solid body, the finished hat ought be every good a hat as an all-new one.

 

[Benjammin]

Sorry--I completely skipped over the $100 criteria in my attempt to vicariously buy a hat!

No problem, if only I had the money for a such a hat

This one is more or less it, I think. The problem now is trying to guess if it'll look decent on me or not

http://www.villagehatshop.com/product/novelty-hats-view-all/451139-75712/classics-bolero-hat-made-in-the-usa.html

 

[LuvMyMan]

No problem, if only I had the money for a such a hat

This one is more or less it, I think. The problem now is trying to guess if it'll look decent on me or not

http://www.villagehatshop.com/product/novelty-hats-view-all/451139-75712/classics-bolero-hat-made-in-the-usa.html

If you buy just one hat, you may find yourself being "bitten" by the hat bug. When that happens, you will eventually own several hats and know what you like or do not like when it comes to how you look wearing a hat.

Hats of any kind bring a learning process along with them. You learn from many others here and then find things out for yourself. Some like to know the history of the hat they buy, most of the time that happens when you purchase a vintage hat. For us here in our household, it just makes things fun to search out the origin of where a hat was first made or sold from, stores from long ago that closed up, but their name is on the leather sweatband inside the hat.

One thing I myself have found, you will never know enough and there is always more to learn when it comes to hats.

 

[tonyb]

No problem, if only I had the money for a such a hat

This one is more or less it, I think. The problem now is trying to guess if it'll look decent on me or not

http://www.villagehatshop.com/product/novelty-hats-view-all/451139-75712/classics-bolero-hat-made-in-the-usa.html

I'd advise against that one, Benjammin. It's not much of a hat, I'm afraid. Wool body. Not much better than costume grade.

 

[Benjammin]

For sure, I already have a modest collection, I'm specifically at this style to augment the styles I already have. One thing I've learned is that you never know how something will look on you until you can try it on in front of a mirror. Normally I wouldn't think of buying one sight-unseen, but there aren't many good hat stores (that I know of) in my area, and what I'm looking for isn't all that common evidently

If you buy just one hat, you may find yourself being "bitten" by the hat bug. When that happens, you will eventually own several hats and know what you like or do not like when it comes to how you look wearing a hat.

Hats of any kind bring a learning process along with them. You learn from many others here and then find things out for yourself. Some like to know the history of the hat they buy, most of the time that happens when you purchase a vintage hat. For us here in our household, it just makes things fun to search out the origin of where a hat was first made or sold from, stores from long ago that closed up, but their name is on the leather sweatband inside the hat.

One thing I myself have found, you will never know enough and there is always more to learn when it comes to hats.

 

[Benjammin]

I appreciate the input, but frankly I'm looking for this style as a novelty, that's why I'm not looking for anything too expensive. Its not meant to be a hat I wear everyday until I die and get buried with. That place is reserved for my tweed cap

I'd advise against that one, Benjammin. It's not much of a hat, I'm afraid. Wool body. Not much better than costume grade.

 

[T Rick]

Problems with that Jaxon go beyond it's wool construction and poor quality. It looks very little like the VanCleef hat you showed. It has a much taller crown, and worse, one with a lot of taper to it. About the only similarity is the flat brim.

You could look into a Stetson Amish hat (they have a few) and you may even find one at one of the outlets (St. Joe MS or Garland TX) which could get you close to your price. The crown is slightly more rounded at the edge though, but it is a quality hat (depending on which you buy, they look closer to Kurt Russell's Wyatt Earp in Tombstone).

What you really want I think is more of a "Gaucho" style hat (essentially what was worn by musician Stevie Ray Vaughan, before adding all the feathers and fancy bands and such). There was a post in the musicians hats thread about his hats and who made them (can't recall specifics), if you do an advanced search on him here that may show up (might blow your budget, but certainly worth checking). IMO, that Jaxon will look buffoonish compared to the slick mean look carried by
VanCleef.

 

[Benjammin]

Thanks for the input. I did come across the site for the people who made (SRV's hat), but like the others is out of my current price range. I may just wait and save and get a proper lid. It is that mean, dark look that I'm after. I have a black and grey serape that I wear when the occasion calls, I've been looking specifically for a hat to complement it, since none of my current ones does

The idea of buying a cheaper hat and having it reworked is interesting, but I don't know enough about that.

Thanks again for the suggestion, I'm glad I asked because I didn't think it would be too hard to find a cheaper version of that style (that isn't a costume)

 

[gtdean48]

You get a black wool version of the Johnny Ringo model & keep the brim very flat = under $100 & looks about right
http://www.riverjunction.com/Johnny-Ringo--Hat-Style_p_3054.html

 

[randooch]

Not sure what size you need, but this one's not far off from the look. Just add dust and attitude.
http://www.shopgoodwill.com/auctions/Wow-Superb-Sevilla-black-Felt-Mennonite-Style-Hat-19429833.html

 

[tonyb]

You guys are on it now. A black flat top Amish "dress" hat can be had in fur felt for $78 ...

http://www.ourchurch.com/member/a/amishstore/index.php?p=1_3_Amish-Hats

Thanks to T. Rick for jogging my feeble memory. I've handled an "authentic" Amish hat or three, and while the finish isn't so great and the materials in general are, um, basic, they are indeed fur felt hats and I see no reason why they wouldn't last a good long while under regular use.

 

[FrankMc]

My wife found a Resistol Quicksilver for $15, I plan on taking it to Major Mike's and having Rocky shape it to a Vaquero style, much like the Van Cleef hat. Those hats are fine and you can get one reasonably on the bay, send it to Mike to shape, put a new ribbon on it, and you will have a first class fur hat for a good bargain. The hat is grey and fits her and this will be her hat.