Looking for hat information?

[Frunobulax]

Howdy there folks, this is my first post! I've been a reader for a while and would like some input from you!

Well, I have a very busy schedule coming soon (Halloween season, 1940s Ball, swing dancing lessons, and many others) and I require an inexpensive hat, preferably something 1940s styled with a snap brim. I was thinking about the Stetson Temple or Chatham, but I'm afraid to get into expensive hats at the moment in fear that I don't look good in hats and fear of it clashing with my normal attire (I don't want to be classified as a hipster! I already have browline glasses!) There is absolutely no stores besides Goorin Brothers (I own 1 trilby type and one flat cap from this company but they don't have many styles) that sells fedora type hats where i live, plenty of Western stores in Colorado that sell cowboy hats though! I wish I could just try on some hats to actually see what looks good on me. Not costume quality ones! I'll cut to the chase now...

I was browsing Amazon and found this Scala Classico. I can only find one picture of a man wearing it in the reviews. If anyone can tell me if it's an okay purchase and if the hat looks authentic, please let me know. The price is attractive and if the hat does look like the man's review, I could possibly wear this normally as opposed for special occasions and not be afraid if something happens to it. Would Grey or Black be good?
https://www.amazon.com/Scala-Classi...ef=cm_cr_arp_d_product_top?ie=UTF8&th=1&psc=1



Below is also a picture of me with a Goorin Brother's hat on, it is called The Good Boy. I'm not entirely sure if this style of hat really fits me! It was a gift! Use the suit for some inspiration on recommending me a better hat or style. I know I'm pretty ugly and dumb looking, so don't be mean! The tie is actually from 1956, I bought it ( several others!) from a gent who owned a dry cleaners for 60 years and it was part of his stock never got rid of. The suit is dated to somewhere about the same time, possibly older. The shirt is just some stupid modern fit shirt from Men's Wearhouse, not too keen but it does the job! I'm normally the type of cat to style his hair all nice but some days I don't feel like it, so hats are slowly coming into my equation and I want to make a good choice!

I don't know if anybody here can answer your question(s) to your satisfaction. As Bob (RJR) says, you have to be comfortable in your hat. It would help if you could find a place to try on a few hats, but in absence of that, you should try to find something that suits the look you want. To our eyes, the Scala is too tapered and too low-crowned to qualify as a "40s" hat. Like Red suggests, take some time to look around the site, particularly the "What Hat Are You Wearing Today" thread. Too much variety in vintage and even newer hats, so you'll have to nail it down for yourself.

If you are looking for a good hat that will serve you well as a piece of useful clothing and fashion attire, consider spending the extra dough to get a nice fur felt, rather vintage (like on eBay) or newer. If, however, you are looking for a hat to complete a costume for swing dancing or Hallowe'en, and aren't going to wear it for anything other than show, heck, get the Scala.

 

[KarlCrow]

you are talking about something as simple as a hat radically changing your look, and you want to spend less on this hat than you spend on fecking food, and you are posting this in a forum of hat enthusiasts. That said i started wearing hats in april, and my first post probably reads somewhat similar.

 

[Frunobulax]

you are talking about something as simple as a hat radically changing your look, and you want to spend less on this hat than you spend on fecking food, and you are posting this in a forum of hat enthusiasts. That said i started wearing hats in april, and my first post probably reads somewhat similar.

Heh.

 

[raven5]

If you want the 1930s-1940s style, go with the stratoliner. or the stetson stetsonian. It's $245, either one, and a beautiful hat. Or try searching ebay for 7 3/8 hats. Personally, since I'm also a 7 3/8, hats that are exactly one size larger (7 1/2) fit me better than 7 3/8

I'm pretty new to hays as well, but a longtime lurker. What do you mean by the Stratoliner and Stetsonian being 30's and 40's style? Taper? Brim width? And how do Whippets compare? How do the Akubra styles compare to those?

You guys always confuse me! Lol

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[RJR]

If you want the 1930s-1940s style, go with the stratoliner. or the stetson stetsonian. It's $245, either one, and a beautiful hat. Or try searching ebay for 7 3/8 hats. Personally, since I'm also a 7 3/8, hats that are exactly one size larger (7 1/2) fit me better than 7 3/8

Rereading this comment I'm curious as to your hat size.You say you're a 7 3/8 but that a 7 1/2 fits you better;it would seem that you are actually a 7 1/2.

 

[RJR]

I'm pretty new to hays as well, but a longtime lurker. What do you mean by the Stratoliner and Stetsonian being 30's and 40's style? Taper? Brim width? And how do Whippets compare? How do the Akubra styles compare to those?

You guys always confuse me! Lol

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This question really can't be answered concisely.Scratch the generic name Akubra from the discussion;they make nearly unlimited styles.A generalization would be that older hats tended toward higher,straighter crowns and relatively wider brims.

 

[Bob Roberts]

I'm pretty new to hays as well, but a longtime lurker. What do you mean by the Stratoliner and Stetsonian being 30's and 40's style? Taper? Brim width? And how do Whippets compare? How do the Akubra styles compare to those?

You guys always confuse me! Lol

Sent from my SM-N900P using Tapatalk

It's done on purpose.

 

[Greasehound]

Understand that only you can decide what look works for you.Many here on the Lounge will tell you to wear the hat,rather than letting it wear you.In other words you have to be comfortable.
What don't you like about the Goorin in your pic?That Scala looks very similar to my eye.

For the Goorin, the brim is shorter than what I'm looking for and it is not stiff in the slightest so snapping the brim down hardly does anything. It serves it's purpose, but I am not quite happy with the $60 I spent on The Good Boy.

As for the Scala, I am judging by this customer's picture of it which is the only picture I can find of somebody actually wearing it. It looks a lot better than the Amazon web page photo.

I just wish there were more stores where I lived. I've been searching for a good year and a half for a decent hat in person but fedoras are just not in fashion here in Colorado. I want to make sure I look good in them before I spend $150-250 on a splendid fur felt one much like I said, a Temple or Chatham would be great.

 

[VintageEveryday]

Rereading this comment I'm curious as to your hat size.You say you're a 7 3/8 but that a 7 1/2 fits you better;it would seem that you are actually a 7 1/2.

Actually no. It's a bit like how pants are marked as the same size but differences in cut make them fit like smaller or larger sizes. I've found on the whole that some 7 3/8 fit like they should, whereas others are too tight.

 

[belfastboy]

For the Goorin, the brim is shorter than Iat I'm looking for and it is not stiff in the slightest so snapping the brim down hardly does anything. It serves it's purpose, but I am not quite happy with the $60 I spent on The Good Boy.

As for the Scala, I am judging by this customer's picture of it which is the only picture I can find of somebody actually wearing it. It looks a lot better than the Amazon web page photo.

I just wish there were more stores where I lived. I've been searching for a good year and a half for a decent hat in person but fedoras are just not in fashion here in Colorado. I want to make sure I look good in them before I spend $150-250 on a splendid fur felt one much like I said, a Temple or Chatham would be great.

Check out Haven Bros out of Loveland CO. They are custom hatters but may be close to you . Iown one and it is a well made hat. They claim to have some original Open Road hat blocks. Last time i looked they had a website

 

[Greasehound]

Check out Haven Bros out of Loveland CO. They are custom hatters but may be close to you . Iown one and it is a well made hat. They claim to have some original Open Road hat blocks. Last time i looked they had a website

I live about 10 minutes from Loveland, cannot find any information about them online. I have treaded every knook and cranny in that town, never seen or head of them. Possibly they moved or closed? I cannot find a website or an address.

I am familiar with Greeley Hat Works, but they are very high end ($355-1000) and last time I checked, they are a Western cowboy hat store. Great hats, but out of my budget. UPDATE: They have a handsome fedora but that is pretty pricey!

Thanks for the replies everyone!

 

[belfastboy]

I livTher10 minutes from Loveland, cannot find any information about them online. I have treaded every knook and cranny in that town, never seen or head of them. Possibly they moved or closed? I cannot find a website or an address.

I am familiar with Greeley Hat Works, but they are very high end ($355-1000) and last time I checked, they are a Western cowboy hat store. Great hats, but out of my budget. UPDATE: They have a handsome fedora but that is pretty pricey!

Thanks for the replies everyone!

I found them under hbhats.com. It is Havens Brothers. They are mentioned here in the Lounge but don't have their own thread.

 

[Greasehound]

I found them under hbhats.com. It is Havens Brothers. They are mentioned here in the Lounge but don't have their own thread.

Thank you, their prices might be high but at least I can try them out in person and find styles that suit me! Maybe I'll fall in love with them and have to buy one! I cannot believe I missed them!

 

[belfastboy]

Thank you, their prices might be high but at least I can try them out in person and find styles that suit me! Maybe I'll fall in love with them and have to buy one! I cannot believe I missed them!

Their $200 for a dress weight rabbit felt custom is a steal. I am going to order their OR clone.

 

[belfastboy]

Thank you, their prices might be higmostt least I can try them out in person and find styles that suit me! Maybe I'll fall in love with them and have to buy one! I cannot believe I missed them!

I have one of their crossover styles. It compares well to any of my other custom hats most with higher price points.

 

[Zombie_61]

For the Goorin, the brim is shorter than what I'm looking for and it is not stiff in the slightest so snapping the brim down hardly does anything. It serves it's purpose, but I am not quite happy with the $60 I spent on The Good Boy...

With your eyeglasses and facial hair, I think your Goorin Bros. hat suits you rather well. But I agree it's not quite right for a "1940s" gig. Narrower brimmed hats with lower and more tapered crowns started becoming more popular in the 1950s, but with the popularity of the television series Mad Men most people these days would probably associate them with the early-1960s if you're wearing one with a suit.

...As for the Scala, I am judging by this customer's picture of it which is the only picture I can find of somebody actually wearing it. It looks a lot better than the Amazon web page photo.

As has been mentioned, the Scala hat you've expressed interest in still isn't quite "right" for the 1940s, but it's much closer than your Goorin Bros. hat. And except for fanatical hat wearers like us, most people wouldn't know the difference. Contrary to popular opinion here, I say you should get it if you like it, but would advise you shop around a bit to find it for a lower price if money is a concern.

Here's the thing--modern wool felts are almost always inferior to modern fur felts. Wool felt is less stable, will not hold it's shape as well over time, and in my experience will shrink no matter how well you care for it. Most of the members here are true hat aficionados who own any number of vintage, modern production, and/or custom-made fur felt hats, and they'll be the first to tell you a fur felt hat is a better "investment". Like many things hats are a case of "You get what you pay for", and it's certainly possible to over-spend on anything, but in the long-run you can spend far more replacing your misshapen, shrunken wool felt hats every 5-10 years than you'd spend on a single fur felt hat that will last decades.

 

[Frunobulax]

With your eyeglasses and facial hair, I think your Goorin Bros. hat suits you rather well. But I agree it's not quite right for a "1940s" gig. Narrower brimmed hats with lower and more tapered crowns started becoming more popular in the 1950s, but with the popularity of the television series Mad Men most people these days would probably associate them with the early-1960s if you're wearing one with a suit.

As has been mentioned, the Scala hat you've expressed interest in still isn't quite "right" for the 1940s, but it's much closer than your Goorin Bros. hat. And except for fanatical hat wearers like us, most people wouldn't know the difference. Contrary to popular opinion here, I say you should get it if you like it, but would advise you shop around a bit to find it for a lower price if money is a concern.

Here's the thing--modern wool felts are almost always inferior to modern fur felts. Wool felt is less stable, will not hold it's shape as well over time, and in my experience will shrink no matter how well you care for it. Most of the members here are true hat aficionados who own any number of vintage, modern production, and/or custom-made fur felt hats, and they'll be the first to tell you a fur felt hat is a better "investment". Like many things hats are a case of "You get what you pay for", and it's certainly possible to over-spend on anything, but in the long-run you can spend far more replacing your misshapen, shrunken wool felt hats every 5-10 years than you'd spend on a single fur felt hat that will last decades.

Words of wisdom.


Sent directly from my mind to yours.

 

[ThatAsianSteve]

https://imgur.com/a/BfNHo

Notes: Size 7 1/8, The United Hatters of North America paper tag, The Westmoreland Straw Hats in the head liner.

If anyone could give me any info on this hat it would be much appreciated. All I know is that the hat dates between 1854 and 1934 where they merged with another company and changed their paper tag. I couldn't dig up anything on The Westmoreland Straw Hats.

 

[splintercellsz]

I was unable to find anything on the company, but I'm sure there is something out there. here is a nice read on union labels

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/index.php?threads/59329/

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[FedOregon]

Their $200 for a dress weight rabbit felt custom is a steal. I am going to order their OR clone.

I like the look of their OR and Stratoliner clones. Very nice!