Milan Mania

[ValEag]

Stetson Dega

I had posted this one in the 'New Hats' thread, but it seems appropriate here also.

I have three 'firsts' with this one:
First straw.
First Milan.
First Stetson.

 

[Razzman]

Nice looking lid.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[RBH]

Here is my Optimo Milan. I have not yet figured out how to match it with my suits.

This is really a sweet looking hat!

Could you give the specs on it please???

 

[Alucard73]

5 1/2 in crown and 2 1/2 inch brim. It is my first Milan and it feels so fragile. I am paranoid about handling it.

 

[Lefty]

I think that must be the standard size. Mine's the same, and Univibe's sure looks to have the same proportions. I thought yours might be a bit taller, but your measurements show that it's just the thinner ribbon.

 

[Neil]

I have to have one.
But I fear I have already shelled out the limit for this year.
Next spring.
I want the one with the chocolate ribbon.

 

[cookie]

I've got a Miller Milan on the way- my fiancee said she would buy me a hat since I spent 400$ on wedding bands for her. I almost said "honey, you don't have to get me anything," but I just couldn't pass up that offer!!

I saw a nice vintage Stetson milan, 7 3/8, at an antique store, but it was a size too small and not really a style I particularly liked, so I passed it up. The price was a steal though. I might go back and see if they still have it and then put it up in the classifieds.

Go back quickly! The nature of the Milan straw is that it stretches easily and does not self conform back to the original size like Panamas. This commne tis based on personal experience.

 

[vonwotan]

Did you visit Optimo for a fitting and to chose the ribbon before you ordered? I would like two Milans, one light and one dark and I love the interesting blue striped ribbon for the ligther straw. I have also been looking for someone to make something along the lines of the homburg posted in this thread or worn by Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead...

replacing my dead links

Optimo

 

[Lefty]

Did you visit Optimo for a fitting and to chose the ribbon before you ordered? I would like two Milans, one light and one dark and I love the interesting blue striped ribbon for the ligther straw. I have also been looking for someone to make something along the lines of the homburg posted in this thread or worn by Sebastian Flyte in Brideshead...

The answer is here.

The photos are here.

The beard is gone.

Sebastian's hat, if I recall correctly, was in pretty rough shape. You might want to find a beat-up vintage milan if you want that country look.

 

[vonwotan]

Lefty,

Thank you for the links. I think I will wait until I head out to Chicago this summer to make my purchase.

The answer is here.

The photos are here.

The beard is gone.

Sebastian's hat, if I recall correctly, was in pretty rough shape. You might want to find a beat-up vintage milan if you want that country look.

 

[jpbales]

Stetson MEDALIST

An antique store find:

Too bad it doesn't fit. I'll probably put it up in the classifieds eventually, but for now I'm just looking for some more information about it. 7 3/8

 

[rgraham]

Here is a Dobbs Milan sold by Roos Atkins around the late 50s. My grandmother had bought it for my grandfather, but he didn't like it, and never wore it. I do remember that it was quite a bit lighter in color than it is today. The colors are very accurate in these photos.

I wish it fit my head...

[/IMG]

 

[jpbales]

I like it!

Here is a Dobbs Milan sold by Roos Atkins around the late 50s. My grandmother had bought it for my grandfather, but he didn't like it, and never wore it. I do remember that it was quite a bit lighter in color than it is today. The colors are very accurate in these photos.

I wish it fit my head...

[/IMG]

 

[Lexybeast]

Here's a Biltmore Milan I've had for a couple years, which I'm sure is made from the synthetic/fake stuff. I have to say though that it is nigh indestructible. It got soaked in China during monsoon season, and it's no worse for wear!

 

[jpbales]

Miller Milan...

My Miller Milan came the other day, and so far I'm quite satisfied with it!

It is the "Danville Hat" in cocoa. The material is quite nice- it looks and feels identical to the vintage Stetson Medalist that I posted earlier in the thread.

It has a neat ribbon pattern:

It has a mutli-color braid in the middle.

Overall, it's a pretty good quality hat. The only issue I have is the crown size. It's creased to 4" in the front (same as my Fed IV) but the crown touches my head- and it's a teardrop [huh] I used some steam to raise the crease, but it still touches my head- though it's not very noticeable. I wore it all day today for a high school graduation, and it kept me cool and comfy! It's very well ventilated just by the teeny-weeny holes in the weave (as seen in the pic below)

They used a lot of stiffener in the crown of the hat, particularly on top where the crease is- it feels like wood right there! The brim is nice and floppy though (as much as a Milan can be) and snaps up and down without hesitation or loss of brim shape. I can imagine spraying it with some Scotchgard and wearing it in the rain.
Miller did a great job shipping it. They used FedEx, which took only 3 days and has online tracker as well. They shipped it in a nice hat box which was covered by a regular brown cardboard box- a plus since I've had some hats come in crushed boxes.
The only complaint I have is that the Miller Hats logo glued into the inside of the crown looks messed up.

Seeing how that's the only thing that's wrong with the hat, and it's a very small thing, and comparing it to Akubra's quality control- I'm very satisfied with Miller Hats.

I think that people who tend to shy away from straw hats should consider Miller's Milans.

 

[RBH]

Great info JP!
I have three Miller milans and I have raised the front pinch on all of them, I just like a higher pinch on mine.
The 1st I got was the pearl grey, it has hardly any stiffner on it at all. It holds it shape but even the crown is not really stiff.
The next was my cocoa milan, it was a little stiffer but not by much.
My natural came last week, it is by far the stiffest of the lot, but I really cant say that it has been a bother.
I also found that if I wore the brim down on the back for a while that when I snapped it up in back I could put the snap closer to rhe egde and not have the brim angle so close to the crown.
I am sure no one would have guessed it but I had thin ribbons put on all of mine.

We need to see some shots of you wearing it!

 

[jpbales]

We need to see some shots of you wearing it!

Can do! I wore it to church today.

 

[RBH]

Can do! I wore it to church today.

:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[skyvue]

I bought a Miller tearddrop Milan in natural, and -- surprise, surprise -- it's way too small for my giant melon, so I'll be exchanging it.

It is terribly stiff, much stiffer than I expected. The woman at Miller told me on the phone that it would loosen up, but I'm not sure how or when.

But job one is finding one that fits, so I'll focus on that first.

 

[feltfan]

Lamson Hubbard

This wide brimmed Lamson Hubbard has a gray sweatband.