Miss Velma Kelly presenting her cabaret bowler

[Matt Deckard]

K.D. that hat you posted looks pretty awsome... what is the make?

Bingtress... The problem I find with modern day fedoras is that the dimentions are too small and if you are a bit long in the face, a hat with a short crown makes you look stumpy.

I'm a high crown Man myself, and I have a long face.

http://images6.fotki.com/v103/photos/8/83243/1247936/Joseph_graphite2-vi.jpg

 

[Velma Kelly]

Leslie, love your picture and your sweet smile!


Velma

 

[Wild Root]

Some one say cowboys? LOL

 

[Renderking Fisk]

Bingstress...

The best advice I can offer is have your man get an Akubra federation and spend some time bashing it until it looks good on him. They you're have a better idea of what looks the best on him. Look at pics of other guys who have the same shape mellon and go from there.

As much as I love the Raiders bash... it doesn't look good on me. Art reblocked my fedora and its's more a of "Raiders Of The Last Temple Of Casablanca". But... it works for me.

Here's a pic of me, Coppertop and Rick from yesterday. I'm the one on the left.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Matt --

The hat I displayed in this thread is a Stetson "Gus" cowboy hat. It is a 4X beaver and is silverbelly in color. I got it at Wild Bill's Western Emporium in El Cajon, CA. I have seen in on some of the cowboy hat websites and also on Ebay. It is called "Gus" after the character Robert Duvall played in Lonesome Dove.

The stampede strap is horse hair and the band is several leather bands twisted and tied to the side. Some of those high-rounded top western hats are also called "Old West," "Montana" (though I believe that crown is poked-in on 4 sides on that one), and a "Hoppy" Hat (named after Hopalong Cassiday who wore this style in black), but, by far, the most popular right now is the Gus.
Someone who wore a high top unblocked or with no bash was Dan Blocker, who played Hoss Cartwright, in the Bonanza TV series. Those hats are sometimes called the "Hoss" hat and I think they may be even higher than the Gus. You can also buy Tom Mix hats, but they are BIG hats. I never see anyone wearing one, my guess is re-enacters and collectors buy them.

karol

 

[The Bingstress]

Wow, everyone has been so helpful!! I guess I shouldn't be surprised to find so many hat experts in a place called the "Fedora Lounge," but I am truly touched and tickled by everyone's advice and guidance.

Matt, your hat looks like it might be a good fit for Big T, since you have a similarly shaped face. He may be a bit broader in both the face and shoulders, but it definitely gives me a better perspective on how the crown height and brim size can affect the overall dimensions.

James, thanks also for your suggestion, as well as being sweet enough to poke around the online auctions to see what's currently available. You asked if Big T was a size 7 1/8, which begs the question: How does one properly measure hat size?

K.D., that's a beautiful hat, and sounds like it's very well made. Thanks for sharing that picture. (And Velma, thanks for your compliment.)

I'll have to start saving my pennies for the proper fedora to get my man. His birthday is a couple days after Christmas, and it might make a nice treat for under the tree.

Hugs & blessings,
The Bingstress

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Bingstress

You are very welcome. Good luck finding a hat for your very special man. I think Renderking has steered you in the right direction -- Akubras are wonderful. I have a Snowy River Akubra, which is an Aussie cowboy hat in style. His is a wonderful looking fedora. If you have a big or strong or round face, which I do, as I am overweight, the Akubras look good.

I think it because their crowns are wider and less pinched than a lot of other fedoras and the hat is not overwhelmed by our faces.

As a matter of fact, I am going to give the Akubra fedoras a look, myself. Renderkings "Raiders of the Last Temple of Casablanca" sounds like the perfect hat to me!

karol

PS Please post of photo of your guy's fedora when you find it so we can admire it.

 

[Retro Grouch]

Bingstress,
Is the Cowgirl Hall of Fame new? I haven't been back to Ft. Worth in YEARS.

My Great Grandmother was in the Cowboy Hall of Fame, in Oklahoma. She was big into west Texas beef. Wonder if the two hall of fames are related?

Dusty Rhodes,
Is Whites still around?

 

[K.D. Lightner]

The Cowgirl Hall of Fame is fairly new to Ft. Worth. It used to be in Amarillo, Texas and has been around for quite a number of years. The organization moved about a decade ago to Ft. Worth.

karol

 

[Canadave]

Originally posted by The Bingstress
... which begs the question: How does one properly measure hat size?

This site should help.

David

 

[jamespowers]

Originally posted by The Bingstress
James, thanks also for your suggestion, as well as being sweet enough to poke around the online auctions to see what's currently available. You asked if Big T was a size 7 1/8

No problem. Just glad to have another person interested in the mystery of hats. Did you find out his hat size yet?

Regards,

J

 

[Retro Grouch]

Originally posted by K.D. Lightner
The Cowgirl Hall of Fame is fairly new to Ft. Worth. It used to be in Amarillo, Texas and has been around for quite a number of years. The organization moved about a decade ago to Ft. Worth.

karol

Thanks for the info, K.D.

I haven't been back in about twice that long.

 

[The Bingstress]

James, I haven't had a chance to measure Big T's head yet, but at least now I've got loads of information about how to get an accurate hat size.

Thanks to everyone who has posted and emailed me personally with helpful links. I'll be sure to put up pictures if and when we find the perfect chapeau for my beau!

Hugs & blessings,
The Bingstress

 

[LaMedicine]

Now, I finally know why, even though he's touting a hat in his band logo, I've never seen Big T wearing one on stage.
I hope I'll get to see him in one soon, then.

 

[ITG]

Originally posted by The Bingstress


By the way, Big T has tried on fedoras a couple times, but nothing seems to look or fit right with the shape of his head/face. This may be a very rudimentary question, but how does a fella determine the right style of lid for his build? Would Big T be more of a porkpie kinda guy? I know he'd probably dig a fedora for the chilly months that are fast approaching. (Yes, it gets nippy even here in Texas). Where can I pick up some shopping tips before we start our quest?

Ya need to swing into Peters Bros. Hats in downtown FW...if you do, holler and I can make a run down there...they have a ton of hats/fedoras, not necessarily actual vintage but definitely the style. The shop has been around since about 1911 I think and have been in their current location since the 1930s I believe. It's like stepping back in time a bit.

909 Houston Street

 

[Wild Root]

If you want the best quality, Optimo makes the softest felt and it is just as close to vintage as one can get. Not as good, but really close! They're not giving them away, but it's worth it! I don't have one my self because I can find vintage in my size, but Matt has a few and they are so nice! You can?¢‚Ǩ‚Ñ¢t go wrong with an Optimo!

Also, Art can help you ladies out in finding the right hat for your guys! He really knows his stuff and is a pleasure to deal with!

You can see and read about Optimo hats at this link.http://www.thegoldenera.net/Optimo.html

Or, visit Art's page at http://www.vintagesilhouettes.com/index-2.htm

All the best,

Root.

 

[ITG]

Originally posted by K.D. Lightner
Matt --

The hat I displayed in this thread is a Stetson "Gus" cowboy hat. It is a 4X beaver and is silverbelly in color. I got it at Wild Bill's Western Emporium in El Cajon, CA. I have seen in on some of the cowboy hat websites and also on Ebay. It is called "Gus" after the character Robert Duvall played in Lonesome Dove.

My mom has a gus style cowboy hat on in this pic. (MIne is an Indy crown.) Both hats are from PB.

 

[The Bingstress]

Thanks for the tips, kids. I'm happy to learn that there's a shop in Fort Worth. I was looking for an excuse to drive back over there--it's a cool town. I also appreciate the insight on Optimos, Root. I'll drop Art a line once I've saved up a few duckets and it's time to shop.

BTW, that is one rockin' cowboy hat, ITG! It's gorgeous. And hey, now I know what you look like if we do manage to meet up.

Hugs & blessings,
The Bingstress

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Yes, that hat looks just like my Stetson "Gus." A good old fashioned cowboy hat.

Mine is the same color as the one in the picture, but I have had a horsehair stampede strap added to the hat so it won't blow off my head in the desert.

That brown hat is nice, too. What hat is that? Is it a Stetson, too?

karol

 

[ITG]

Originally posted by K.D. Lightner
That brown hat is nice, too. What hat is that? Is it a Stetson, too?

karol

The brown is a custom Peters Bros. with an Indy style crown. Jimmy, formerly of PB, did it up for me. The end of the brim has kinda of a roll style.