Need help. From the experts.

[bingebob]

I have been lurking on these boards for a while now. I have to give credit to the suits forum for giving me ideas as to the style of suit I should buy. I ended up getting a 3 piece charcoal gray suit that won me complements such as "you look better than the wedding party".

I need a hat. I'm a hat guy. I have 2, 3 piece suits one is charcoal colored and one is black. The problem I'm having though is figuring out which style hat fits my face. So I submit to word of those who know best.

 

[HeyMoe]

a nice light grey lid with black band would look awesome with either suit.

As far as what style to fit your face, check out this site: click here

 

[Sam Craig]

Gray or black Akubra Squatter or better yet, get one of each and a brown thrown in for good measure.
There is nothing that goes better with a suit. They are a good buy and wear like iron.

Sam

 

[bingebob]

The squatter may be a little too wide brimmed for me. I used to have a licensed Indy hat (got lost in a move) that my wife said was a cowboy hat and made fun of me. Of course she was also making fun of me when I got the iron out to press my pocket square but ultimately was eating crow when her female friends were saying they wished their husbands had the style I had for two weeks after

 

[hag]

I picked up a sweet navy blue Knox at our "trade day". Says "KNOX, custom edge on the sweatband. Perfect fit, in box, 6 bucks!

 

[Mulceber]

Of course she was also making fun of me when I got the iron out to press my pocket square but ultimately was eating crow when her female friends were saying they wished their husbands had the style I had for two weeks after

:eusa_clap Love that anecdote.

As for the hat, given the shape of your face, I would try a tall, relatively un-tapered crown, very relaxed pinch and a medium-width brim. Unfortunately, such hats (tall crown, medium brim) are harder to come by nowadays, so I'd recommend either ebay or, if you can swing it, one of the numerous custom hatters out there. -M

 

[Brent Hutto]

Here's a Dobbs "Guild Edge" recently acquired by bowlerman. I can imagine this hat on you with that suit.

 

[Mulceber]

Agreed, I think something like that would be just the ticket. I'm not partial to feathers, but otherwise, it looks great. -M

 

[Brent Hutto]

With you on losing the feather. But great brim/crown/ribbon proportions on that one and I don't even like wide ribbons as a general rule.

 

[monbla256]

I don't claim to be an expert but have worn hats for over 45 years so will pass on some observations. You look to be a big guy, +6'-0" +200#s as I am with a wide square face. Your overall size CAN pull off a wider brimed hat more than you think. The problem with Indy style hats is the TALL sq. crown and dimensional brim ( narrower at sides than front/back) which on your size and shape of face really don't work. The Squatter WOULD BE a GOOD choice for you as it has a bit shorter crown though it is sguare in shape and the wider brim sort of anchors the hat with your broad shoulders. Here's two photos of my Squatters on my head, one Black and the other the Mid-Fawn color and a shot of a Steel Grey Squatter. The Black and Grey Squatters you'd have to get from an OZ retailer as they are no longer carried by the US importer David Morgan. A Black or Grey would work with your two suits for sure.

(flash washed out some of the color)

Steel Grey Squatter

 

[Mulceber]

You look to be a big guy, +6'-0" +200#s as I am with a wide square face.

The problem with Indy style hats is the TALL sq. crown and dimensional brim ( narrower at sides than front/back)

Honestly, in my experience, the crown should match the face. If you have a tall face, you should have a tall crown to make the face look shorter by comparison. If you have a short face, a short crown will make your face look taller. As you pointed out, he has a square face. Ergo, he should have a tall crown that is moderately square - not telescoping, but very little taper. I agree though that an Indiana Jones hat would not suit, but I would say that's because of the wide brim and the tight pinch, which wouldn't suit his features.

And at any rate, I don't think the squatter would be a good choice - its narrow ribbon and wide brim make it too casual for the dressy style bingebob is pursuing. -M

 

[VetPsychWars]

The Borsalino Alessandria as sold by Bencraft would work well for you.

Tom

 

[monbla256]

Honestly, in my experience, the crown should match the face. If you have a tall face, you should have a tall crown to make the face look shorter by comparison. If you have a short face, a short crown will make your face look taller. As you pointed out, he has a square face. Ergo, he should have a tall crown that is moderately square - not telescoping, but very little taper. I agree though that an Indiana Jones hat would not suit, but I would say that's because of the wide brim and the tight pinch, which wouldn't suit his features.

And at any rate, I don't think the squatter would be a good choice - its narrow ribbon and wide brim make it too casual for the dressy style bingebob is pursuing. -M

The Squatters don't have a "narrow" hatband, mine all measure 1 3/16" which is not wide, but certainly NOT narrow I wear mine as "dress" hats all the time, and a wide brimmed hat can be VERY DRESSY IMHO.

 

[Sam Craig]

Man, am I in trouble.

About the only time I wear my Squatter, all three, is with a sportscoat and tie.

Course, out here, we don't go in for REAL dressy. Still too busy fightin off the Kiowas.

Sam

 

[dhermann1]

Ah, 'tis a sad thing when a man has to educate his wife on these matters. Personally, I think you'll look great in a somewhat bolder hat than you think you'll like right now. It will grow on you, and your wife will be amazed at how you SLAY the other women left and right.
Sharp suit, by the way.

 

[Brent Hutto]

I won't touch the "What is and what isn't dressy?" question but when I mentally place that Squatter hat on top of friend bingebob's head as pictured wearing that 3-piece suit, it does not seem to match up well. I'd say a corduroy or tweed jacket with a casual cut would be a different matter, perhaps.

But all of this is totally personal taste. The only person's taste that matter is bingebob's, ultimately.

 

[Mulceber]

The Squatters don't have a "narrow" hatband, mine all measure 1 3/16" which is not wide, but certainly NOT narrow

Narrow is a matter of perspective. As someone who never wears a hat with a ribbon narrower than 1.5", 1 3/16" is narrow. You're right that it's not as narrow as an open road, but I would still classify it as a narrow ribbon. But then again, as I said before, it's all a matter of perspective.

I wear mine as "dress" hats all the time, and a wide brimmed hat can be VERY DRESSY IMHO.

I'm sorry, I just don't see it. Every time I see someone wearing an open road, a squatter or similar hat with dress wear, it looks like they're trying to mix and match casual and formal. That's fine, but not my taste.

I won't touch the "What is and what isn't dressy?" question but when I mentally place that Squatter hat on top of friend bingebob's head as pictured wearing that 3-piece suit, it does not seem to match up well. I'd say a corduroy or tweed jacket with a casual cut would be a different matter, perhaps.

But all of this is totally personal taste. The only person's taste that matter is bingebob's, ultimately.

You basically just summed up my viewpoint far more tactfully than I could, lol. -M

 

[John in Covina]

Lest we forget, if you get a fedora and find the brimm is too wide: wear it for a while and see if you get used to it. If you don't like it still - there are several threads on how to cut a brim down to a smaller size

 

[1961MJS]

Narrow is a matter of perspective. As someone who never wears a hat with a ribbon narrower than 1.5", 1 3/16" is narrow. You're right that it's not as narrow as an open road, but I would still classify it as a narrow ribbon. But then again, as I said before, it's all a matter of perspective. ...

I'm sorry, I just don't see it. Every time I see someone wearing an open road, a squatter or similar hat with dress wear, it looks like they're trying to mix and match casual and formal. That's fine, but not my taste. ...

You basically just summed up my viewpoint far more tactfully than I could, lol. -M

Hi

"Narrow is a matter of perspective." and in many ways, dressy is a matter of history (time?). A Homburg was considered a dress hat for years, even though it came from the King Edward wearing it on vacation in Bad Homburg Germany. A Homburg has an effective brim width of about 1.5 inches (2.5 inch curled brim). To me 1.5 is thin. A top hat, and a boater both have thinner brims. Top hats, Homburgs and boaters were the bastion of the wealthy who, back then dressed up. The Fedora came out and changed all that. Capone, Cagney, etc wore 2.5 inch (roughly) brims when they went out on the town, and that would have been considered dressing up.

The Open Road IS a thin brimmed, dress hat


compared to the sweaty misshapen cowboy hats that real cowboys wear in Texas. It's all a matter of perspective.

On a side note, I read the whole page on picking a hat style / size to fit my face. My local hatter said to wear a 5.75 inch crown (uncreased) with a 2 and 3/8 to 2 3/4 inch brim for a Fedora. I don't THINK I have big ears, I don't THINK I have a square face, heck I don't know which kind of face I have, fortunately I don't see it from my viewpoint anyway.

Later

 

[Mulceber]

Hi

"Narrow is a matter of perspective." and in many ways, dressy is a matter of history (time?). A Homburg was considered a dress hat for years, even though it came from the King Edward wearing it on vacation in Bad Homburg Germany. A Homburg has an effective brim width of about 1.5 inches (2.5 inch curled brim). To me 1.5 is thin. A top hat, and a boater both have thinner brims. Top hats, Homburgs and boaters were the bastion of the wealthy who, back then dressed up. The Fedora came out and changed all that. Capone, Cagney, etc wore 2.5 inch (roughly) brims when they went out on the town, and that would have been considered dressing up.

The Open Road IS a thin brimmed, dress hat


compared to the sweaty misshapen cowboy hats that real cowboys wear in Texas. It's all a matter of perspective.

On a side note, I read the whole page on picking a hat style / size to fit my face. My local hatter said to wear a 5.75 inch crown (uncreased) with a 2 and 3/8 to 2 3/4 inch brim for a Fedora. I don't THINK I have big ears, I don't THINK I have a square face, heck I don't know which kind of face I have, fortunately I don't see it from my viewpoint anyway.

Later

You make a lot of good points - I guess I'm trying to find a methodology for why I don't think Squatter's, Alessandria's or Open Roads look good with bingebob's suit. Ultimately I think you're right, it has more to do with time periods than with hard-and-fast rules of dressy v. casual. I personally find the 20's and 30's to be the most appealing time periods in American history style-wise. Once you get to the 40's and 50's it goes downhill, to my eye. Other people have different views and I respect that. -M