New Guy Needs Advice

[BayouBeard]

Hello all...new to the forum and to fedoras. I've always been intrigued with the style of the hat, but never thought I could pull it off properly. I decided to venture out to a local hat store and try on my first real fedora. I immediately fell for the Stetson Chatham on the rack, so gave it a shot. I need some good expert advice on whether or not I'm doing the hat justice and wearing it instead of the hat wearing me.

 

[BayouBeard]

 

[konadog]

also new to hats, but i dig it on you. seems proportionately correct.

 

[DJH]

Welcome, BB. I'd say the Stetson looks good on you!

 

[RJR]

It looks good,IMO.

 

[BayouBeard]

Thanks everyone. I was worried about crown height and brim width. I definitely don't want to go any higher with the crown, but I was wondering if a narrower brim would suit me better. I went to the store after scouring the Internet having my mind made up that I was going to order a Stetson Saxon. It has a 2" brim whereas the above Chatham has a 2 3/8" brim.

 

[tommyK]

The hat looks great and you look great in it. Don't go any smaller, that big beard needs a big hat to counter it. If anything I'd go bigger, not smaller.

It may take a little time seeing yourself in it to get used to it. After a couple of months wearing a fedora you'll feel something is missing without it.

 

[Big Man]

I would agree that the brim looks good, a little wider would also look good. That's a sharp hat, and you wear it well.

 

[belfastboy]

I think it looks good on you. My advice would be to buy this hat and then look to add another in a 2" brim you can wear with it snapped up for a sportier look. Then you have a choice of hats to wear depending on the situation and your mood. I think that is one of the fun things of owning numerous hats.....I get to pick the one that fits the situation the best.

 

[Brother cavefish]

Maybe a wider brim

 

[B1ggles]

I'm with the majority here. If you're not planning to trim the beard in the near future, go for a wider brim.

 

[H Weinstein]

One more vote for wider rather than narrower brim. Just an opinion, of course, but I think the wider brim has more panache.

Maybe the narrower fedora brims remind me too much of the "Mad Men" mid-late-1960s era, when fedoras were on their way out and brims got smaller and smaller.

I think this one looks great on you!

 

[RBH]

Looks really good on you!
I dont think you should go any wider than 2 1\2 and by all means stay with a tall crown.
Also welcome to the Lounge!

 

[T Jones]

It doesn't look bad. With the right one I think you'd pull it off very well. An Indy type hat would look good on you, not the cheap woolies. Something along the lines of a Fed IV or even the Akubra Adventurer. A taller, straighter crown and a wider brim....

http://www.hatsdirect.com/federation/specifications.html

http://www.wrangleroutpost.com/akubra_hatindex.html

 

[Historyteach24]

Hat looks great. Welcome to the club and don't get a smaller brim. I would even try a 2 1/2

 

[BayouBeard]

Thanks for the replies everyone. I don't know why, but I keep going back to the Saxon. I love the 60s Mad Men look with the shorter brim. Unfortunately there was no Saxon to try on to make the comparison. Is it a consensus that the shorter brim would not look as good?

 

[Bushman]

I honestly love the Chatham, it's one of my favorite hats. I think it looks good on ya. Although, I agree, a wider brim would look really good too, I think.

 

[scottcw]

The hat looks great and you look great in it. Don't go any smaller, that big beard needs a big hat to counter it. If anything I'd go bigger, not smaller.

This. I hate seeing all the men wearing small brim hats making them look like mushrooms.

 

[Rogera]

I think the dimensions fit you well. Just work on some brim swoop and it'll be right on

 

[LeBois46]

New as well. I think it is right on.