New poster seeking advice

[TJ Hamilton]

This is my first post, although I have been a daily reader of the FL for about a year now. I have been a hat fan since childhood (I remember at about 5 or 6 proudly wearing a Styrofoam pith helmet). I am grateful for having discovered the Lounge as it has made me a more educated, and therefore discerning, hat guy. Living in Boston, with a position requiring year-round suit and tie wear, I have the opportunity to wears feds quite frequently. As a smaller man (5’8”, about 170) I have been told by the one whose opinion counts the most (my wife) that I look better in stingier brims. I agree. The widest brim hat I currently own is my Biltmore Senator in steel, which is my go-to work hat. Thanks to the FL, I have discovered Art Fawcett who has made me a great stingy in camel (I am about to have him start on a second most likely in midnight blue). I have a question for those of you smarter than I about hats. I would love to find the following hat: black teardrop fed, smaller crown (4-4-1/2 inches) brim about 1-3/4. Does such a hat exist that can be purchased off the shelf? I realize that I can always turn to Art, but I have more potential projects for Art than I think my beloved wife will allow. Thanks to all for providing a community I look forward to seeing daily!

 

[Aureliano]

Hope this helps. You might have to change tha bash yourself, though.

http://www.hatsinthebelfry.com/prod...urce=google&utm_medium=base&utm_campaign=base

http://delmonicohatter.net/Scala-Sorrento-Fur-Felt-Hat/M/B001GAB0VG.htm

http://www.hats-plus.com/p-730-stef...um=froogle&utm_term=stefeno-boston-fedora-hat

 

[Salty O'Rourke]

Let me preface my remarks by saying that I have no experience buying from this vendor OR with owning a Jaxon hat. You might want to point your browswer to

www.villagehatshop.com and check out their felt Jaxon stingies, particularly the Jaxon Frank and the Jaxon Rude boy. Can't beat the price for fur felt, although the brims are a little stingier if I remember correctly.

www.bencrafthats.com is in NYC and is a Lounge member to boot. They might have something to your liking as well.

Finally, you could always try to find a nice vintage specimen on ebay - low crown stingies seem to sell at reasonable prices.

Good luck!

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Wow. An actual tough find for a stingy. Most stingies have center dents.

This has a smaller brim, but the right crown;
http://www.millerhats.com/mdressfelt_index/teardrop2.html

Also, you could try one on this page;
http://www.hornetshats.com/f_hatview.php?link=Fur Felts

Hornets can customize the hats, but the more changes they make, the less likely they will accept a return. Still, you could ask for open crowns so you can shape it yourself, different colors, or just a different brim width.

Now, keep mind that, with shipping, you'll end up paying in $100 range. Not bad, since the same hat state side woulds cost as much or more.

Finally, I know for a fact that their are a couple of hat shops in Boston. I've only been in one, in summer, so I don't know what they will carry now. But a quick google search should net a few places.

 

[carldelo]

Also

Nobody has mentioned Akubra, so I will - they make the Hampton and Whippet, which are apparently the same basic hat but in different colors. The brim is 48mm or about 1-7/8 on each. Many on the lounge love Akubra, although I prefer Stetson felt myself - to each his own:

http://www.everythingaustralian.com.au/displayproduct.asp?page=4

Speaking of Stetson, I find it amazing that not a single one of their 'Profile 10' classic teardrop hats has a stingy brim - they're all 2-1/4 or bigger. Seems like quite a hole in their lineup that needs fixing.

PS - I see you are looking for a black hat, which would be the Hampton, but it's a 3-month wait from EA - you might look around to see if someone has it in stock. Goose posted a picture of a black Akubra Hampton here, post 18:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=39087

 

[TJ Hamilton]

I appreciate all of your suggestions. It is now a case of narrowing all of the choices. Thanks again!