New to hats question

[Suppoko]

I have just begun an interest in hats other than the dreaded ball cap. I was wondering if there are any hats that don't require suits or ties without looking like a fool. Is it possible to wear a nice hat with just a button down or even a sweater and slacks? Forgive my question if it sounds too rookie. I have always worn hats and am tired of a ball cap but I don't know where to start. This site has some great advice tho. Thanks in advance

 

[Chinaski]

You'll see photos on this site of people fully besuited and topped with a great looking fedora, as well as a nice lid topping off a sweatshirt. There's a recent thread about wearing a hat with jeans. I think everyone would agree the most important component is hatitude! Develop your own style... and welcome to the Lounge, Suppoko.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

It's all a matter of finding your own look, but most hats can be worn casual. It's more the wearer being comfortable with his look than any demand of the hat. Maybe a top hat would require certain other attire, but otherwise you're safe. If you want to ease into the experience, pick a fedora that's fairly no-frills - perhaps brown, tan, or sage with a raw brim edge. Keep it simple. Then, when you get used to wearing it, you can think of getting interesting... if you want.

Or, if you're more of a cap guy, maybe look at newsboys or flat caps.

As I like to say; Welcome to the madness!

 

[Suppoko]

Thanks for the fast replies and the advice! I just don't want to have that "he's trying too hard look" going on.

 

[CharlieB]

You'll see photos on this site of people fully besuited and topped with a great looking fedora, as well as a nice lid topping off a sweatshirt. There's a recent thread about wearing a hat with jeans. I think everyone would agree the most important component is hatitude! Develop your own style... and welcome to the Lounge, Suppoko.

I love that expression hatitude! We should petition Websters to add it to the dictionary.

 

[gtdean48]

Thanks for the fast replies and the advice! I just don't want to have that "he's trying too hard look" going on.

There was a thread around here about hats & hoodies! Wear what you like. Like what you wear!!!

 

[fmw]

If you are concerned about wearing a fedora with casual dress, consider something like a ivy or newsboy cap. Obviously I wear Western hats and that's another possibility. But I think GTDean put it pretty well.

 

[Neophyte]

I agree with GTDean. I started out wearing more "smart casual" dress (dress pants, button ups, vests and the like), but I soon realized that practically no-one around me knew anything about hats or what they look good with.

So obviously, I had some leeway. It's almost always some kind of jeans, loafers, and a casual button-up for me. Believe me, aside from the few "clever" guys who make Indy comments once in a while, no one really cares that you're wearing a hat .

 

[T Rick]

Welcome to the Board. Here's the thread on jeans (asked by me almost a month- 4 hats ago). I wear them all with jeans. Here in the suburbs of Detroit, it works just fine. Should work Statewide . Even Nationwide (have a look in that thread for some pics of a lot of prominent Members here wearing their hats with casual clothes).

 

[sulla]

I bought a wool crushable $20 'Indiana Jones Fedora' a few years back. At first, it sat on a shelf. Then I got up the nerve to wear it out a few times, always with at least khaki's and a button up shirt. I was very uncomfortable.

Then I switched to my 'regular' clothes - Jeans, some kind of boots, and a variety of shirts from button ups to polo's and sweaters and even T-Shirts upon occasion. I gave the hat to my dad and upgraded to a proper fedora. My wife didn't mind, my 13 year old niece stopped feeling embarrassed bout it, and that all helped me get some of my own hatitude.

Now I wear a Fedora all the time and am very comfortable in it. I made it mine. Get yourself a hat and make it yours.

 

[Suppoko]

Thanks Rick. Suburbs of Detroit eh? I live in Lincoln park

 

[T Rick]

Thanks Rick. Suburbs of Detroit eh? I live in Lincoln park

Redford here, just up the road a piece.

 

[marshack]

I am new to the FLounge as well and this was my first question. From my search this is what I have found:

- Brim treatment...going from most casual to formal... are: Raw edge, under welt (brim rolled under and sewn), and ribbon treated edge.
- Ribbon - the smaller the ribbon the more casual
- Crown - you can buy a fedora with an open crown and put in your own rugged bash. There are many pictures of that in this forum.

I would also recommend looking on ebay for a vintage hat with the features you are looking for. The felt on these older hats is much better than you find today, it will be a little "beaten up" and wont look new and you can (hopefully) get it for a good price. I have found some hats on ebay that I liked that have gone for over $200, but if you keep with it you will find one for yourself.

Good luck

 

[John in Covina]

As mentioned above many fedoras run the gammet as to how dressy or casual they are. One thing to remember is in Indiana Jones films he is rarely in a suit and tie yet the hat works for him.

One hat that can be styled as a fedora and has a outdoorsy feel to but still dresses up pretty good is the Stetson Open Road. Particularly the older versions, however if you do a little research here you will find that many of the major hat makers made Open Road clones. One clone still being made is the Akubra Campdraft which is made in Australia but not imported to the US. However you can order one direct from several of the hat sellers in Australia. Depending on the AU-$ to US-$ exchange rate it tends to be a very good value.

Go thru some of the Open Road thread Info the Campdraft thread info and the other thread on Thin Ribbons to get an idea of what is available. Then you can seriously give consideration to a vintage one thru Ebay or a Campdraft or conduct a search of your own.

Post what you wind up getting here some time!

 

[jlee562]

I wear fedoras with jeans, a t shirt, and a hoodie. You can too, if you really want. Then again, I was never really one to abide by rules for the sake of rules

 

[FinnSpinn]

I would start out with a trilby (has more of a 'hipster' feel to it) or a narrow rimed fedora. Also brown or grey stands out a little less, especially when it matches your outfit. And you can wear it with anything you like, but if you go shopping, take the hat along. Then the 'matching' will happen automatically.