Newbie Hat Experience

[PorscheFedora]

So I have always appreciated a good hat but just recently I have a renewed interest in fedoras. Let me share with you what I have purchased and would love to hear your thoughts. I have looked for a place to buy a new hat and could not find a good place locally. I then ran across Delmonico's and thought I would jump in. My first purchase was the Stetson Temple Fur Felt Fedora in sage. I really like the hat and was impressed with the quality.

Stetson Sovereign Temple:

I then started looking at packable hats for a trip to Italy I am currently planning. Since I am going to Italy the Borsalino caught my eye. I would like to have found a lined packable and was considering a Bailey hat but because of the reviews on DelMonico’s site I went with the Borsalino Marco Casual Crusher. After receiving the hat it looked great but compared to the Stetson it seemed to be of less quality but perhaps this is because it is packable. Not 100% convinced the Borsalino was money well spent but time will tell.

Borsalino Marco:

The last part of my hat venture was digging out an old hat I had purchased 30 years ago. This hat was purchased at a second hand store for a Halloween costume. You could see that it was a good hat and that is why I held onto it for all these year. After some recent research I found that it is a fedora from the Knox Hat Company. I went out and purchased a vintage Knox Hat box. It is a great match to the hat.

Knox Hat Company:

Thanks for reading and would love your perspective on my recent hat acquisitions.

 

[Bob Roberts]

So I have always appreciated a good hat but just recently I have a renewed interest in fedoras. Let me share with you what I have purchased and would love to hear your thoughts. I have looked for a place to buy a new hat and could not find a good place locally. I then ran across Delmonico's and thought I would jump in. My first purchase was the Stetson Temple Fur Felt Fedora in sage. I really like the hat and was impressed with the quality.

Stetson Sovereign Temple:
View attachment 37934

I then started looking at packable hats for a trip to Italy I am currently planning. Since I am going to Italy the Borsalino caught my eye. I would like to have found a lined packable and was considering a Bailey hat but because of the reviews on DelMonico’s site I went with the Borsalino Marco Casual Crusher. After receiving the hat it looked great but compared to the Stetson it seemed to be of less quality but perhaps this is because it is packable. Not 100% convinced the Borsalino was money well spent but time will tell.

Borsalino Marco:
View attachment 37941

The last part of my hat venture was digging out an old hat I had purchased 30 years ago. This hat was purchased at a second hand store for a Halloween costume. You could see that it was a good hat and that is why I held onto it for all these year. After some recent research I found that it is a fedora from the Knox Hat Company. I went out and purchased a vintage Knox Hat box. It is a great match to the hat.

Knox Hat Company:
View attachment 37942



Thanks for reading and would love your perspective on my recent hat acquisitions.

Dollar is strong against the Euro and there are some great hats in Italy. So I would have waited and bought hats there.

 

[javadave61]

So I have always appreciated a good hat but just recently I have a renewed interest in fedoras. Let me share with you what I have purchased and would love to hear your thoughts. I have looked for a place to buy a new hat and could not find a good place locally. I then ran across Delmonico's and thought I would jump in. My first purchase was the Stetson Temple Fur Felt Fedora in sage. I really like the hat and was impressed with the quality.

Stetson Sovereign Temple:
View attachment 37934

I then started looking at packable hats for a trip to Italy I am currently planning. Since I am going to Italy the Borsalino caught my eye. I would like to have found a lined packable and was considering a Bailey hat but because of the reviews on DelMonico’s site I went with the Borsalino Marco Casual Crusher. After receiving the hat it looked great but compared to the Stetson it seemed to be of less quality but perhaps this is because it is packable. Not 100% convinced the Borsalino was money well spent but time will tell.

Borsalino Marco:
View attachment 37941

The last part of my hat venture was digging out an old hat I had purchased 30 years ago. This hat was purchased at a second hand store for a Halloween costume. You could see that it was a good hat and that is why I held onto it for all these year. After some recent research I found that it is a fedora from the Knox Hat Company. I went out and purchased a vintage Knox Hat box. It is a great match to the hat.

Knox Hat Company:
View attachment 37942



Thanks for reading and would love your perspective on my recent hat acquisitions.

You look great in all three! Each has its use. And soon enough, you'll find situations where none of these are exactly the right hat, so dang it, you'll have to get another.

At this point you have several options. Love the hats you have (you'll have the finest hat in most any group you encounter), walk away, and live a most contented life. Or hang out on this forum for a while, and soon enough, you'll be wanting vintage felt, since Stetson and Borsalino produced completely different products than they do today. Heck, they aren't even the same companies anymore.

Anyway, welcome, and make yourself at home. This is a great place to hang out, share, and learn.

 

[PorscheFedora]

Will be on the lookout for a new hat while in Italy - any suggestions on what to look for?

Thanks for the replies! Sorry about the inverted pics - any ideas on hot to fix?

 

[Frunobulax]

Welcome to the Lounge, Vance. Javadave is right. The more you hang out here, the more you feed on it. You'll find there is alot to learn and like, and you'll find yourself wanting more.

Enjoy yourself. One of my first new hat purchases was a Temple. They are nice hats.

 

[Mystic]

Three Fedoras...you like them, quality brands, they work for you.

All good!!

I have refined and re-evaluated my hat tastes and little hat collection over the time I've been wearing fedoras. Only have one fedora now that I bought at the beginning of my hat venture.
It's been a fun journey rather than a destination.

Enjoy the ride.

 

[PorscheFedora]

Thanks for the warm welcome and looking forward to being "schooled"! Through the site and other sources have learned a ton in the last few weeks. Have a renewed appreciation for the hats I previously owned.

 

[boze]

Amazon has Prime shipping with free returns on some Stetsons now, good for trying stuff without the risk and expense of return shipping costs.

I've never been to Italy but I'd recommend going without a fedora on your head and coming back with one for sure. Maybe two.

 

[Historyteach24]

Welcome to the lounge! I will say that you look quite good in your hats, even sideways LOL. I will also second the advice that your hat loves with change over time. When I first started wearing hats I was terrified to wear a bigger brimmed hat for fear of being called a cowboy or something stupid like that. I have been a devout collector and wearer for almost five years now and I own two Akubras with 3 inch brims and don't own a single hat with a brim shorter than 2 1/2 inches. I have also found that while I love vintage hats I actually really enjoy getting a new hat because I don't freak out about ruining a 60 year old hat or have to worry about the moth nibbles. Others here on the lounge would have the complete opposite views, but with open crowns now offered by Stetson its really nice to get your own hat and make it your own.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Will be on the lookout for a new hat while in Italy - any suggestions on what to look for?

Thanks for the replies! Sorry about the inverted pics - any ideas on hot to fix?

Cappellaria Meligari in Milano. Or any hat store with a good selection.