NEWBIE: I need help finding a fedora

[kaosharper1]

I can suggest the David Morgan Adventurer which is a lot like the Fed IV. Give it the cattleman's crease like the hat in my avatar, and keep the brim down rather than up. That'll make it less like an Indy hat, but also not a cowboy hat.

There are more pictures of this crease in the Art Fawcett thread. It's actually one from the 1920s.

 

[Zombie_61]

...I have been favoring the akubra campdraft, and the federation iv. Both seem like good hats but I can not decide on color or which hat. For the time being I want to get one but you never know I might end up with others...

Earlier this year I also decided I wanted a hat that would provide good sun protection during the summer and would endure any type of rainstorm during winter months. After doing the research, I decided on an Akubra Campdraft. Akubra hats are known for their durability, so this choice wasn't too difficult. The Campdraft has a wider brim than the Fed IV, so it will likely provide a little better sun and rain protection.

I guess my other question is how bad is wearing a light colored fur felt hat in miami like weather?

I chose Silverbelly because it's the lightest color available in the Campdraft. I have owned an Akubra Federation IV for five years now, and I can safely say the dark brown color I chose isn't ideal for hot summer days; darker colors attract light and heat more than lighter colors, so a dark colored hat will make you perspire more than a light colored hat. Granted, the light color of the Silverbelly (sort of an off-white/cream color) will likely be more difficult to keep clean, but I'm hoping mine will eventually have the "character" of a well-used "beater" hat, so keeping it in pristine condition really isn't much of a concern for me.

By the way, in case you don't already know, the Fed IV is only available through Hats Direct. The Campdraft is available through Hats Direct, Everything Australian, and other Australian vendors, but Hats Direct and Everything Australian are the favorites among many members here. Hats Direct stocks the Campdraft; Everything Australian does not, and ordering from them requires an approximate three month wait because they order each hat from Akubra's factory (unless you happen to order yours while they have your size in stock), but their hats cost $45-$50 less (depending on the exchange rate) than Hats Direct. I ordered my Campdraft from Everything Australian on May 24th, and I still haven't received it. So, that's the trade off--order from Hats Direct and get your hat sooner, or order it from Everything Australian and save $45-$50, but wait three months.

...Now for rain protection. If I get caught in a torrential downpour what should I do with the hat? What about once I get to a dry location?

If you buy an Akubra, you can wear it in the rain with no worries. Once you reach your destination, remove it, place it on a flat surface (either resting on the crown, or snap the brim up and lay it on the brim; I'm not sure which is the preferred method), and allow it to dry naturally. Even a quality fur felt hat can shrink if you try to dry it artificially (i.e., through use of a blow dryer or other heating utensil), so you should never apply heat to a wet hat to rush the drying process. Additionally, one of the best times to adjust the crease (the shape of the crown) is while the hat is wet or damp, because it will retain it's "new" shape as it dries.

 

[Landman]

The Akubra silverbelly color is actually more of a light tan than the traditional silverbelly you see in older Stetsons. In my opinion, a true silverbelly will have more of a silver or gray tone to it. The Akubra silverbelly is a very nice color though and I think it would be better suited for the warmer weather of Miami than the Tawny. I wear my silverbelly Campdraft all summer. Even in the 100+ Texas heat I don't find it to be uncomfortable at all. I have removed the liner with the plastic insert though and replaced it with just a plain satin liner. The plastic insert really holds the heat in. I put it back in during the winter months. They are very easy to swap out.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Well I do not want the western look at all. I think I am leaning toward the camp draft at the moment and am debating what color. Im thinking brown of tawny fawn.


Edit: Like I said at the moment I am going for a more casual look.

Since miami gets hot I am thinking the fawn due to not being as dark of a color.

Out of curiosity...since you're going for a more casual look, and you live in a warm climate, why are you not considering a straw?

 

[gtdean48]

The silverbelly is a lighter color & will reflect heat a tad better than the fawn. The fawn isn't that dark & not sure I'd be able to detect that tad bit, even in the humid GA heat of August. Miami is more tropical, so I'd go for the silverbelly with the liner out. Just saw a Lounger put vent holes in a Campdraft in the Conversion Corral thread which seems like a good idea for southern Florida to me.
Campdraft is more casual than a Fed4 = country/casual vs city/dressy JMHO

 

[xbeatles4x]

So would the fed 4 be more of a casual city hat?

 

[splintercellsz]

You can dress up or dress down any hat.

I wear my 1900s Stetson with a collared shirt, jeans, and running shoes, then turn around and wear it with a suit.

 

[Banky]

At the risk of inciting another heated debate that's the beauty of there not being a very defined "etiquette" to hat wearing these days. As Justin said, you can dress up or dress down nearly any hat.

 

[jlee562]

I'm still sticking to my guns and saying that the Campdraft is going to be more versatile. Obviously there's some manner of personal taste there. But I just think thin ribbons work better as more casual hats.

 

[HudsonHawk]

I'm still sticking to my guns and saying that the Campdraft is going to be more versatile. Obviously there's some manner of personal taste there. But I just think thin ribbons work better as more casual hats.

I agree with you on this. And brown will be the most versatile color, so if you only have one hat...

Of course, having one hat is like carrying one club in your golf bag....and if you only were allowed one club, it would be a 7 iron. Therefore, a brown hat is like a 7 iron. How's that for an analogy?

 

[ManofKent]

I'm still sticking to my guns and saying that the Campdraft is going to be more versatile. Obviously there's some manner of personal taste there. But I just think thin ribbons work better as more casual hats.

I agree the Campdraft's thin ribbon makes it a slightly more casual style, but IMO it's less versatile because of that. I've just received a Fed IV in Tawny Fawn and can see myself happily wearing it with a suit or casually, whilst I'm not sure my Campdraft is going to get much wear with suits. Don't forget the bash you put in will make a difference to how casual the hat looks.

Both are great hats though, and I don't think you'll be disappointed with either.

 

[Banky]

Thin ribbons definitely give off a more laid back vibe. I don't think it's possible to go wrong with a campdraft. I'd venture the campdraft is probably the overall favorite hat of the lounge. I don't think there is a "what hat should I get?" thread where the campdraft isn't mentioned.

 

[frussell]

Campdraft in silverbelly is great. Also, if you don't have a hard to find size like me, why not bag a few vintage hats off eBay? Try different colors, styles, and not worry about getting them wet, if they're cheaply bought? Frank

 

[hatophile]

Campdraft in silverbelly is great. Also, if you don't have a hard to find size like me, why not bag a few vintage hats off eBay? Try different colors, styles, and not worry about getting them wet, if they're cheaply bought? Frank

This is a good idea. You can get some nice off-brand clones of favored hats like Stetson OR, Whippet and Strats for a lot less money than you would pay for the name brands.

 

[xbeatles4x]

Well I think eventually I would get both. That is pretty much in the cards. My question was for the time being as an everyday hat, not wearing a suit what color and what hat. I think I have made up my mind and want the federation first and then while I am not in a rush I can buy the campdraft for $45 less but wait 3 months.

Now when you guys say a brown hat can you specify if you mean very dark brown or taupe fawn.

 

[HudsonHawk]

Well I think eventually I would get both. That is pretty much in the cards. My question was for the time being as an everyday hat, not wearing a suit what color and what hat. I think I have made up my mind and want the federation first and then while I am not in a rush I can buy the campdraft for $45 less but wait 3 months.

Now when you guys say a brown hat can you specify if you mean very dark brown or taupe fawn.

I say the latter. I think it's more versatile. But get what *you* like.

 

[xbeatles4x]

What happened to my thread? Now it looks like it merged with a thread I was reading last night.

 

[Crazy Dave]

Well I think eventually I would get both. That is pretty much in the cards. My question was for the time being as an everyday hat, not wearing a suit what color and what hat. I think I have made up my mind and want the federation first and then while I am not in a rush I can buy the campdraft for $45 less but wait 3 months.

Now when you guys say a brown hat can you specify if you mean very dark brown or taupe fawn.

Get the one you like. Can't really go wrong. Don't worry about being compared to Indy, you'll be ok if you refrain from wearing the whip. And if you don't you can always whip anyone that looks at you funny.

Kudos for buying such a nice hat right away. \m/ (><) \m/

 

[TheDane]

This is a very interesting theme for a discussion, but this forum may not the best place to ask(?) It depends on the kind of answer you expect. Everybody on the lounge has very well defined feelings/meanings on the subject 'hats' - people, who don't wear hats, don't. A lot of people 'out there' will notice, that you're wearing a hat - but they don't necessarily see the actual hat.

The teacher Betty Edwards wrote in the late 70's the book "Drawing on the Right Side of the Brain". In that she showed that people, trying to draw a person with glasses, often just draw two circles with a small bridge between them. They will draw the 'symbol' or 'icon' for a pair of glasses - not the glasses as they actually look. The same seems to go with hats.

You can do an interesting little test: When meeting a friend who doesn't wear hats, conversate the person for a minute or two. Then ask the person to turn the back to you, and describe your hat from memory. He or she will be lucky to get the color right. The crease, crown-height, brim-width, brim-treatment, brim-snap, ribbon-color and -width will probably be wrong on most counts. He or she may love the fact, that you are wearing a hat - but the question is, what the person actually see(?)

To a lot of people you don't dress up or down - you don't dress classy or casual - you just dress exotic and a bit weird. If you're not on your way to a carnival, you are probably a bit excentric. You must be a fan of either John Wayne, Humphrey Bogart or Harrison Ford. Why on earth would you else dress up, just one step away from the white, powdered wigs of the 1700's and 1800's?

Is it the view of the 100 hat-wearing people, you may meet in a city with 1,000,000 inhabitants, you want - or is it the view of all the rest? Most likely the latter, but you will get the first here. How hats are perceived is also very dependent on culture. Thin ribbons will nearly always be seen as very cowboy'ish in most of Europe. I guess, the best advice is to say as HudsonHawk did: "But get what *you* like."

What happened to my thread? Now it looks like it merged with a thread I was reading last night.

That happens once in a while. If an issue is already handled in another thread, one of the moderators (called 'bartenders' on the lounge) will often merge the threads. Quite a nice feature

 

[Ghost Rider]

@TheDane: now that's really sound advice!