Now That's a Hat!

[JohnnyB53]

Here's a pic of my mom, dad, brother, and me (I'm the little guy--not quite one year old) in the Fall of 1954. My dad was 45 then. He was definitely a conservative man--not a fad-chasing dapper dan--so he's not wearing an excessively high-crowned hat relative to the time period when he bought it, probably late '40s. And it certainly doesn't hint at the low tapered crowns, stingy brims, and narrow lapels to come later in the '50s.

It's funny how some of the Indy-type hats (e.g., Akubra Fed IV) shorten the crown a bit to make the hat appeal to a wider audience, but here's proof that a big, squared-off high crown fedora was totally mainstream for many years.

 

[Garrett]

Here's a pic of my mom, dad, brother, and me (I'm the little guy--not quite one year old) in the Fall of 1954. My dad was 45 then. He was definitely a conservative man--not a fad-chasing dapper dan--so he's not wearing an excessively high-crowned hat relative to the time period when he bought it, probably late '40s. And it certainly doesn't hint at the low tapered crowns, stingy brims, and narrow lapels to come later in the '50s.

It's funny how some of the Indy-type hats (e.g., Akubra Fed IV) shorten the crown a bit to make the hat appeal to a wider audience, but here's proof that a big, squared-off high crown fedora was totally mainstream for many years.

Your pop looks sharp. Thanks for posting this Tony

 

[HatSoup]

Was it common for kids to wear bow ties?

 

[carter]

Thanks for posting!

:arated: That's a great hat and a great looking family! My brother and I had the same haircut that your brother has in the photo. I remember my mom dressing like your mother although I don't think I ever saw my dad in a fedora.

My son (21) just looked at the picture and said, "That's a great suit!".

Some things aren't totally lost on younger folks.

 

[KY Gentleman]

That is a nice picture- thank you for sharing it.
Do you still have that hat somewhere?

 

[tonyb]

I can't help but think there is such a thing as an innate human aesthetic sense. From cave paintings dating back tens of thousands of years to, say, Frank Lloyd Wright, some designs just look right. And timeless.

There is such a thing as a "right" hat profile, too. For the life of me, I can't understand why that is so often wasted on the large manufacturers. I'm not suggesting that tapered crowns are universally without appeal, but man, are the people in the design departments at, say, Dorfman Pacific totally oblivious? Can't they see the obvious differences between the hat Harrison Ford wore in the latest Indiana Jones movie and that officially licensed thing they produce? Or do other considerations trump?

You all were a handsome bunch, JohnnyB. (Assuming that referring to your dad in the past tense is accurately stating the case. I mean, he was 45 in 1954.)

 

[handlebar bart]

Great family photo for starters........and your Dads hat is really sharp. Do you know what the color was?

 

[JohnnyB53]

Was it common for kids to wear bow ties?

Not for everyday wear. Judging by how we were all dressed, we were probably on our way to (or back from) church.

I distinctly remember feeling like a big boy when I was finally able to graduate from a bow tie to a four-in-hand.

That is a nice picture- thank you for sharing it.
Do you still have that hat somewhere?

Oh, I wish--that and about a half-dozen other hats from the '40s and '50s, including some Stetsons including an Open Road or something even more cowboy-ish. He had other brands as well, but since I was a little cowboy, the only name that stuck with me was Stetson. I wouldn't be surprised if he had something from Lee, Knox, Dobbs, Resistol, and/or Bailey.

I think his hats disappeared to thrift shops and through garage sales. He's been gone since 1982 and my mom never gave me the option to have any of them, and I just found out that he wore the same size (7-1/8) that i do. My mom's already been gone 10 years herself. My dad's 100th birthday anniversary comes up in March. They had me late.

Great family photo for starters........and your Dads hat is really sharp. Do you know what the color was?

I only remember him wearing some shade of grey always, from light grey to charcoal; he may have had a black one as well. Assuming this one is also grey, it must have been a light grey.

 

[Esme]

JohnnyB, sharp looking family there.
I am digging your MOM's hat there! I love those.
You all were raised right, I would say. There I go, judging by appearances again.

 

[Michaelshane]

Was it common for kids to wear bow ties?

I have a picture of me in a bow tie in 1954.

 

[randooch]

What a great family portrait! Thanks for sharing such a personal glimpse. That's why I love this Lounge. Some of your dad's hats may be cherished to this day.

 

[Ordinary Guy]

Your pic got me thinking and after rummaging around for awhile I found this pic of my grandparents.....

As you can see I came by my Love of Fedoras honestly.....

The ladies might enjoy the hat my grandmother was wearing also..

Sure wish I had my grandfathers Fedora at this moment...

Not sure when it was taken but if I had to guess I would say maybe in the late 30's.....

 

[steppenwolph]

Those are some great memories. Thank you all for sharing them with us. :eusa_clap

 

[Sefton]

Great photos gentlemen! I couldn't help but notice that it seems that the trousers on both of those suits are uncuffed. Not unheard of although I believe it was a bit rare. Anyone feel like guessing on the brim width of the hat in the 1954 photo? Perhaps 2 1/4"?

 

[carouselvic]

Country Dogs Come To Town

Uncle Wilfrid left my Dad right 1941 California 18 & 21 years

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Cool thread.

For kicks, here's a photo of my grandfather with (on left) my uncle Allen and (on right) my father. This would've been around 1920.

 

[tonyb]

Anyone feel like guessing on the brim width of the hat in the 1954 photo? Perhaps 2 1/4"?

Looks about that, give or take an eighth.

 

[cookie]

Cool thread.

For kicks, here's a photo of my grandfather with (on left) my uncle Allen and (on right) my father. This would've been around 1920.

The young blokes have answered all the Cap questions about how much you need on the sides...plenty!:eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[RBH]

My great grand father AP Dodd from the early 50's.

 

[trailrunner]

I wore my Fed IV to my parent's house this weekend. When I walked in my mother said to me "I swear that hat looks just like one Daddy had." I told her I would love to have it if it ever turned up and asked her if she thought it might be packed away somewhere in the basement of the farmhouse (My grandparent's house, where my sister now lives.) Unfortunately she thinks it is long gone as even though my grandmother kept all of his hats and clothes put away just as he left them when he died - several of my aunts threw it all out when my grandmother died about 17 years ago.

My mother has promised to dig out a picture of him wearing the hat for me. I will scan it and post it when she does.