OK - I'm new here!

[HLSheppard]

Hi all -

I've seen this forum mentioned on a couple of the wetshaving forums and I've decided to "jump on in."

I was home with the flu today, so I basically read the forum for few hours.:eusa_clap

As a newbie to hats (I've actually never worn them), but as someone who has been interested in them... Where's the best place to start?

Sort of like a "talk to me like I'm 5" primer...

Thanks and know that there are MANY folks out there who appreciate the finer things!

 

[Marc Chevalier]

"Wetshaving forums"? What the heck are those? [huh]

.

 

[HLSheppard]

Forums such as this one dedicated to the (lost but returning) art of wetshaving.

You know, shave brush, soap, double edge or straight razor... Like what you remember your dad or grandpa doing.

www.badgerandblade.com

www.shavemyface.com

Feel free to check 'em out. They are another bastion of gentlemanly behavior.

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Welcome to the Lounge, Sheppard.
Once you get started with hats, you may find it difficult to stop. As to where to start; there are pages and pages of information in the Hats Forum.
We're all here to help you wade through it.

 

[HLSheppard]

Thanks for the welcome. So, is my best bet just start reading from the beginning?

Trust me, the addiction can't be any worse that colognes, razors, creams, soaps, guitars, coffees, beers, wines, pipes, tobaccos or anything else that I may be into...

 

[Hemingway Jones]

Thanks for the welcome. So, is my best bet just start reading from the beginning?

Trust me, the addiction can't be any worse that colognes, razors, creams, soaps, guitars, coffees, beers, wines, pipes, tobaccos or anything else that I may be into...

It may be equally engrossing and equally expensive.

I suppose reading the Hat Forum may not be the way to go. I would think about which hats you have seen that you have liked, then use the "search" function. For instance, maybe you like Bogart's hat in "The Maltese Falcon," do a search and learn everything you can about it. There are posts on most every famous hat you can imagine in here.

 

[Cruiser]

As a newbie to hats (I've actually never worn them), but as someone who has been interested in them... Where's the best place to start?

Sort of like a "talk to me like I'm 5" primer...

Thanks and know that there are MANY folks out there who appreciate the finer things!

Welcome to the Lounge! I am relatively new, but have been active and have obtained several hats in the past few months. My admittedly simple advice: (1) Try on a lot of hats so you can get a feel for what you like in terms of style, brim width, crown height, color, etc.--you would need to find a hat store; (2) buy high quality, even if that limits the number you acquire, whether from that hat store, a vintage clothing store, one of the excellent custom hat makers mentioned on this forum, or from eBay purchases.

You can get an idea from going through the forum what the knowledgeable folks here think is high quality. In my limited experience, I have been very happy with my Borsalinos and older (i.e., pre-stiffener) Stetson Open Roads. In fact, one of my favorites is a Borsalino that was really dirty and beat up when I got it on eBay, but I had it refurbished by Optimo and it turned out great. You will hear frequent accolades on the forum about Art Fawcett, Optimo Hats, Adventurebilt, AB Deluxe, TheFedoraStore, and others. Good luck to you, and when you get a hat, be sure to post pictures here and share the experience!

 

[Samsa]

Trust me, the addiction can't be any worse that colognes, razors, creams, soaps, guitars, coffees, beers, wines, pipes, tobaccos or anything else that I may be into...

My kind of man! And a fellow Michigander at that!

Welcome to the Lounge.

 

[RBH]

Welcome Sheppard.

You'll find many helpful folks here at the Lounge.
My advice is, find the size hat you wear. Then decide on a style or styles that you like. Then.....
enjoy the ride !

 

[epic610]

i would start...

by watching old movies and some of the vintage hat ads posted on this forum and on ebay. find something you like and go to one of the vendors on this forum to find it.

for example, you may like the sinatra look . . . or the bogey look. apparently a lot of guys on this forum go for the LBJ or Harry Truman look as evidenced by the interest in "open roads". indiana jones is another entry vehicle for hat enthusiasts.

for me it was alain delon in a borsalino in 1960's b & w italian movie ....among others.

best of luck; it is a great voyage . . . a search which never ends.

 

[deanglen]

Welcome! This is a great group! What a sense of style and variety you'll find. The Lounge has lots of room and very comfortable seating, not to mention the constant floor show of vintage or vintage type hats we get to view the photos posted here as someone crows about an e-bay conquest that we all share the joy of, and often stars DOUGLAS "Man of A Thousand Hats And Counting", or the delightful comedy of Tony in Tarzana, to name two among many who'll mentor any and all. Too many folks to mention but hopefully you'll work the room and make as many friends as I have since I joined and I look forward to being counted among them. Glad you're here!

dean

 

[alchemyhunter]

Me Too...

I hate to sound like a me too....but I also am just getting interested in hats. Being bit by the bug of yester-year, I already use the straight razor & brush, love sinatra and other of the same ilk, old time movies, as well as enjoy a vintage estate pipes. I guess learning the hat stuff is the next step. And just to let others know, I am computer literate, but this is my first post ever on any board. So if I seem to do something wrong, like get lost and post in the wrong spot or something similar, please let me know so that I dont upset anybody.

 

[RBH]

A great big welcome alchemyhunter,

set back and enjoy. Your gonna love it here!

 

[Matt Deckard]

Welcome aboard. So... what type of hat do you like? Any examples? perhaps we can help you find something that suits you

Take care.

 

[alchemyhunter]

Just about all

I never leave my place without a hat. I just am getting to the point in my life, and my career, that a baseball cap is not appropriate nor is it fashionable. Not to be cliche, but I have always enjoyed seeing how Bogie looked. He just always had a, what I thought to be, a rather timeless sense of simple fashion. I feel he made basic looked good. I am a basic guy, So I would say that I like simple and basic. Fedoras, Black/Grey (?). The thing of it all is, I dont know the first thing about a fedora...what they are made of, what my hatsize is, what they should cost, where to even buy one, what are the do's and dont's? I know it is a simple hat, but for some reason I find this more intimidating then when learned to shave with with my cut-throat. Sorry about the round-about way I answered you.

 

[Powerhouse]

WOW...

Pretty neat...

didn't think they were out there, shaving forums.

I use my Rolls quite often...takes a while but who's in a rush anyway.

 

[thefedorastore]

Yikes!

Pretty neat...

didn't think they were out there, shaving forums.

I use my Rolls quite often...takes a while but who's in a rush anyway.

I just took a look around, and there are many DIFFERENT types of shaving forums too!

 

[Matthew Dalton]

I just took a look around, and there are many DIFFERENT types of shaving forums too!

Somewhere on one of those forums there might be a guy shocked after hearing about forums mostly devoted to hats.

 

[GentlemanFarmer]

Welcome to the lounge. I read almost all of the threads, especially those on the hat I really wanted to know more about (Open Roads). You can really get an accelerated education here from a very knowledgable group of friends.

 

[deanglen]

Somewhere on one of those forums there might be a guy shocked after hearing about forums mostly devoted to hats.

lol lol lol


dean