barrowjh
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,398
- Location
- Maryville Tennessee
Just a couple of cents worth here. I visited Optimo (Graham Thompson's place in Chicago) this past Summer, and couldn't help but notice that all of the made-up hats tended to have smaller, tapered crowns in comparison to the era we tend to 'worship' here. Same with brim size, 2 3/8ths was a wide brim at Optimo. I was wearing 2 1/2 to 2 5/8ths brims the two days I visited, and when I discussed possibly ordering a hat, the gal was suggesting 2 1/4 for me, thinking that 2 3/8ths was wide for me. My avatar is a 2 1/2.
It was just 2 years ago that I ordered my 1st hat, a custom made Beaver Brand. (off topic, but odd coincidence that they refer to their step-up from standard as a 'heritage' body, same as Akubra?) I remember being intimidated by the crown and the brim, even though it was just a 2 3/8. I got over that, but it seems to be that only the experienced hat wearers seek out the wider brims; newbies are apparently more likely to buy a slightly less imposing hat. So, I must agree with Dumbjaw, Bendingoak, Dr. Strange and a few others that if Akubra toned down the Fed, it was probably because they wanted to draw in newbies and not scare them away with the larger proportions of the more classic era.
My Beaver Brand sits in the closet in its box now, I have maybe 2 or 3 hats with only a 2 3/8ths brim and I just do not wear them. Oughta sell 'em.
It was just 2 years ago that I ordered my 1st hat, a custom made Beaver Brand. (off topic, but odd coincidence that they refer to their step-up from standard as a 'heritage' body, same as Akubra?) I remember being intimidated by the crown and the brim, even though it was just a 2 3/8. I got over that, but it seems to be that only the experienced hat wearers seek out the wider brims; newbies are apparently more likely to buy a slightly less imposing hat. So, I must agree with Dumbjaw, Bendingoak, Dr. Strange and a few others that if Akubra toned down the Fed, it was probably because they wanted to draw in newbies and not scare them away with the larger proportions of the more classic era.
My Beaver Brand sits in the closet in its box now, I have maybe 2 or 3 hats with only a 2 3/8ths brim and I just do not wear them. Oughta sell 'em.
fftopic: .
