Optimo south side mobsters

[daizawaguy]

Many thanks for taking the time to take and download these. It`s a real treat to see the inside of the shop. Great choice, by the way. Did you get your head measured with the special tool?

 

[BobC]

Many thanks for taking the time to take and download these. It`s a real treat to see the inside of the shop. Great choice, by the way. Did you get your head measured with the special tool?

Kevin did not use the tool that looks like a torture device to measure my head. Instead he measured the hat I wore in which we both agreed fit me very well. Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of their hat measuring tool, but it was obviously antique and quite elaborate. I commented to Kevin that everyone should have one of them.

I wore in a Stratoliner that I left to be cleaned and reblocked. It measured 7 1/4 plus 1/32 LO. I thought I would leave the Strat and walk out with a new Optimo, but instead I was hatless in Chicago for the rest of the weekend.

I've sent hats to Optimo before to be refurbed, and I know their 7 1/4 LO fits me wonderfully. Kevin suggested leaving the extra 1/32 to allow the hat to come to me over time.

 

[Lefty]

Great shots and story! :eusa_clap

 

[BobC]

You should have taken one of those home with you!

And how come you both look sunburned but are wearing jackets?lol lol

Comes from island hopping then returning to the climate of the windy city. Some of us don't get to return from the islands to a nice, sunny home climate with palm trees. Now, I've been trying to catch a cold for the last couple of days. :rage:

Two Optimo hats at once would have been a bit overindulgent, plus we ran across a Coach purse store on Michigan Avenue, and I was "forced" to let my sweetheart indulge in a new purse and wallet.

All things come in time, right?

 

[indycop]

Two Optimo hats at once would have been a bit overindulgent
All things come in time, right?

You might need it in Feb.

 

[BobC]

You might need it in Feb.

Maybe sooner, say the end of Oct.

 

[Neil]

I sympathize

I, too, understand the temptation.
There were at least two of Graham's hats that I wanted, and I very nearly had myself talked into buying both, but then realized I was contemplating spending one thousand, one hundred US dollars on two hats.
So I chose one, whipped out the plastic, and hightailed it back downtown before irrational urges took control again.

 

[BobC]

I, too, understand the temptation.
There were at least two of Graham's hats that I wanted, and I very nearly had myself talked into buying both, but then realized I was contemplating spending one thousand, one hundred US dollars on two hats.
So I chose one, whipped out the plastic, and hightailed it back downtown before irrational urges took control again.

How well I understand, Neil. The temptation is very real. There were four hats that I could have easily brought home with me had they been ready in my size. The oxblood, the platinum, an optimo crown montecristi and a milan. They were all exceptional. I was further tempted by the fact that the platinum is from a previous season, and Kevin said they only have a few of those bodies left.

 

[Aerol]

As Oscar Wilde said...

The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

 

[indycop]

How well I understand, Neil. The temptation is very real. There were four hats that I could have easily brought home with me had they been ready in my size. The oxblood, the platinum, an optimo crown montecristi and a milan. They were all exceptional. I was further tempted by the fact that the platinum is from a previous season, and Kevin said they only have a few of those bodies left.

I bet if you call them first thing in the morning they can have that optimo crown on its way to you by afternoon! Just in time for that bahama trip.:whip: :whistling [angel]

 

[BobC]

The only way to get rid of temptation is to yield to it.

So true, so true, but in addition to the oxblood Optimo, I was compelled to buy a purse and matching wallet at the Coach store, not for me you understand. I really can't yield to this temptation (right away).

 

[BobC]

I bet if you call them first thing in the morning they can have that optimo crown on its way to you by afternoon! Just in time for that bahama trip.:whip: :whistling [angel]

You really are trying, aren't you. lol lol lol

 

[Neil]

Those prices. . . .

I bought a montecristi from Graham last spring, incidentally. Lovely hat, I suppose maybe 450-500 wpsi, teardrop crown, $750. Betcha the optimo crown you tried on is in the same ballpark.
I'm still wondering how I talked myself into that hat.
But I did, and it's nice, and I'm letting it go.
He's charging what the market will bear. And he gets it. In my case, though, if he were maybe $100 less, all my hats would be Optimo. As it is, one a year max.
And my bet? He'll be asking $600 by 2010.

 

[Neil]

Incidentally. . . .

What did you think of his 2010 felts? He hasn't posted them online yet.

 

[Aerol]

What did you think of his 2010 felts? He hasn't posted them online yet.

The new colors are sweet. You'll like them once they go online.

 

[jimmy the lid]

Thank you so much to Kevin and the ladies at Optimo. This was an extremely enjoyable afternoon and so very well worth the trip to the south side of Chicago.

Thanks for sharing your visit, Bob. Looks like a great time. And congrats on the new lid!

Cheers,
JtL

 

[daizawaguy]

The new colors are sweet. You'll like them once they go online.

Any hints of what colors or hues are avaliable? Is it a case that when new colors come in, new orders are chanelled into the new range, or is there a lot of overlap and old colors avaliable? Thanks

 

[Bruce Wayne]

Any hints of what colors or hues are avaliable? Is it a case that when new colors come in, new orders are chanelled into the new range, or is there a lot of overlap and old colors avaliable? Thanks

Alot of raw bodies of last years colours are still available. Heck, there might be a few 2008 colours left. You just have to call & ask.

Thanx!!!
Charlie

 

[BobC]

What did you think of his 2010 felts? He hasn't posted them online yet.

Truthfully, I don't know which of the colors I saw were new and which weren't. I know the platinum that I liked was an old color because Kevin said they only had a few of those bodies left. Also, I'm pretty sure most of the hats I tried were 2009 colors.

 

[Jabos]

Finally, the color i picked for my first Optimo fedora, oxblood. It's the one I kept coming back to. I really liked the Platinum, and that may be my second Optimo, but the Oxblood is a beautiful color, and that deep burgundy ribbon makes it. Mine will be here around the second week of November. I thought I'd walk out with a hat, but that didn't happen. Instead, I'll have a custom Optimo in about six weeks. It'll be similar to this one, but mine will have a 9 ligne brim binding in the same burgundy color as the crown ribbon.

Thank you so much to Kevin and the ladies at Optimo. This was an extremely enjoyable afternoon and so very well worth the trip to the south side of Chicago.

I can't wait to see the finished product when you receive it. That is a beautiful color! I wonder if I ordered how it would fit into my wardrobe. Would it go with typical greys/blues? Thank you for the great pics of Optimo!!!!