panama shape

[Achille]

Hello,
First please don't shoot!
I know that my panama is not the best but it wasn't really expensive and the next stape will be an order to PanamaBob.

My question is: the panama shape was the first picture and as I don't like the shape I changed it as in the second picture.

But like this some "waves" have appeared on the brim.
I would like to know if it's possible to eliminate these waves?
Thank's a lot.

JM

 

[Dinerman]

Is your hat really stiff?
It should just snap down like any other hat I would think, but it looks like its not. Maybe try a touch of steam on it.

 

[Panamabob]

I use a pretty warm iron on this type of brim. Not too hot, or you'll scorch the hat. Geez, I just looked at the prices on these things. WOW! This isn't a call for sales, but guys, don't let the sticker in the top of the hat change a $20.00 hat into anything else.

 

[gdkenoyer]

Just curious: how can "Made in England" be a "Genuine Panama"...?

not a dis on the hat, it looks fine.

 

[Jerekson]

Can I have some more info on this hat?

If it really is $20, it might be the super-cheapo panama that I wanted to experiment with.

 

[Panamabob]

I'm not putting the hat down by any means. It is a Cuenca Brisa, the same hat some famous hat company in London puts the name Montecristi on. It is finished nicely. Cuenca Brisas are the lowest dollar hats in Ecuador.

 

[Jerekson]

Hmm, I'll have to look into it.

It seems cheap, but I think it will suffice for what I have in mind.

 

[RBH]

Give Bob a holler... he's good folk. He will fix you up and you wont have to sell any of your kids.

Hmm, I'll have to look into it.

It seems cheap, but I think it will suffice for what I have in mind.

Cheap in price does not mean cheap in quality... this in spades on PB's hats. The quality is something else. You may want [need] to have it reblocked, but the straw is almost like cloth. You have to see it to believe it.
Plus Bob's a nice guy, it's sweet to do business with a nice guy.

 

[Jerekson]

I'm an idiot, nevermind...

 

[RBH]

Oh, this is actually one of Bob's hats? I was getting the impression that it was from somewhere else.

That alone convinces me, then.

No, that is not one of PB's hats, but PB can get you one of these at a great price.

 

[Davidson]

Hi and Welcome Achille!

If I understand what you are asking, then let's look at your first picture. You can see the entire brim (what is this part of the hat called in French?) has an upward curve all the way around the hat. Many or most hats with brims are shipped like this, and some people wear them this way.

In the second picture, it looks like you want to turn, or "snap" down the front of the brim. Most people want to do this. When you have turned the front down, then the side parts of the brim have also tried to flip down in places. You just need to return the brim to "up" all the way around and then try turning down only the front leaving the sides curving up. You can flatten them with an iron, but I do not think you want to do so. Put the brim up as in picture one, put the hat on, look in a mirror. Grasp the brim above your eyes and pull it down. It should snap down and stay. Now, if the middle parts have shifted, run your fingers over them to make them go up or down as you want. It's not straw, but see the picture.

 

[SHARPETOYS]

Cuenca brisa weave...

Can I have some more info on this hat?

If it really is $20, it might be the super-cheapo panama that I wanted to experiment with.

The hat in the above picture is around $80 US plus shipping. You can get that same hat from Robert Weber for $20 to $30.00...

http://www.panamas.biz/

 

[scotrace]

It's a great looking hat, in any case, Achille. Welcome to The Fedora Lounge. I'm very glad to have a Parisian join us, as I think our body of knowledge is too slanted toward English tailoring. I'm anxious for your future contributions, and photos!

A little of that side wrinkling is fine, to my eye. A Panama that is too perfect looks a little fussy. Do you see many men wearing nice hats in Paris? What kinds of hats do you see there?

 

[Achille]

Hi everybody,
Thank you Davidson, I will try to follow your advice.
To answer the other questions :

- In french I think "brim" is said "bord" (edge) but perhaps a technical word exists.

- As it has been said English hat-dealers have (too) high prices. But they are honest compared to what we have here.

- As I said before France is an under-developped country for hats. We have only a few "big" hat dealers in Paris. The one where I baught my panama (130 euros) and where I won't come back , another one which has only 3 types of straw hats to sell and where it's difficult to find a bigger size that 60cm. The last one is the official Borsalino dealer where the cheapest hat costs 250€ (more than twice the price you can have it on the internet).

I hope you better get the French background now.

The conclusion is : 1st I will do my best with the one I bought, to learn the base. 2nd I will buy my next panama to Bob.

Thanks for your help.

JM.

PS: Thanks Scotrace for your welcome. I first interested myself to shoes and tailoring. I created with friends a forum and website about this to promote craftsmen and honest companies. I hope that we will be able to explore the hat universe with your help and to develop hat wearing here. Hats in the streets are pretty rare in Paris and usually not really nice