Probe waiting for his first!

[guillaumeb]

Hi all,

After your numerous advice I finally order the Fedora Federation IV from Akruba. So this is going to be my first hat ever actually. I like the style of it and trying out a similar hat, my wife told me it suited me well but I have to say that I don't know how I'll feel wearing it in public !! We agreed that this is not really conventional here

There may be many people wearing hats in the USA but in France, most of them are old people lol! Today you mostly see baseball caps. We always picture southern US states people to wear hats but not really a parisian

But then i guess i'll start by wearing it during travels, on holidays, or weekend out of town maybe.

Has anyone been in my situation ?

 

[Chepstow]

guillaumeb, welcome to the Lounge and congrats to the Akubra. A great Hat. I say, wear your Hat with proud. Nobody can say how you have the feeling with it.
Ignore the other people and live your Style. It's no shame to wear a hat.
In Germany, guys, wears baseball Cap's. A minority wears a hat. Most older men. I wear a hat, it's my passion.
But you must stand to your passion.

 

[bowlerman]

Congrats! Welcome to the addiction.
Don't worry-- most folks in the US don't wear hats anymore, either, except for baseball caps. Feel good about it!

 

[Historyteach24]

That is the hardest thing about the love for fine hats. I always knew that I loved the look of a fedora but my shyness would not allow me to pursue that. Well as I matured I realized that I honestly dont give a damn what other people say or think about me because that means they have a problem with themselves. So I say rock that brand new Akubra and rock it proud!!!! The first few times out you will be looking at people to gaugue their reactions but that will go away quite quickly. Now all I hear are compliments and more than a few people in my tiny town just know me as the "hat guy" and that I can live with

 

[mattface]

I think everyone who takes to wering hats these days bumps up against that "problem", but I think you'll find as most of us do that it's not really a problem at all. It's interesting, the other day at a party, someone was telling me about a bourbon bar he thought I would enjoy, he's probably right, but the part that struck me odd was when he said "it's the sort of the place you can wear a fedora and not feel out of place or like "that guy in the fedora". THe funny thing is I wear a fedora every day, most everywhere i go, and I never feel out of place. I think the real trick is that once you get used to wearing a hat it just feels natural, and if you feel comfortable and natural in a hat, you LOOK comfortable and natural in a hat. I hear people say things occasionally like "most people are afraid to wear a wide brimmed hat, but you can pull it off. Honestly all it takes to "pull it off" is to wear it. If you like the look of a hat who's to say you're out of place? And do you really care if they do?

So find one that looks good on you and wear it as much as you want. If you feel uncomfortable, fine, don't wear it, but the more you wear it the more natural it will fell, and likely one day you'll realize you don't even have to think about wether it's appropriate any more. Remember, you wear the hat. If the hat is wearing you, either it's the wrong style of hat for your head, or you're over-thinking it. As far as the "only old men wear hats" thing goes, I'm 40, and when I wear a hat, I don't think it makes me look old, it makes me look timeless. I like vintage styles and clothes, but I don't adhere strictly to a specific period or style. I think mixing the best of the old with the best of the new in terms of fashion shows you think for yourself, you've got roots in the past, but you're not stuck there. So wear what you like, and the more you like what you're wearing, the more confident you'll look and feel, and confidence in your skin and your clothes is really all it takes to "pull it off".

 

[Neophyte]

My situation as I graduated from high school a few years ago echoes your current situation. My first hat was also a FedIV. The FedIV is a good starter hat. It's tough and shapeable, so you can experiment without worrying about causing lasting damage.

The hat situation in France doesn't sound any different from the situation here in the US, especially considering that the overwhelming majority of people in my community are in my age group (it's a college town, so natch). I've found that, in the end, most people just don't pay as much attention to us as we think they do. The overwhelming response to my hat-wearing has been positive. Criticism, though rare, usually comes from those who know next to nothing about hats, calling fedoras "mafia hats" or "Indiana Jones hats". I don't listen to this kind of criticism.

Indeed, the only time I actually listen to criticism is from my fellow Loungers, because they have a deep knowledge base and know what's what. It's not a matter of should or shouldn't I wear hats, but rather, what is most appropriate and what style of hat works best for my appearance and functional needs. The couple of years I've spent here have been an enjoyable learning experience, and the few times I've met Loungers in person have been great.

Just relax and enjoy the experience. It's fun developing and evolving your personal sense of style (for example, my tastes changed from a preference for small brimmed dress hats, and now I'm currently hooked on vintage wide brims and westerns), and the fact that you've got the go ahead from your wife is already an excellent sign. Just be warned that this is an addictive hobby and, if the majority of comments here are correct, you better find a place to hide your collection where your wife can't find it lol.

Anyway, congratulations on your first hat, and welcome to the community!

 

[guillaumeb]

Thanks for your replies. I believe this is a question of habits. i just have to get used to it I guess.
Anyways, i have to say i'm quite impatient to put it on

 

[Neophyte]

Thanks for your replies. I believe this is a question of habits. i just have to get used to it I guess.

Excellent way to put it! The day you see your hat as an accessory to your wardrobe and not the boldest component or the centerpiece (unless you are intentionally wearing it as such), you've become a pro .

 

[zetwal]

I like the style of it and trying out a similar hat, my wife told me it suited me well but I have to say that I don't know how I'll feel wearing it in public !! We agreed that this is not really conventional here [...]

If you enjoy wearing a fedora, do so. Once people get used to seeing you in such a hat they will settle into the idea, and it will seem natural to everyone concerned. It will become part of what makes you who you are as an individual. Your sincerity will lead most to accept it. Many are sure to even like it.

 

[Maj.Nick Danger]

Excellent advice from everyone, but I have just one thing to add.
Remember that Johnny Depp also wears fedoras. So you will be in good company, and not the only guy in France with a cool hat.

 

[scottyrocks]

I've been wearing hats off and on for 30 years, and more regularly for about five. It didn't become completely a part of me until shortly after I began wearing them regularly.

For me, the big tipping point was finding the exact right hat, which was, and is, a Fed IV. I can't say enough good things about my Feds (two IVs and a III). Everyone who knows me knows me with a hat on, and if I happen to have been outside without one I've been told I was not recognized without my hat.

So the trick is to wear it, and often. If you feel comfortable and confident in it, then you will be both. How long it takes you to get there is on you, but if you know you love fedoras, and like the way you look in them, then it will happen.

As far as frequency of wear, I say put it on your head whenever you go out. The more you wear it, the more quickly it will become part of you. Of course, you can wear it indoors, too, as more of a psychological boost. Look at yourself in the mirror. That's what I did in my early days of hat wearing, and it boosted my confidence because I liked what I saw, and since I did, others would, too.

Best of luck, and please post some pictures of yourself in your new fedora when you can.

P.S. - Do you know how to crease it? Because when you get it, it will look like a dome with a brim - no pinches or creases. There are numerous threads here on how to pinch and crease a fedora.

 

[zetwal]

Excellent advice from everyone, but I have just one thing to add.
Remember that Johnny Depp also wears fedoras. So you will be in good company, and not the only guy in France with a cool hat.

Check the various picture posting threads to see others in France wearing their fedoras. You and JD are not a lonely society of two ...

 

[53Effie]

Interesting discussion. I have put together a small collection of hats and find I am struggling also with wearing them in public...and I am kind of one of the "old guys" at 62. I grew up seeing many men in fedoras and always liked the look. I was doing pretty good last week until a young man who works as a teller at the bank I frequent chuckled and snickered the whole time he was taking my deposit. Maybe it wasn't me that he found humorous, but it sure wrecked my confidence. I really like my hats and I have to get myself to the point of being very comfortable wearing them. I have one that I wear almost daily for walking the dog, which is a pretty non-threatening activity. That seems to help and the neighbors I meet have not seemed at all negative. Time will tell I guess. Too much money invested to have them sit at home. Good advice in this thread so far.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

As others have said in this thread it will take time to get over the feeling that everyone is looking at you. An a lot of times they are. But in a good way most would love to wear a Fedora but are too afraid to do so. You will get the ladies saying how they love your hat. My wife loves for me to wear my hats instead of a ballcap. Even though she says I have too many.

 

[Mystic]

Interesting discussion. I have put together a small collection of hats and find I am struggling also with wearing them in public...and I am kind of one of the "old guys" at 62. I grew up seeing many men in fedoras and always liked the look. I was doing pretty good last week until a young man who works as a teller at the bank I frequent chuckled and snickered the whole time he was taking my deposit. Maybe it wasn't me that he found humorous, but it sure wrecked my confidence. I really like my hats and I have to get myself to the point of being very comfortable wearing them. I have one that I wear almost daily for walking the dog, which is a pretty non-threatening activity. That seems to help and the neighbors I meet have not seemed at all negative. Time will tell I guess. Too much money invested to have them sit at home. Good advice in this thread so far.

It's a hat.....something on top of your head.....of course people will look......but, not everyone will NOTICE it.

62 and wearing a fedora.....it's not like using a walker in the mall the first time.....

BTW....I'm 65.....with the fedora, but not the walker.....

you like it......wear it.....it's your hat and your head. :dance:

 

[Aerol]

Interesting discussion. I have put together a small collection of hats and find I am struggling also with wearing them in public...and I am kind of one of the "old guys" at 62. I grew up seeing many men in fedoras and always liked the look. I was doing pretty good last week until a young man who works as a teller at the bank I frequent chuckled and snickered the whole time he was taking my deposit. Maybe it wasn't me that he found humorous, but it sure wrecked my confidence. I really like my hats and I have to get myself to the point of being very comfortable wearing them. I have one that I wear almost daily for walking the dog, which is a pretty non-threatening activity. That seems to help and the neighbors I meet have not seemed at all negative. Time will tell I guess. Too much money invested to have them sit at home. Good advice in this thread so far.

This isn't junior high, and I can assure you that the teller isn't sitting at the "cool kids" table. If he does it again you can discuss his demeanor with his manager.

 

[danofarlington]

Interesting discussion. I have put together a small collection of hats and find I am struggling also with wearing them in public...

Yes, wear them a lot and get used to them, often enough to forget you've got one on sometimes. Also, go to a hat store and try on some different styles so you know which shapes and dimensions look good on you. As far as I'm concerned, the whole ball game rests on picking hats that are good on you, and avoiding those that aren't. Your mirror is your best friend to decide that.

 

[EggHead]

Good choice!

 

[guillaumeb]

Wow this forum is very welcoming!
thanks to you all

More specifically : I'm 33 and not usually paranoid about how people look at me. In fact I usually dont even care. But then I tend not to show off. For example if I see someone with flashy orange sneakers walking in the street... I get the feeling they wear it not because they like it but just to be seen. And this is precisely what i don't want people to think about me. So I guess, in some way, it also makes you more tolerant with other.

Anyway, the hat was ordered from Australia with the fast shipping option but it should take some times before it arrives. I'll certainly post my pictures over here.

Oh btw yeh i did seen many tutorials to shape the hat, I did not take very long from what I have seen. Thank you very much.

 

[scottyrocks]

Yes, wear them a lot and get used to them, often enough to forget you've got one on sometimes. Also, go to a hat store and try on some different styles so you know which shapes and dimensions look good on you. As far as I'm concerned, the whole ball game rests on picking hats that are good on you, and avoiding those that aren't. Your mirror is your best friend to decide that.

Yes, a hat shop is your best bet. There's nothing like trying on a bunch of hats to see what general size and shape works best for you. Once I've settled on particular model, I've been known to ask for 3 or 4 of the same to see which one looks best on me. If there are no hat shops near you, then you'll have to do the mail order thing, as you have done.