Pulling Off the Casual Look

[jlagman]

I've seen a few pictures of loungers wearing casual attire with their felt hats, how do you all do it? I can't help but feel ridiculous wearing jeans, a t-shirt or sweater, and a fedora; I always feel the need to dress up. I still dress casually with some of my hats, usually when I'm running brief errands and don't have to be seen in public very for long, but I can't help but feel like a goon when I do it.

[huh]

 

[duggap]

I guess it is something you have to get used to. I stopped wearing coats and ties about fifteen years ago and it hasn't cost me a client yet. And every day I wear my fedora. I do think some hats look more dressy than others do. For example, my center dent, bound brim grey hat looks way more dressy than my diamond crease with a raw edge brim. Just my 2 cents worth.

 

[Mulceber]

Agreed - it really is about getting used to it, although, as duggap pointed out, some hats are more casual than others. My only other piece of advice is to not wear jeans. Personally, I think jeans look horrible with fedoras. Ditto to shorts. Khaki's or cargo pants are what I wear with my hats. Then I go for a t-shirt and either a sweater or a button down shirt (unbuttoned) over it. Just takes a little getting used to, and in its own way, it's very stylish in and of itself. -M

 

[kaosharper1]

Its always personal. I think panamas go well with shorts and jeans. Thin ribbons also go well with jeans. After all Indy doesn't wear a suit and tie most of the time, and he wears a regular ribbon. While you may not want to look like Indy he does show that you can wear a fedora with casual clothes.

You might also want to wear one that looks a little worn and not pristine. Back in the day, workers also wore fedoras.

But its all in the attitude. Wearing a fedora makes you stand out no matter what else you're wearing and you have to get used to it. I'm always getting the "Where is your violin case" remark.

 

[gtdean48]

I'm almost always in jeans & ropers (boots of the performance horse bunch) with usually a thin or lately a mid-width ribbon snap brim. I wear them with tshirts, henleys, safari, button-down = all kinds of shirts. Wear them with sport coats, leather jackets, field coats, hoodies, etc. You name it... never give it a second thought. It is all a state of mind = get in a hat wearing state of mind!

 

[Mulceber]

Its always personal. I think panamas go well with shorts and jeans. Thin ribbons also go well with jeans.

To each his own, I suppose. I guess that's not really my style, but I can see what you mean. And I agree on the Indy thing - he's an example of someone pulling off the fedora look with casual (or semi-casual) clothes. -M

 

[Feraud]

The Classic Workwear thread has good examples of dressing casual with fedoras.
http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=12036

 

[M6Classic]

I think it is the same for any garment, not just hats...except spectator shoes, of course. If you feel comfortable and unselfconscious in the (hat, vest, other garment) you will probably look pretty good in it. On the other hand, if you are too aware of your hat and get this sensation that people are staring at you or otherwise judging you, then you probably look awkward and should change. I feel that spectator shoes always look stupid on men, but that is just my personal opinion.

Buzz

 

[avedwards]

I personally think jeans and a fedora do work. However I personally like a pale blue dress shirt to counterbalance the casual nature of the jeans. I add a black blazer to this to make a casual-smart ensemble.

As for Indiana Jones, his clothes are not really that casual, more like smart casual. In The Last Crucade he even wears a tie with his adventure clothes at one point to smarten them up. The fact is, he is wearing a khaki military shirt with military trousers. It's only the wear on his clothes that makes them look casual.

I personally don't think T-shirts look too good with a fedora, as the brim requires a collar of some sort to look right to me. I never wear T-shirts anyway out of choice and almost always wear a long sleeved shirt (the exception being the few days in summer which are too warm to do this). To me casual is therefore a pair of trousers and a shirt with no tie and maybe a leather jacket. To a modern teenager that's very smart.

 

[High Pockets]

I've seen a few pictures of loungers wearing casual attire with their felt hats, how do you all do it? I can't help but feel ridiculous wearing jeans, a t-shirt or sweater, and a fedora; I always feel the need to dress up. I still dress casually with some of my hats, usually when I'm running brief errands and don't have to be seen in public very for long, but I can't help but feel like a goon when I do it.

[huh]

It's unfortunate you feel that way.

I make it point to never leave the house feeling as you said; "ridiculous" or "like a goon". I have a big mirror in the entry-way, right by the front door. I find making use of it is always a big help.

 

[zetwal]

I myself combine casual with well made, stylish accessories all the time. A loose fitting button up shirt, jeans or chinos, with a Borsalino up top, and Ferragamos down below is, for me, the most natural thing in the world.

 

[Django]

I've got around 10 hats that I wear one of which almost every single day. Pork pies, fedoras, USAAF, cowboy, etc. Here's a few pics. As was stated, it's a state of mind. I rarely ever wear baseball caps, and when I do, it's usually because I know I'm going to get dirty or be doing something that I wouldn't want to have any of my good hats destroyed.

Here a few quick pics that I could find.

Painting nose art on the CAF B-24. This hat is a vintage $10 antique market find. It's beat to crap.

One of my modern pork pies, with my coupe.

Brown felt, modern. I wear this one the most when it's cold.

Vintage straw fedora. My new favorite hat, aside from my USAAF B-2

The Eastman B-2.

 

[avedwards]

Django, surely if you have a vintage coupe you should dress the part by wearing a fedora, a suit and a trenchcoat (cigarette optional )?

 

[Feraud]

I think Django's doin' all right with the look.

 

[Mr. Paladin]

hoodies, etc. You name it... never give it a second thought.

OK, gtd! Your secret is now out. Post a real picture of yourself and let that actor guy you've been snapping get another job!!! What hat do you wear on drive-bys with your hoodie???

 

[gtdean48]

OK, gtd! Your secret is now out. Post a real picture of yourself and let that actor guy you've been snapping get another job!!! What hat do you wear on drive-bys with your hoodie???

I am always wearing hoodies under my Carhart or other winter vests with Open Roads, Campdrafts, & westerns when working around the ranch or hunt camp so I can shuck layers & put them back on. I prefer them over pull over sweatshirts & never really use the hood part.

I will pull my gat when its on tho!

 

[High Pockets]

I am always wearing hoodies under my Carhart or other winter vests with Open Roads, Campdrafts, & westerns when working around the ranch or hunt camp so I can shuck layers & put them back on. I prefer them over pull over sweatshirts & never really use the hood part.

An "open road" styled hat with a hooded sweatshirt or Carhart type coat looks just fine!

After all,....it's a close relative to the "cowboy hat", and....as most folks know, they pair up pretty well with anything from tee-shirts to sport-coats!

 

[scottyrocks]

I wear my fedoras with anything - suits, dress casual, and t-shirts & jeans, even shorts in the summertime. I feel it looks great, so it looks great. If you love the way you look, then others will appreciate it, as well. Its like with dogs - if youre afraid, even if its not right out there on the surface, the dog will know it and go for blood.

 

[jwalls]

I wear my fedoras with anything - suits, dress casual, and t-shirts & jeans, even shorts in the summertime. I feel it looks great, so it looks great. If you love the way you look, then others will appreciate it, as well. Its like with dogs - if youre afraid, even if its not right out there on the surface, the dog will know it and go for blood.

Amen Brother; 'A man's gotta do what a man's gotta do'. Anyone so tasteless as to disapprove of my hat is not entitled to an opinion.:eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[funneman]

My two cents.

I wear a suit and tie or coat and tie to work everyday.

On Friday's I'll sometimes wear a shirt, tie and jeans with a blazer.
Tweeds looks great with jeans. I really like the look. Vintage yet modern.

I agree some fedoras look better than others with jeans. Thin ribbons, stingy brims and straws seem to look best.

I never leave the house without a hat.

For those hot South Florida Saturday football games I wear shorts, a white dress shirt and a fedora. I also keep a collection of short sleeve shirts, hawaiian and the like, that I think look especially good with jeans or any other type of casual slacks.

Loosen up a little. Give it a try. Finding clothes that look good together with hats is half the fun of wearing them. Right?