Question about hat style.

[Bob Roberts]

I can be quite self conscious wearing a hat, until I see someone else wearing a hat and think how good and stylish they look. Then I realize I'm far more conscious of myself than others are of me. Someone said on here once that if you can feel good in it, you'll look good in it. I think people admire people who wear hats with confidence. Ironically, hat wearing is retro, but realy, it's stepping ahead of today's conformist styles.

So whatever you wear it with, feel good about it and it will work.

Thats for sure!

 

[suitedcboy]

The Open Road is a western hat so it certainly does not need to be worn with a suit.

where did you get this idea?

I would class an Open Road as a western flavored hat and its original purpose for most wearers was to be their western hat to wear with a suit. Maybe it is not a hat to wear with a suit in Maine but in New Mexico it would be fine.

 

[Bob Roberts]

where did you get this idea?

I would class an Open Road as a western flavored hat and its original purpose for most wearers was to be their western hat to wear with a suit. Maybe it is not a hat to wear with a suit in Maine but in New Mexico it would be fine.

You can dress that hat up or down. Blue jeans and tee shirt (maybe with a vest) and boots (almost any kind) or the right suit... Either in Maine or Mexico!

 

[theoldnorthwest]

where did you get this idea?

I would class an Open Road as a western flavored hat and its original purpose for most wearers was to be their western hat to wear with a suit. Maybe it is not a hat to wear with a suit in Maine but in New Mexico it would be fine.

I get this idea because it is a western hat, you even admit yourself that it is a "western flavored" hat whatever that means, you can wear it with a suit and some consider it to be a dressy western hat but my point was that you don't need to wear a western or "western flavored" hat with a suit which is what the original poster asked. I see Open Roads all the time at country and rockabilly shows and no one is wearing a suit with them, does that clear up where I got the idea from?

 

[mingoslim]

I wear a hat every day . . . but I only wear suits on special occassions . . .
Find what works for you.

 

[Renault]

I've worn a hat ( western variety) almost every day of my life since junior high school. Why? Because it was pretty much a necessity. And I will add, dress suits and a tie weren't really required wear in the penning chute!

(Posted all in good humor!)
Heck. Simply put, wear the hat you want to wear!!!

P. S.

I suppose you have read General Hatcher's "Notebook" too!

 

[suitedcboy]

I get this idea because it is a western hat, you even admit yourself that it is a "western flavored" hat whatever that means, you can wear it with a suit and some consider it to be a dressy western hat but my point was that you don't need to wear a western or "western flavored" hat with a suit which is what the original poster asked. I see Open Roads all the time at country and rockabilly shows and no one is wearing a suit with them, does that clear up where I got the idea from?

The OP actually asked if a hat worn with shirt and tie, no coat was OK. Your answer was that "Open Road is a western hat so it certainly does not need to be worn with a suit". My point of reference is the thousands of men, some our former presidents, that wore Open Roads with suits every day. What gives an Open Road its "western flavor" is nothing more than the crown dents. OR's are proportioned like fedoras. Some OR's may have 3 inch brims but I would call those the exceptions as most are not so brim generous. There are fedoras with brims at 3 inches or thereabouts and they are not considered western hats by most.
Your statement of "certainly does not need to be worn with a suit" comes off as you are saying it is ridiculous to consider wearing an Open Road with a suit.

 

[jlee562]

Your statement of "certainly does not need to be worn with a suit" comes off as you are saying it is ridiculous to consider wearing an Open Road with a suit.

Umm....I think you're reading too much into that.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Wait... are you both saying the same thing...?

 

[Bob Roberts]

I wear a hat every day . . . but I only wear suits on special occassions . . .
Find what works for you.

View attachment 27752

I found that my very similar ear piercings, work quite well with Fedoras also. Glad I'm not the only one.

 

[Bob Roberts]

I get this idea because it is a western hat, you even admit yourself that it is a "western flavored" hat whatever that means, you can wear it with a suit and some consider it to be a dressy western hat but my point was that you don't need to wear a western or "western flavored" hat with a suit which is what the original poster asked. I see Open Roads all the time at country and rockabilly shows and no one is wearing a suit with them, does that clear up where I got the idea from?

"Rockabilly?" Like Johnny Burnette... "All by myself" ??? That kind of "Rockabilly?"

 

[theoldnorthwest]

The OP actually asked if a hat worn with shirt and tie, no coat was OK. Your answer was that "Open Road is a western hat so it certainly does not need to be worn with a suit". My point of reference is the thousands of men, some our former presidents, that wore Open Roads with suits every day. What gives an Open Road its "western flavor" is nothing more than the crown dents. OR's are proportioned like fedoras. Some OR's may have 3 inch brims but I would call those the exceptions as most are not so brim generous. There are fedoras with brims at 3 inches or thereabouts and they are not considered western hats by most.
Your statement of "certainly does not need to be worn with a suit" comes off as you are saying it is ridiculous to consider wearing an Open Road with a suit.

If I meant it was ridiculous to consider wearing an Open Road with a suit I would have said "it certainly should not be worn with a suit", but that is not what I said, I said "it certainly does not need to be worn with a suit", meaning it can be worn with a suit, but does not need to be, can you see the difference?

Also I and everyone I know consider Open Roads to be western, they are not cowboy hats, but they are western hats with or without the cattleman's crease.

 

[jlw]

I like hats. I wear fedoras, although I recently snagged a Stetson Open Road in Black. Sometimes I wear suits, sometimes I don't wear the jackets though. Can I legitimately wear a hat without a suit jacket? Seems wrong to me. Thanks!

I'm new to the fedora world, but I certainly hope that they can be worn without wearing a suit jacket. I'm normally dressed in khakis and either a button up shirt or a collared shirt. A ball cap is too informal for many settings, and a western style hat with such dress just doesn't seem right to me. The outdoor fedoras seem just right. Granted, the more dressy fedoras would seem more suited to more formal attire than what I normally wear.

 

[Bob Roberts]

I'm new to the fedora world, but I certainly hope that they can be worn without wearing a suit jacket. I'm normally dressed in khakis and either a button up shirt or a collared shirt. A ball cap is too informal for many settings, and a western style hat with such dress just doesn't seem right to me. The outdoor fedoras seem just right. Granted, the more dressy fedoras would seem more suited to more formal attire than what I normally wear.

Sounds like you got a little bit of a "Preppie" thing goin on...? If so, I'm not inclined to see tru "western" style "cowboy" hats fighting with your penny loafers or "deck shoes." And your probably right in believing a real "dressy" fedora may clash... try a nice summer straw or casual looking fur felt. Jacket and tie not required.

 

[jlw]

Sounds like you got a little bit of a "Preppie" thing goin on...? If so, I'm not inclined to see tru "western" style "cowboy" hats fighting with your penny loafers or "deck shoes." And your probably right in believing a real "dressy" fedora may clash... try a nice summer straw or casual looking fur felt. Jacket and tie not required.

Loafers? Preppie? Lol. Far from it.

Merrell boots are more like it.

Think more Eddie Bauer and less Macy's although much less expensive than either of those frames of reference.

 

[Bob Roberts]

Loafers? Preppie? Lol. Far from it.

Merrell boots are more like it.

Think more Eddie Bauer and less Macy's although much less expensive than either of those frames of reference.

Ha! I gotcha. Just riffin on the button down shirts and J Crew pullover w collars. Casual outdoorsy...? You can find a Stetson or Akubra to fit your style. Summer straw or casual fur felt.

 

[Joao Encarnado]

I wear my westerns with a suit, t-shirt, western shirt, leather jacket... and western hats aren't common here (more kind of rare to non-existence)

 

[Julian Hatcher]

Thanks, guys. Got hung up via work and didn't have time to check the thread before now. I'll still feel better wearing a jacket with a hat, but I'll feel OK without the jacket. FWIW, I like the hat because it looks like a fedora and a cowboy hat fell in love -- it's not really a western hat, but it's not really a city hat either. I like that. Again, I appreciate all the responses!

 

[Hat Dandy]

I have close to twenty fedoras in my growing collection, ranging from western style to dress formal. I always wear a hat now and people that know me expect it. I wear them with every possible combination of attire. It's a matter of confidence. I always try to, however, attempt a little color coordination so that the ensemble looks like a bit of thought went into it. Having a number of hats to choose from helps. It's surprising the number of compliments I receive, even though I'm not in a suit.

 

[jlw]

Ha! I gotcha. Just riffin on the button down shirts and J Crew pullover w collars. Casual outdoorsy...? You can find a Stetson or Akubra to fit your style. Summer straw or casual fur felt.

I have a Stetson Cromwell and a Briar and a Curtis from Bailey. I also have a Tilley medium brim AirFlo for hot/stormy weather. I'm currently in the market for a nice straw fedora or a Panama. My concerns with the straw are getting caught out in a thunderstorm and ruining the hat.

I'm eying the Akubras. I just haven't decided on which one, and with summer upon us here in the SE, something lightweight is the priority.