Question about hatbands

[PabloElFlamenco]

I'm shopping around for some hatbands, leather and horsehair, and I was wondering whether these are usually just sitting loose around the crown, or whether they are in some way attached to the hat, so they don't go astray (such as when putting the hat upside down).

I have one hat where I had the leather hat band sewn on, so it can't easily be lost...

My intention is to play around putting one or more hatbands, over and above the ribbon, on a newly acquired Stetson western hat. Some of the fabulous hats I seen are like that...



Just look at this hat!!!!


Paul

 

[Mark G]

Great hats Pablo. The leather bands I have are usually tight enough that I don't need to anchor them with anything. Same with the braided or hitched horse hair bands, although I don't see a problem with a couple tack stitches to make sure they stay put.

 

[feltfan]

Those are great hats you posted.

To answer your question, I just took out this hat and put it on:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=12167

Looks great with my bathrobe.

Neither the leather band nor the horsehair band are fastened to
the hat. I have no doubt the leather is original, so it has been
sitting there for a good 80 years. The horsehair could have
come later, but it's still been a while. The horsehair is rough and
probably grips pretty well as a result.

And for those concerned about hat hording, I would buy as many
hats of this era as I could get my grubby mitts on, so watch out!

 

[PabloElFlamenco]

Mark G and Feltfan, thanks, and to be very very clear, those hats I pictured are NOT mine, they come from a website I stumbled upon of an auction house somewhere not so far from the Beverly Hillbillies and these hats are valued at something in the $1500 range...they are Miller hats.

Feltfan, I know that hat of yours, that's the one gave me the idea (I won't pay royalties, unless you insist too strongly). I ordered a leather and a horsehair hat band from a store in Durango, Colorado, they seem to make nice stuff. It's a shame nothing of the sort can be found in ole' Europe, but that's the destiny of any European western amateur...maybe I should have stuck to hats from the Italian Alpine regiment...

I just got good news from Optimo: my Stetson 100 has arrived and I just gave them my credit card number. Graham did recommend to change the original sweat band for a new one...I confirmed that option, even though I would have liked to retain the original one but...I intend to wear that hat!

The best to ya'all
Paul