I'm in the market for a classic English racing felt. I have the image of the perfect hat in my mind's eye: unfortunately it's being worn by my grandfather - a true sporting officer and gentleman - and both he and the hat are long departed.
A look around London's remaining hatters has left me feeling confused. Avaricious, but confused. Bates' racing felt is quite wide-brimmed (about 2.25") and lined. Christys has the Epsom, lined and slightly less width on the brim. Lock has the Wetherby, the Madison and the Sandown. The Wetherby is much like the Epsom, but unlined. The Sandown is a stingy-brim and also unlined. The Madison is lined, somewhere between the Sandown and the Wetherby brim-wise, and has the widest ribbon. Herbert Johnson, alas, could only manage an unlined, very soft Borsalino with the HJ logo stamped on the sweatband. How have the mighty fallen...
I pretty much covet all these hats except the HJ, but from the point of view of the classic racing felt, which is strictly correct? The gent at Lock explained that such a hat should be unlined, to make all-day wear more comfortable (I'd never heard this before, but who am I to argue with Lock & Co?). I also have the sneaking suspicion that the brim should be virtually unsnapped if not straight.
To make matters worse I saw an old gentleman, ramrod-straight in his old covert coat, turning the corner of Jermyn Street. He was wearing THE hat, but it didn't seem to be on sale anywhere...
A look around London's remaining hatters has left me feeling confused. Avaricious, but confused. Bates' racing felt is quite wide-brimmed (about 2.25") and lined. Christys has the Epsom, lined and slightly less width on the brim. Lock has the Wetherby, the Madison and the Sandown. The Wetherby is much like the Epsom, but unlined. The Sandown is a stingy-brim and also unlined. The Madison is lined, somewhere between the Sandown and the Wetherby brim-wise, and has the widest ribbon. Herbert Johnson, alas, could only manage an unlined, very soft Borsalino with the HJ logo stamped on the sweatband. How have the mighty fallen...
I pretty much covet all these hats except the HJ, but from the point of view of the classic racing felt, which is strictly correct? The gent at Lock explained that such a hat should be unlined, to make all-day wear more comfortable (I'd never heard this before, but who am I to argue with Lock & Co?). I also have the sneaking suspicion that the brim should be virtually unsnapped if not straight.
To make matters worse I saw an old gentleman, ramrod-straight in his old covert coat, turning the corner of Jermyn Street. He was wearing THE hat, but it didn't seem to be on sale anywhere...
