So, I got me this Fez see.....

[steur]

A fake huckel fez. Cool project

How COOL is this!?!! Possibly one of the finest felt fezzes ever found, steur! VERY nice!!!

Gentlemen, thanks. It's what you start doing after a while when you still have a few days off left and the weather is not cooperating. Took me a lot less time than the first one I made, but I don't think there's a career in it. Made a few miniature hat boxes too (it's time I get back to work).

 

[Tiki Tom]

+1. That black fez looks great. If anything could lead to a fez renaissance it would be that classy fez. (almost sounds funny to write those two words together!)

That fez could be the answer to that timeless question "what hat goes nicely with formal wear?"

 

[steur]

+1. That black fez looks great. If anything could lead to a fez renaissance it would be that classy fez. (almost sounds funny to write those two words together!)

That fez could be the answer to that timeless question "what hat goes nicely with formal wear?"

Thanks for the kind words, Tom. Although I can't see a sudden increase in fez wearing happening anytime soon because of this one, it is a nice thought.

 

[Lefty W.]

Thanks for the kind words, Tom. Although I can't see a sudden increase in fez wearing happening anytime soon because of this one, it is a nice thought.

Very nicely done, steur. I’m digging the black fez. What size did you say your fez block is? I may need to order just such a conversion from you.

 

[steur]

Very nicely done, steur. I’m digging the black fez. What size did you say your fez block is? I may need to order just such a conversion from you.

Lefty, thanks. I made the block myself to fit my head-shape (not that hard to do actually). I wear hats between size 56 and 57.

 

[Lefty W.]

Lefty, thanks. I made the block myself to fit my head-shape (not that hard to do actually). I wear hats between size 56 and 57.

Dang, I'm somewhere between a 58 and 59.
Perhaps this is sacrilege in these parts, but I've got a beat-to-hell Borsalino lite-felt that begs for this particular treatment.

 

[steur]

Dang, I'm somewhere between a 58 and 59.
Perhaps this is sacrilege in these parts, but I've got a beat-to-hell Borsalino lite-felt that begs for this particular treatment.

Maybe a nice project for you too. I started off measuring my headshape with a cardboard cut-out. I used that as a template for a hat-block I made using layers of wooden planks, making it slightly smaller to take the sweatband into account. My block is 12,5 cm high (it depends on the number of planks you glue together). Make every plank a little bit smaller to make the fez taper (most of them do). I bought a cheap red ladies hat, took off the ribbon, liner and sweatband and cut off most of the brim. In my book doing that to a Borsalino would require anesthesia (and a really poor borsalino), But then again: who can claim to have a Borsalino fez?
Wet the hat with a spraying of warm water and put it in a plastic bag to let the moisture penetrate the felt. Then steam it for quite a while and pull it over the block. I used plastic foil to cover the block first, because it makes taking it off after the hat dries much easier. Tie it down with a hattes' knot, iron it and let it sit for a couple of days, ironing it again and again. After it dries cut the rest of the brim off. Instead of a straw construction inside I made a cardboard/paper one to give it shape, added the tassel and sew on the sweatband and finally added the liner and that was it. Good luck.

 

[HanauMan]

I've always wanted a nice vintage Fez, ever since I saw Sydney Greenstreet wearing one in an old movie. Problem is, all the nice vintage ones I've seen, made of proper kilim and palm fronds and a nice patterned inner crown (paper?), are way too expensive for me, and also always too small.

I have one tourist made Fez (made by Al-Khair in Morocco) which sits on the head of my old teddy. Maybe, one day, I'll find one that fits both my head and my wallet.

IMG_4056 by Al Sutherland, on Flickr

 

[steur]

I've always wanted a nice vintage Fez, ever since I saw Sydney Greenstreet wearing one in an old movie. Problem is, all the nice vintage ones I've seen, made of proper kilim and palm fronds and a nice patterned inner crown (paper?), are way too expensive for me, and also always too small.

I have one tourist made Fez (made by Al-Khair in Morocco) which sits on the head of my old teddy. Maybe, one day, I'll find one that fits both my head and my wallet.

IMG_4056 by Al Sutherland, on Flickr

The good ones are getting scarce. The fezzes I find are usually smaller sizes as well, because they were worn higher on the head.

 

[steur]

I have posted this earlier in the hatters tools thread, but I feel the Fez thread is not complete without these. These are pictures of a fez block that was on auction recently. I'm still grieving for not winning that auction. It gives a good impression how the fezzes were made.
By the looks of it the inner mould was heated over a flame after which the felt was pulled over it and pressed with the outer mould.

 

[steur]

Took a change on a few fezzes (at 5 euro a piece there wasn't much of a risk). As chance would have neither fits me, but, o well. Here's the first one. No brand, no size (I'm guessing a 58 or 59). Not a great fez: the felt is glued on in two parts. There's a distinct cut between the top part and the side. The blocking is very round instead of oval and the tassel is quite thin. The colour is a nice deep maroon though (as they should be).

 

[steur]

The second one is a lot better, even if it is a bit light in colour. Vox fez in a size 54. This is a very good fez. Nice height and shape. Finished well with a nice liner and a crown patch. The tassel is a bit thin as well, but the attachment to the fez itself is well done.

And the two of them side by side.

 

[Redfokker]

The second one is a lot better, even if it is a bit light in colour. Vox fez in a size 54. This is a very good fez. Nice height and shape. Finished well with a nice liner and a crown patch. The tassel is a bit thin as well, but the attachment to the fez itself is well done.

View attachment 100134 View attachment 100135 View attachment 100136 View attachment 100137 View attachment 100138 View attachment 100139

And the two of them side by side.

View attachment 100140

Cool! I never noticed that the tassel was stitched at the top of the brim before. A nice study of this iconic topknot.

 

[RJR]

The second one is a lot better, even if it is a bit light in colour. Vox fez in a size 54. This is a very good fez. Nice height and shape. Finished well with a nice liner and a crown patch. The tassel is a bit thin as well, but the attachment to the fez itself is well done.

View attachment 100134 View attachment 100135 View attachment 100136 View attachment 100137 View attachment 100138 View attachment 100139

And the two of them side by side.

View attachment 100140

Several details that I never noticed before.

 

[steur]

Cool! I never noticed that the tassel was stitched at the top of the brim before. A nice study of this iconic topknot.

Several details that I never noticed before.

Gentlemen, thanks. Fezzes really are a fascinating subject. Both from a viewpoint of construction and a socio-political perspective.

 

[Fezident]

View attachment 75374 View attachment 75375 View attachment 75376 View attachment 75377 View attachment 75378 View attachment 75379 View attachment 75380 View attachment 75381 View attachment 75382 View attachment 75383 From Morocco, ca. 1975, my father's collection

What an incredible, enviable collection. And I wondered if my 3 fezzes were too many. For the record, my wife clearly thinks so.

 

[Fezident]

Someone (waves at Steur) pointed me to this thread. Dipped into the Lounge for years and never knew about it.

My first and favorite fez.

 

[hatsRme]

What an incredible, enviable collection. And I wondered if my 3 fezzes were too many. For the record, my wife clearly thinks so.

Thank you!
The truth is, I inherited them from my father, who lived in Morocco for five years in the 70s. He accumulated a small collection while there. My brother has the other half of them.

 

[scottyrocks]

My brother brought me back a fez from the Middle East about a million years ago.

I never do it without my fez on (obligatory musical reference).

 

[Fezident]

Thank you!
The truth is, I inherited them from my father, who lived in Morocco for five years in the 70s. He accumulated a small collection while there. My brother has the other half of them.

I can’t wait to show my wife what half of a “small collection” looks like. In awe.