Stetson Opinions...

[MadDawg]

I can spend hours filtering through threads for opinions, but the fact that some of these threads are so large, it is probably easier just to put a new pol out there....it's a lot easier to follow my own thread. Call me lazy.

I am curious to what the common opinion is to current Stetson Fedoras. Where I live in Dallas there is a Stetson factory, along with an outlet store that sells new Cowboy style hats and "didn't pass quality control" fedoras.

I stroll through every so often looking for deals, and this weekend after pillaging through 100 hats I stumbled acorss a Stetson Downs fur fedora in Granite color that was in perfect shape with the exception that it had the wrong size tag in it. (The tag read 7 3/8, but it is actually a 7 5/8). It was tagged for $49.99 and with it fitting me like a glove, I couldn't pass it up.

Seeing this hat listed on retail sites for upwards of $120, I like to think I found a real steal. But I notice that while vintage Stetsons seem to be the go-to on the Lounge and modern production seems to get a bad rap, I am curious as to what I should watch for with my new find.

Look forward to your input...

 

[carldelo]

I have two Stetson Ashland - they are exactly the same lid with an underwelt brim. They have served me well so far with no problems (about 1 year for 1, 2 years for the other). There may be a tendency for the raw brim on the Downs to ripple after it gets wet - my raw edge Chatham did that, although it's Sovereign quality (one notch higher than Royal). If you're careful to turn the brim up while it dries and make sure it isn't being squashed, it should be OK. I'm gradually getting the small ripples out of my Chatham with some attention. $50 is a great price for that hat - many lounge members in the Texas area shop the outlet with good (and jealousy-inducing) results. Enjoy...

 

[Mr. Paladin]

Hi MadDawg, and welcome. I live quite near the Garland factory and Outlet store and shop there often. I have acquired 10 or more modern Stetson fedoras from the Outlet and I have found that with careful scrutiny before buying, I have gotten some really great hats. The fedoras are not all seconds; some are overruns from jobs for hat retailers like Levine and Miller. I am quite fond of the modern Stetsons I have. They seem to hold up very well, soften with use and, while styled differently from the vintage Stetsons, which usually had the taller and less tapered crowns and somewhat wider brims, I enjoy them and think they are quite good, quality hats. True, the sweatbands are of varying quality; some of a bonded leather which is not particularly durable but others of a much nicer quality leather; they are a reality of market and price point. In a recent visit with HATCO, who appears on our Lounge often, he explained the difference in price that would occur if the vintage quality bands were used in all Stetsons. I was surprised at the difference.

While I have tended lately to gravitate more to the vintage hat styles lately, particularly the vintage Open Roads and similar styles, I have been impressed with the quality of the modern Stetson and have noted that, like with the Colt .45 auto pistols of the "70s, it is very hard to change a reputation of poorer performance earned in the past, even though the manufacturing techniques and materials now used, have improved significantly. I think Stetson has made great strides to improve their product and provide greater variety of fedora hats in the recent years.

One of my favorite modern Stetsons, a Stetson Humphrey made for Miller Hats, which I purchased at the Outlet a couple years ago:

 

[Mr. Paladin]

$50 is a great price for that hat - many lounge members in the Texas area shop the outlet with good (and jealousy-inducing) results. Enjoy...

Sorry Carl! But I do love to spend a long morning prowling through the Outlet. Thats how I found the Obama hat , for which I got the letter of authenticity from HATCO...and the prototype Colony; flawless...and the Temple, Chatham, Dexter, Dr. Knox, Hampton, Open Road, etc., etc.

 

[carldelo]

Sorry Carl! But I do love to spend a long morning prowling through the Outlet. Thats how I found the Obama hat , for which I got the letter of authenticity from HATCO...and the prototype Colony; flawless...and the Temple, Chatham, Dexter, Dr. Knox, Hampton, Open Road, etc., etc.

Arghhh - that's going to be a hell of a road trip - let's see, how many discount hats do you have to buy to offset the cost of gas from NYC to Garland, let's see that's about.... oh Never Mind....

 

[Mr. Paladin]

If you ever do come this way, please PM me and I will be glad to meet you and take you there! It is a stop worth making. (sorry about the tease...).

 

[Blackthorn]

I have 4 Stetsons and like them a lot. In fact my avatar is a Stetson, my favorite, a Nostalgia.

I wish I lived near that outlet!! I'd plug in right away!

 

[Doc Mark]

The Stetson that I wear the most, is....

Greetings, Folks,

I couldn't decide where to share this hat with you, but decided to just open up a new thread, as this is the hat they I tend to wear the most. It is a Stetson Sovereign, which I first thought dated to the late 1940's, which would have pleased me, greatly, as that is when I was born! However, after spending many hours checking out all the outstanding information on dating hats, I now think that it's possible this hat is almost ten years later than I first thought. Now, I'm leading towards mid to late 1950's. If anyone has more solid dating information for this neat old Stetson, I'd very much appreciate hearing what you have to say. Here is my old favorite Stetson:

As I've reached the max allowed for posting photos in one post, I'll post a few more right after these load, including a few action shots with this old Stetson. Thanks for checking it out, and I look forward to hearing your thoughts on it's actual age, and whether I'm close, or not. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Doc Mark]

Greetings,

A few more photos of my old Sovereign Stetson.

And some action shots, the first of which are from our work trip to Alaska recently. I wore that old Stetson every single day, rain or shine, and it worked perfectly! The first photo is with Matanuska Glacier in the background, the second is in front of one of the cabins in which our students stayed.

And, last, a shot taken on our 32nd wedding anniversary, when we went to dinner over at Big Bear Lake, then took a walk around the lake afterwards. I'm blessed to have a very happy marriage, and to a fine and wonderful woman, who is my very best friend, and always will be! She loves my old hats, too, so how much better could it get, eh?!

So, that's my old Stetson Sovereign. Thanks for checking it out, and by the way, I love the high crown on this hat! Wish some of my others had crowns like that. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[danofarlington]

It's a good hat on you. Fun to wear a vintage hat that works well.

 

[m0nk]

Nice hat there! I'd agree, perhaps mid-late 50's or even early 60's, based on what I've learned in the Stetson liner and size tag dating threads, though I'm sure someone who knows quite a bit more can nail it down a tad better.

 

[Doc Mark]

Greetings, Danofarlington, m0nk, and All,

Thanks for the nice comments, Gents. This old hat fits me very comfortably, and even though it's obviously had a hard life, I like to imagine that an old jazz musician wore it, "back in the day". The stains in the liner appear to be from either brown hair dye, or a brown pomade, and I am going to leave them exactly as they are. The "patina" are a part of this hat's life, and so it will stay pretty much as I found it. Having been a professional musician for 30+ years, I remember when more musicians actually wore hats like this, and having been born in the late '40's, it was common for most men to wear hats like this when I was a kid. In any case, I love this old hat, and am glad to be it's caretaker, wearing it with pride. Thanks, again, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[mikespens]

Great action pics Doc and a lovely wife indeed, you are a lucky man. A hat appreciated is a hat worn well.

 

[gtdean48]

Welcome to the Lounge...

The Stetson I wear the most is this beater that I wear to the barn & bush hogging...

 

[Grizzly Adams]

A fine old hat. I like hats that show they have been worn, and have some personality. They are far more interesting than those that never saw the outside of a box or closet. Thanks for sharing it.

PS: Thanks for the pics of your Alaskan adventure. I spent 25 years there, and your pics brought back a lot of good memories.......

 

[Doc Mark]

Evening, Mike, gtdean48, and Grizzly Adams,

Thanks, very much, Guys! This place is already feeling like a bit of home, if you know what I mean, and that's great! I, too, love the hats that look a bit "lived-in", though I have others that have not seen much use, at least from what I can tell. There is always something new to learn here, and I love that about this place!

Grizzly Adams, we were working up there for more than two weeks, and I took close to 800 photos whilst there!! Got to see lots of wildlife, stunning scenery, and some very interesting places. My wife and I have backpacked up there several times in past years, and love the fact that you are absolutely on your own whilst doing so! Be prepared, or don't go! Some of the glacier shots I got were really lovely, and the same with wildlife. If you want me to post a few, just let me know, as long as others don't mind. Thanks, again, Gentlemen, and I'll be posting more hats soon. Take care, and God Bless!

Every Good Wish,
Doc

 

[Grizzly Adams]

Hi, Doc.

I am sure all would enjoy seeing a few. Great way to show off hats in the context of adventures!

 

[Rick Blaine]

Stetson thin ribbon.

...my 'go-to'.

I think it was $13, yet it is on my head more than any other.
A tough as nails 3x (not OR, interestingly) w/ embroidered 'last drop' liner.

 

[Blackthorn]

Nice hat and nice pics!

 

[ethansawyer]

Nice hat and nice pics!

1941-1947 ish Stetson stratoliner......mmmmmmmmmm