Strange Stratoliner

[stetsonofagun]

Ok, so I got this Stratoliner a little while back. It looks very original but has a 2" brim. I've been searching off and on for a hat with similar brim size but have had no luck. Was the sweatband replaced at some point? Was the brim trimmed? What is goung on? Has anyone else out there experienced this?

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[40Cal]

I've never seen a Strat with a two inch brim or a wide ribbon. Something is definitely amiss!

 

[moontheloon]

complete conversion

brim cut
ribbon replaced

sacrilege

 

[Alexander Sommerset]

I wouldn't day anything is necessarily "amiss." In the 50s and 60s a lot of older hats were cut down and reworked to fit the early 60s stingy brim fashion trend. I saw on a website an early 40s Whippet that had been cut down that way and I've seen them on ebay before. I doubt very sincerely that the Strat ever left the Stetson factory looking like that. My guess is that it was cut down.

 

[mikespens]

When vintage hats were contemporary full service hat shops were common and their services included everything to repair/rebuild or completely change a hats style. It's not that uncommon to come across vintage hats that have been modified in some way. Also, a modern DIY'er could have performed the changes to this hat.

 

[stetsonofagun]

It is definitely "old school" work and not a recent rework. The ribbon shows fading and other traits that may not show in the picture.

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[stetsonofagun]

Now that I know, it kind of pisses me off. Lol. I got it not even thinking to ask for a brim measurement. I don't think I look as good with anything less than 2-1/4" of brim.

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[moontheloon]

Now that I know, it kind of pisses me off. Lol. I got it not even thinking to ask for a brim measurement. I don't think I look as good with anything less than 2-1/4" of brim.

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still a nice looking piece

didn't you recognize that the ribbon was not a Strat ribbon ?

 

[navarre]

When in doubt, pass it on. It's still a nice looking hat that somebody would be happy with. I mean, heck, just might be somebody out there that thinks that a vintage restyling is cool.

 

[RJR]

I wouldn't day anything is necessarily "amiss." In the 50s and 60s a lot of older hats were cut down and reworked to fit the early 60s stingy brim fashion trend. I saw on a website an early 40s Whippet that had been cut down that way and I've seen them on ebay before. I doubt very sincerely that the Strat ever left the Stetson factory looking like that. My guess is that it was cut down.

I agree,still a nice looking hat.

 

[resortes805]

could be a replacement sweat; some hat rehab shops used deadstock overstock sweats on rehabs

 

[stetsonofagun]

I'll probably end up passing it on. Didn't even think about the ribbon when I first saw it.

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[T Jones]

Now that I know, it kind of pisses me off. Lol. I got it not even thinking to ask for a brim measurement. I don't think I look as good with anything less than 2-1/4" of brim.

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I don't think the brim's been cut down. I believe it's the original width. Brim widths on Strats and ORs were all over the place and I think I've seen that 2' width before on other Strats. The only modification I see is the ribbon change. Not original, but it stands out nice. Wouldn't be hard to change it back if you can find a matching 3/8 ribbon.

 

[moontheloon]

I don't think the brim's been cut down. I believe it's the original width. Brim widths on Strats and ORs were all over the place and I think I've seen that 2' width before on other Strats. The only modification I see is the ribbon change. Not original, but it stands out nice. Wouldn't be hard to change it back if you can find a matching 3/8 ribbon.

brim was definitely trimmed

I've owned probably 25 or more Strats in my time collecting from all eras and the brims do vary ... but never more than 1/8 or so

I've also never seen one with less than a 2 1/2" brim

 

[DJH]

I seem to recall there being a thread here on Stetsons with jumbled up parts.

Maybe this hat just happened to get the Stratoliner sweatband at the factory?

 

[T Jones]

brim was definitely trimmed

I've owned probably 25 or more Strats in my time collecting from all eras and the brims do vary ... but never more than 1/8 or so

I've also never seen one with less than a 2 1/2" brim

Have to disagree, buddy. I've seen a few with less than 2 1/2 inches of brim. I was going to bid on a couple at different times until I saw that the brims were 2 1/4. John Galt was selling one a while back that had 2 1/4 inches of brim.

 

[moontheloon]

Have to disagree, buddy. I've seen a few with less than 2 1/2 inches of brim. I was going to bid on a couple at different times until I saw that the brims were 2 1/4. John Galt was selling one a while back that had 2 1/4 inches of brim.

hmm... never seen

... and definitely never seen one anywhere close to 2"


I have however bought quite a few Stratoliners where the seller had completely incorrectly measured the brim

for whatever reason I've found that many sellers have no idea how to measure a bound brim ... can't for the life of me figure out why ... but they are almost always wrong

 

[EstherWeis]

Still,
Pretty hat right there!


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[Alexander Sommerset]

"I've seen a few with less than 2 1/2 inches of brim."

And my guess is they never came from the factory that way but instead were cut down by a hat shop either at the original purchase time or later.

 

[belfastboy]

Still a fine looking hat! I am partial to 2 to 2 1/4" brims with a decent crown height......call them Strollers a la' Leon Drexler.
What size is it?