The Black Hat Brigade

[mayserwegener]

Now those are some nice black hats!

Perry, Thanks! And Very difficult to photograph!

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Black hats can be incredibly beautiful and elegant. Nothing can replace a black hat when that’s what is called for.

To make them more approachable, and less stark, sometimes it’s nice to add come color to break up all the black.

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[Daniele Tanto]

TONAK Formely Hückel Zephyr Seal Velour, size 7 3/8 (late 1940s early 1950s) vs. J. Hückel´s Söhne (JHS) Zephyr Seal Velour, size 7 3/8 (late 1930s).

Black hats can be incredibly beautiful and elegant. Nothing can replace a black hat when that’s what is called for.

Nothing to add in front of two black hats so beautiful that I would trade them with hats of any color.
Brent, I fully endorse what you say and I add that black hats are certainly formal, but elegant beyond measure and of an austere and always living beauty

 

[mayserwegener]

Nothing to add in front of two black hats so beautiful that I would trade them with hats of any color.
Brent, I fully endorse what you say and I add that black hats are certainly formal, but elegant beyond measure and of an austere and always living beauty

Daniele, Thanks!

 

[Rmccamey]

That's what I'm talking about!

Black hats can be incredibly beautiful and elegant. Nothing can replace a black hat when that’s what is called for.

To make them more approachable, and less stark, sometimes it’s nice to add come color to break up all the black.

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[Hurricane Jack]

The biggest percentage of the early 1900 - 1920's Stetson BRE's that turn up are black.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

It seems that if you go back to the early part of the 20th century, or earlier, most of the dress hats were black. If you can’t appreciate black hats you’ll miss out on some wonderful specimens.


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[mayserwegener]

J. Hückel´s Söhne "Alpha - Seal Velour",probably mid 1930s.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

J. Hückel´s Söhne "Alpha - Seal Velour",probably mid 1930s.

Thanks, Steve. Even if you never liked black hats before, you have to love that beauty! That finish is to die for.


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[Hurricane Jack]

TONAK Formely Hückel Zephyr Seal Velour, size 7 3/8 (late 1940s early 1950s) vs. J. Hückel´s Söhne (JHS) Zephyr Seal Velour, size 7 3/8 (late 1930s).

Nothing to add in front of two black hats so beautiful that I would trade them with hats of any color.

J. Hückel´s Söhne "Alpha - Seal Velour",probably mid 1930s.

Nothing as sharp as vintage black on black anyday.

 

[mayserwegener]

Thanks, Steve. Even if you never liked black hats before, you have to love that beauty! That finish is to die for.


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Brent, Thank you! This one is special.

 

[mayserwegener]

Nothing as sharp as vintage black on black anyday.

I have many different color hats but I often wear black.

 

[steur]

Black hats often feel somber and cheerless to me. I liked them for formal attire or at funerals, but lately I’ve been working them into my rotation. Still not my favorite color, but I don’t avoid them like I used to.

Puerto Fino with 3 1/8” brim:

I gave it a good brushing, but I find that black hats need a lint roller and I didn’t bother today...it’s also drizzling so water is beading and streaking.


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Very good you have revived this thread, Brent. Interesting points to be made about black hats. Can't say I dislike them, because I don't and I own dozens of them, but they do seem to get less wear for some reason. Need to think about this some more.

 

[steur]

TONAK Formely Hückel Zephyr Seal Velour, size 7 3/8 (late 1940s early 1950s) vs. J. Hückel´s Söhne (JHS) Zephyr Seal Velour, size 7 3/8 (late 1930s).

Two prime examples of how beautiful black hats can be, Steve. Nothing to distract from form and finish. Perfection.

 

[mayserwegener]

Two prime examples of how beautiful black hats can be, Steve. Nothing to distract from form and finish. Perfection.

Stefan, Thanks! Yes I am about the Hat and that is it.

 

[Hurricane Jack]

I have many different color hats but I often wear black.

Me too. And when I think about vintage hats or custom clones of vintage hats I never think of colors like eggplant or Bing cherry with a periwinkle ribbon.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Me too. And when I think about vintage hats or custom clones of vintage hats I never think of colors like eggplant or Bing cherry with a periwinkle ribbon.

Bing Cherry with periwinkle ribbon...I think I just found my next custom hat.


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[jlee562]

I am in the pro Black hat group (three old [two refurbs], three modern)

Top: Stetson/VS Columbia, Stetson standard quality featherweight, modern Premier Strat, VS Dualist
Bottom: Resistol Coburn, Stetson/BSHW Supper Club Royal Stetson Deluxe

 

[ruvort]

It seems that if you go back to the early part of the 20th century, or earlier, most of the dress hats were black. If you can’t appreciate black hats you’ll miss out on some wonderful specimens.


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I'd agree on the dress hats. I think that is just about the only color that looks right (other than gray for some circumstances). The issue I have is with fedoras. Since fedoras aren't dress hats, they just don't look right when black. They give off vibes of being religious or Amish hats to my eye. I think those velour hats from a few posts up are an exception though. Something about them really works for me. It must be the richness of the color and texture that bypasses my aversion to black fedoras.

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[Edward]

My first couple of brimmed hats, and my first furfelt too, were all black. I like a good black fedora, with appropriate clothing. I don't see it as inherently formal a colour, but I've always worn a lot of black casually, so. I think some folks eschew them because they don't photograph as well (sadly, in this Instagram age, I've heard animal shelters say it can be harder to rehome black cats for the same reason ), or they associate them with being formal. Also, I've heard of folks avoiding them because they associate them with the Hassidic tradition - though the only time I've ever had mis-aimed anti-Semitic abuse I was wearing a grey fedora (and, ironically, twenty minutes later, in the same hat, I was told "You look like a Naiz, you look like Rudolph Hess.").

Go my eye on adding a black Fed IV to my wardrobe in due course. Even considering something like a black Tablelands to have a Safari-style for wearing with black and greys.