The Cap Faction

[Granville]

I've been wearing tweed caps my entire adult life, and only recently made the jump to brimmed hats, acquiring in quick succession two fedoras and a homburg. I'd been searching for a new cap in the months prior to my conversion, but being unsatisfied had my ten-year old (perhaps older) cap dry cleaned. In my search to replace it I found none as thick/heavy, and often without the all-important snap. It is labeled "Hats of Ireland" and "100% Laine Wool". Although my stingy brim fedora is now my everyday hat, I'll still grab the cap for certain occasions, particularly a recent visit to the city (NYC), where these days it pays to not look too prosperous when walking the streets, and a little "tough" at that, i.e., not an easy mark.

 

[Short Balding Guy]

Are there any makers of newsboy caps that have leather sweat bands.

I have modern caps made by Monsavais, Simmonds, Well Dressed Head and Cordova that all have leather sweats. I do have some vintage caps (1930, 40's and 50's) with leather sweats also. Check out the caps being showcased on this thread - https://www.thefedoralounge.com/threads/what-cap-are-you-wearing-today.81136/ .

Cheers, Eric -

 

[Granville]

My last name is Woods (someone already is Woodsie on here, so I use my middle name, my grandfather's surname), so I wanted a "W" hat, but am not fond of the Washington Nationals' logo, but I found these from a company that makes archaic caps. These are the away and home caps of the old Washington Senators. I also gave a set to my brother. 20% wool, fitted (no snap backs for me). I've had them for about five years, and used to wear the blue one to work when it was raining. Part of my old gig was loading and unloading trucks, and sometimes there'd be no loading dock, so you'd be out in the weather.
When anyone asks what the "W" stands for I say, "winning."

 

[dkstott]

I've got a harris tweed cap that's a bit tight fitting. It's a 57 size and I'm like a 57 1/2. If I get the band area wet and then put it on a hat stretcher. Will that stretch it.?

 

[glider]

yep, leave it on the stretcher until it's dry.

 

[Daniel Veit]

I've got a harris tweed cap that's a bit tight fitting. It's a 57 size and I'm like a 57 1/2. If I get the band area wet and then put it on a hat stretcher. Will that stretch it.?

You should use hot stream and then stretch gently. Sehen you are satisfied just wear it until it is dry and cold again. No need to soak it completly.
I got this advise myself from Hanna Hats, Donegal, Ireland, whose caps I hold in the highest regard.
Good luck,
Daniel

 

[NorthernBloke]

I've got a harris tweed cap that's a bit tight fitting. It's a 57 size and I'm like a 57 1/2. If I get the band area wet and then put it on a hat stretcher. Will that stretch it.?

I find tweed caps do stretch quite well, i have a size 58cm old tweed cap what i was able to stretch by a cm and a half close to my 60cm hat size, steam from the kettle and wearing it and pulling the cap at the back while wearing it does seem to loosen it. i like wearing my caps at an angle so i can get away with wearing it a bit smaller too, flat caps are the kind of hat you can get away with wearing a bit small. IMO they look better being worn somewhat at an angle.

 

[Xylophile]

I've got a harris tweed cap that's a bit tight fitting. It's a 57 size and I'm like a 57 1/2. If I get the band area wet and then put it on a hat stretcher. Will that stretch it.?

I have an older (maybe decades, ebay find) Hanna eight piece cap which is a medium, and should fit ok according to the sizing chart, however it's just too tight. I tried steaming and stretching, and it soon came back to its original tightness. I opened the liner near the snap and trimmed the plastic piece in there a little which helped. Maybe I'll try steaming again, a little differently this time.

I really like Hanna, and they are having a giveaway that ends today I think, where they are giving away a pair of wool socks with a hat purchase. Discount code is DS2022 at checkout.
I was going to get that new cap I've wanted but just better wait till I'm back on top and can afford both the hat and the socks

They will actually make it to your hat size, and swap the peak/brim for you from a different style cap if you direct them to in the notes section at checkout. They said they would anyway, I"ll have to wait and see.

 

[NorthernBloke]

My fav cap

 

[NorthernBloke]

Just bought this cordings cap worn only once for £10, couldn't resist considering they are usually £60 brand new, I am hoping i can stretch it a couple centimetres like i have done in the past , i usually find bagger caps fit a bit looser as it is so it shouldn't be a problem, if it was a more modern slimmer cut cap it would probably be more difficult.

 

[NorthernBloke]

Just bought this cordings cap worn only once for £10, couldn't resist considering they are usually £60 brand new, I am hoping i can stretch it a couple centimetres like i have done in the past , i usually find bagger caps fit a bit looser as it is so it shouldn't be a problem, if it was a more modern slimmer cut cap it would probably be more difficult.

Got this cap to fit pretty well, it stretched rather nicely but had to remove the crap plastic bit they attach to the snap button inside but i always do this anyway because i can drape the crown of the cap to the side when i do so, sorry for the lack of pictures as i cannot charge the old smartphone i use to take pictures. Just bought another old style cap for £12.

 

[Granville]

I was looking for a panama-type straw hat for the summer, but I've always worn cheap straws at the beach and was lothe to cough up forty bucks (give or take) for a straw, no matter how nice. And yet, I was determined to stop wearing ball caps around town. Deliverance from my conundrum came in the form of a white linen flat cap. Very light (one could say flimsy), but with a nice open weave lining, perfect for summer. On sale ($19 down from $48 according to the tag), plus I had a ten dollar coupon from the store, AND they took off another $2 at the register, so I got my summer lid for $7! Branded Stetson, made in Sri Lanka. And a perfect fit.

 

[Blare]

Can’t

I was looking for a panama-type straw hat for the summer, but I've always worn cheap straws at the beach and was lothe to cough up forty bucks (give or take) for a straw, no matter how nice. And yet, I was determined to stop wearing ball caps around town. Deliverance from my conundrum came in the form of a white linen flat cap. Very light (one could say flimsy), but with a nice open weave lining, perfect for summer. On sale ($19 down from $48 according to the tag), plus I had a ten dollar coupon from the store, AND they took off another $2 at the register, so I got my summer lid for $7! Branded Stetson, made in Sri Lanka. And a perfect fit.
View attachment 415128 View attachment 415129 View attachment 415130

cant go wrong there! Looks good

 

[NorthernBloke]

Fifties or sixties cap i think, bargain price(only £4.60) a little worn but that gives it character

 

[Zombie_61]

Fifties or sixties cap i think, bargain price(only £4.60) a little worn but that gives it character
View attachment 420435
View attachment 420436

Nice! Sure, a little rough around the edges but, as you wrote, that gives it character. At that price, if it were my size I'd make that purchase happily.

 

[NorthernBloke]

I have been quite lucky with my cap purchases recently, must have going on 20 of them now, they don't take much space up in the drawers and being northern English/Yorkshireman it just feels ''right'' wearing them, unfortunately a lot of of younger people don't carry on tradition.

 

[Zombie_61]

Funny you should mention recent cap purchases, because this week I got two new ones myself. First, another Boston Scally Company eight-panel "Peaky" in a color they describe as "Allston Grey":

I'd describe it as a heathered mid-grey, and I'm glad I saw this hat in more than one ad sponsored by Boston Scally Co. because these are a couple of the photos they used in the listing on their website:

More like an old grey sweatshirt, isn't it? I prefer the darker color that it actually is, and I think this cap is going to get a lot of head time. Or not, because I really like new cap #2 which arrived earlier today:

I can't recall what led me to it, but I found this one on Etsy and liked it so much that I pulled the trigger on it almost immediately. The shell is an eight-panel brown and gray striped wool (see below for better photos), and it has a quilted liner underneath. Very comfortable, and it just might be the best made eight-panel cap I've ever owned. That said, as you can see it has the more modern "streamlined" shape, so if you like your Newsboy caps big and floppy you'll probably want to look elsewhere because even their caps marketed towards women are the slimmer versions:

 

[NorthernBloke]

Definitely like the second one more, the first one is a bit too modern looking for my taste, the second looks very Victorian/Edwardian in cut and fabric, they wore them smaller in that time period around 1900, so i wouldn't say it's a modern cut.

 

[Blare]

Definitely like the second one more, the first one is a bit too modern looking for my taste, the second looks very Victorian/Edwardian in cut and fabric, they wore them smaller in that time period around 1900, so i wouldn't say it's a modern cut.
View attachment 420575

What is old becomes new

 

[dkstott]

Funny you should mention recent cap purchases, because this week I got two new ones myself. First, another Boston Scally Company eight-panel "Peaky" in a color they describe as "Allston Grey":

I'd describe it as a heathered mid-grey, and I'm glad I saw this hat in more than one ad sponsored by Boston Scally Co. because these are a couple of the photos they used in the listing on their website:

More like an old grey sweatshirt, isn't it? I prefer the darker color that it actually is, and I think this cap is going to get a lot of head time. Or not, because I really like new cap #2 which arrived earlier today:

I can't recall what led me to it, but I found this one on Etsy and liked it so much that I pulled the trigger on it almost immediately. The shell is an eight-panel brown and gray striped wool (see below for better photos), and it has a quilted liner underneath. Very comfortable, and it just might be the best made eight-panel cap I've ever owned. That said, as you can see it has the more modern "streamlined" shape, so if you like your Newsboy caps big and floppy you'll probably want to look elsewhere because even their caps marketed towards women are the slimmer versions:

I like the 2nd one as well. Very interesting pattern.