The Curse of Indiana Jones

[The Fedorable]

$2 for a felt hat? Oh lawdy, please. Wait. Account for inflation over th years.... That would be about $26.70 assuming these hats are advertised during the 1930s.

 

[The Fedorable]

I feel as if I should avoid wearing khaki pants with my leather jacket and fedora now. Most of my Indiana Jones remarks are from a wiser generation. You know, the married ones with the families. Being called Indiana Jones from kids of this generation sounds a bit too hostile for my tastes. Better yet, I loved it when my little sister called me a gangster when I first doned a fedora and suit simply because it was cute and it wasn't related to Dr. Jones. Though walking around my college campus during the day with the same outfit is a lot quieter than compared to tonight going to the movie theater. Maybe I just didn't like all the attention. All I got at school was "Neat hat." A couple Jones comments.... I'm pretty sure I just didn't like the attention. Ah well. Shiny hat, I still love it. Every so often, I'm tell my dad "I. Love. This. Hat." Be it a wool felt fedora, I love my hat.

 

[hatophile]

That's a nice looking OR precursor there in that ad for $3.25!

 

[nigeloscar]

I'm always happy for any Indy comments.. Got to start leaving my whip at home ...

 

[John Galt]

I think this was clipped from a poster on The Village Hatmaker website.

 

[Zombie_61]

Well, it finally happened. I've had my Dark Brown Fed IV for more than five years now, I've worn it with my Wested "Raiders" jacket, and never once heard an "Indy" comment. Thursday night I picked up dinner for my wife and myself at a local restaurant, wearing my Tawny Fawn Fed IV that I've had a little over three weeks, and as I walked in the door the young man who manages the restaurant saw me and joked, "For a moment I thought you were dressed as Indiana Jones." We visit this restaurant frequently and are quite friendly with the family who owns and operates it, and it was Halloween, so he was only cracking wise. But I think it still counts.

 

[Worf]

Well, it finally happened. I've had my Dark Brown Fed IV for more than five years now, I've worn it with my Wested "Raiders" jacket, and never once heard an "Indy" comment. Thursday night I picked up dinner for my wife and myself at a local restaurant, wearing my Tawny Fawn Fed IV that I've had a little over three weeks, and as I walked in the door the young man who manages the restaurant saw me and joked, "For a moment I thought you were dressed as Indiana Jones." We visit this restaurant frequently and are quite friendly with the family who owns and operates it, and it was Halloween, so he was only cracking wise. But I think it still counts.

You knew it HAD to happen didn't ya?

Worf

 

[Florida_Marlin]

Sat on my porch after I got home from work on Halloween night. I went in and put on a leather jacket to go with my heritage fawn Fed IV. Didn't get any Indiana Jones comments, although a boy came up with an Indy costume. I complimented him on his cool looking hat!

 

[DJH]

Even though I have some Indy hats, I've never had an Indiana Jones comment.

The closest was that on one occasion, I thanked a young lady for not killing me when she nearly flattened me while I was crossing the road at a pedestrian crossing.

"You're welcome, Crocodile Dundee" was the response. Well I was wearing a Campdraft at the time so she got the country right

 

[HeyMoe]

I wonder if Jimmy Stewart suffered the curse of Indiana Jones? Lol

 

[John Galt]

Halloween before last I took my kids trick or treating right after work wearing a dark blue jacket and slacks, and a mid 50's triple-welted Stetson Gold Medal. The comment at that time was: "Nice costume! Very Don Draper!" I had to look it up ;-)


"Faint hat never won fair lady."

 

[Zombie_61]

You knew it HAD to happen didn't ya?

Worf

At this point? Not so much. I mean, I wouldn't look at someone who looks like me and think "Indiana Jones". "Bum" or "vagrant", sure, but not "Indy".

Halloween before last I took my kids trick or treating right after work wearing a dark blue jacket and slacks, and a mid 50's triple-welted Stetson Gold Medal. The comment at that time was: "Nice costume! Very Don Draper!" I had to look it up ;-)

lol If Mad Men continues to be popular long enough, perhaps comments like this will replace the "Indiana Jones" comments.

 

[Rogera]

lol If Mad Men continues to be popular long enough, perhaps comments like this will replace the "Indiana Jones" comments.

Good point! That would be nice

 

[Lije Baley]

Back in '99 I was going down an escalator at Charles de Gaulle airport, wearing an Akubra Riverina (the old model, similar to the Coober Pedy) with Docker-style pants and my well-traveled brown leather jacket. Another escalator (probably going down also) faced mine. A group of students on that escalator saw me and began whistling the "Raiders" theme music. I couldn't help but be amused. Any broad brimmed hat, fedora or bush, is/was equated with IJ. Toss in a leather jacket and there's no need for the bullwhip.

 

[vintage68]

Yeah, you're just begging for comments if you wear a fedora with a leather jacket. I never get the "Indy" comments when I wear a fedora with a suit.

 

[HeyMoe]

Yeah, you're just begging for comments if you wear a fedora with a leather jacket. I never get the "Indy" comments when I wear a fedora with a suit.

If I wear one with a suit I get the comments about being a gangster or asked where my tommy gun is. Either way, people are clueless.

 

[Lije Baley]

I've been retired for five years. Before that, I wore a suit and tie for 35 years. For the last twenty of those, I always wore a hat. I began with a panama in the summer heat, then made the leap to a fedora as the weather turned cooler and wetter. To my surprise, I discovered an umbrella was unnecessary. A trenchcoat and fedora provided adequate protection in the rain. And, as observed, when a fedora is worn with a suit, passerbys do not usually mention IJ. I never got the "gangster" comments however.

 

[TheDane]

I wonder if Jimmy Stewart suffered the curse of Indiana Jones? Lol

"WoW, Mr. Ford - that Jimmie Steward look of your's is just stunning!"

 

[1mach1]

Unfortunately, Fedora = Indy to most, regardless of color or style. Wish someone would call me Phillip Marlowe....

 

[The Fedorable]

I wouldn't go as far as to saying people are clueless. In comparison, it seems like only a very minute number of people tend to toss out the reference to Indiana Jones. Other than that, most just keep to themselves. Indy is well known and it's not his fault or anybody's fault.

Fedora or not, there's going to be something that draws people to something that you remind them of. If I'm wearing my hat and bomber, it's Indy. Hat and a suit, gangster or secret service. I've also been said to look like a minister. If I wear a bomber without the hat, I get called a greaser. There was also a reminder of Perry the Platypus too. Wear a fedora with a trench coat, you're Inspector Gadget.

People aren't clueless. As for what vintage68 said, meh. I've been wearinga fedora and a leather jacket for months. Most I've got? Praise for wearing a fedora-fedora, not a trilby.