The Fedora style

[duggap]

Well gang, I don't go after vintage clothes or hats, mainly because I spend my time in persuit of other interests. But I do like my hats to look vintage, even if they are modern creations. But I find that people tend to treat me more respectfully with a hat on. I have even had women hold doors open for me. Nothing like that ever occured when I wasn't wearing a hat. Sorry you all experience negative comments but I have not been plagued with that problem. The worst I have ever had was a "Louisiana Jones" comment.

 

[MrPumpernickel]

2000 years of head covering, 30 years of hatlessness. Those without something on their heads are odd man out.

6000 years of tatooing and piering, 100 years of piercinglessness and tattoolessness. Those without something on their bodies are odd man out.

But yeah, I don't hold an overly large love for the vintage lifestyle. I'm only really into old photographs and silent movies...and hats of course. But for that matter I'm also into the 1970's style of clothing, which for some people around here would be considered a mortal sin

 

[deanglen]

I've been glad to see a minor revival in the Montana Peak style of hat around here recently. I've even seen somebody regularly wearing what is obviously a reshaped M1911 campaign hat. Perhaps people will quit thinking of them as "Mountie Hats", which even some store clerks used to refer to them as being.

I'm not sure what has sparked this, but some cowboy hats are being shaped this way locally once again.

Vintage precedent for "montana peak" in civilian wear, and a fedora, no less:

We need to re-capture this style!

dean

 

[PastimeSteve]

I'll admit my geekness (which has nothing to do with hats or vintage clothing). I am not a vintage clothing person, but I've always had a long-time admiration for the fedora and specifically the fedora in the Indiana Jones movies; see, there's the geekness. lol

FL has helped this newbie get educated about the greater world of the fedora and that you don't have to wear vintage clothing or be Indiana Jones to look good in a hat.

Flash forward to a couple of months ago. I took the plunge and ordered a custom fedora from Jimmy Pierce, if anything, for the practicality of a brimmed hat. This was my very first fedora.

Those of you familiar with my posts here, know this was a leap of faith for me. I work in the public and media relations field, so I'm out in the public eye quite a bit. Any change in my appearance seems to get noticed. Anyway, I've worn my JPD fedora with both casual and professional attire and I love the darn thing. I feel lost when I don't at least have it in my car.

No "hi Indy" comments yet, but I have gotten some interesting looks and even a laugh from a reporter, and obviously, I try to avoid wearing the hat with my Gibson & Barnes Expedition -- even though they look great together!

I can't see myself ever buying vintage clothing -- love the look, but it's not for me -- but I'm now officially a fedora lover.

Steve

 

[deanglen]

I'll admit my geekness (which has nothing to do with hats or vintage clothing). I am not a vintage clothing person, but I've always had a long-time admiration for the fedora and specifically the fedora in the Indiana Jones movies; see, there's the geekness. lol

FL has helped this newbie get educated about the greater world of the fedora and that you don't have to wear vintage clothing or be Indiana Jones to look good in a hat.

Flash forward to a couple of months ago. I took the plunge and ordered a custom fedora from Jimmy Pierce, if anything, for the practicality of a brimmed hat. This was my very first fedora.

Those of you familiar with my posts here, know this was a leap of faith for me. I work in the public and media relations field, so I'm out in the public eye quite a bit. Any change in my appearance seems to get noticed. Anyway, I've worn my JPD fedora with both casual and professional attire and I love the darn thing. I feel lost when I don't at least have it in my car.

No "hi Indy" comments yet, but I have gotten some interesting looks and even a laugh from a reporter, and obviously, I try to avoid wearing the hat with my Gibson & Barnes Expedition -- even though they look great together!

I can't see myself ever buying vintage clothing -- love the look, but it's not for me -- but I'm now officially a fedora lover.

Steve

Steve, you're among friends. And you do look good in that hat. It will not be your last fedora. Now for variety's sake, have you considered a...

dean

 

[Gary Crumrine]

A good hat will go with just about anything and make everything look that much better.

Douglas is quite right. I wear traditional, but don't go out of my way for vintage. A brimmed hat, however, is everpresent.

 

[Spellflower]

I'll bet if you looked at someone in a baseball cap and yelled out "Batter up!", they'd be mystified as to why you did that.

dean

That's a good one, and more appropriate, if you think about it. Fedoras were (are) traditionally all purpose hats, worn by men of all stations and occupations (not, as some seem to think, worn only by one man in one series of movies), whereas the baseball cap was originally intended to be worn only by men playing a specific game.

As for the "Indy" thing, the last time someone called me "Indiana Jones," it was a Carnie at Coney Island. He was a wearing a baseball cap with a Nike swoosh, so I just smiled, and said, "How's it going, Tiger Woods?"

Oh yeah, the topic: I guess i don't think of the fedora as "vintage" so much as "timeless." For me, it doesn't really matter how old my stuff is, it matters how functional it is, and part of the function that I want my clothing to fulfill is making me look good in a wide array of circumstances. Leather shoes, khakis, a button-down shirt, a sport coat, and a fedora is a uniform that has served me well in all kinds of situations, from work, to graduations, to hiking Down Under. Though none of these items are older than I am, the look itself happens to be less common today (at least for a man my age) than it once was, and I guess that makes it, in a way, vintage.

 

[Brian Sheridan]

My two cents worth:

I love certain vintage pieces (like my watch, hats, tie designs) but in the end I like the dedication to quality and style you see in vintage items. What I love about "Classic Style" magazine's photo layouts is that the clothes do not seem like costumes. They retain the sophistication and craftsmanship of the vintage period without making people wonder if someone is shooting a 1940's movie in the neighborhood.

Somethings for me just don't work - like the shortie short ties. I'd prefer the cool patterns and designs of the vintage period but would go for the modern-version of those items. If you know what I mean....

Spellflower hit it when he called it "timeless."

 

[Widebrim]

Lord. no! I didn't get in here because I loved vintage. It was, is and will always be the hats. As anyone around here knows, I don't even lean toward fedoras...I prefer the fedora's military grandfather , but I've been wearing a a "newsboy" cap a lot lately and I find I like it quite a lot. I wouldn't rule out a nice fedora...I guess I just prefer something a little less formal and a bit more "field" friendly. I'm not very cosmopolitan and the whole high armhole suit thing just isn't that significant to me.
This look is my taste in vintage... I'd love to be that officer.

dean

That is a great U.S. Army illustration; looks vintage Spanish American War (Regular Army, before khakis were universally adopted), with Montana peaked hats. That particular time period is also how I would have liked to have dressed when I served. (The Army is going back to the classic Dress Blues, though, for its Class A Uniform, if you didn't know.) In case you're interested, I interviewed the last American survivor of the Battle of San Juan Hill (not Kettle) some 23 years ago, and have a copy of his company's group photo, as well as his dress uniform photograph. Will send you a copy of both via Internet if you're interested. As a note, he donated his uniform to a museum.

--L. Bartoletti, formerly U.S. Cavalry

 

[deanglen]

That is a great U.S. Army illustration; looks vintage Spanish American War (Regular Army, before khakis were universally adopted), with Montana peaked hats. That particular time period is also how I would have liked to have dressed when I served. (The Army is going back to the classic Dress Blues, though, for its Class A Uniform, if you didn't know.) In case you're interested, I interviewed the last American survivor of the Battle of San Juan Hill (not Kettle) some 23 years ago, and have a copy of his company's group photo, as well as his dress uniform photograph. Will send you a copy of both via Internet if you're interested. As a note, he donated his uniform to a museum.

--L. Bartoletti, formerly U.S. Cavalry

Please do! Thank you, Widebrim.

dean

 

[nightandthecity]

The FL is not, and I don’t think it was ever intended to be, a vintage clothing forum. I’d describe it as a forum centred round classic mens hats which branches off into a wide range of related topics of which vintage is simply one of the more important. But there are plenty people here whose only interest is in film, or history, or WW2 re-enactment, or period music, or classic clothes……or hats.

As I understand it the Lounge didn’t even grow out of the vintage scene, it grew out of the Indiana Jones fan scene.

Personally, I only wear vintage, and have done most of my adult life, and I‘ve long been deeply involved in all the other core interests of the Lounge (hats, 1930s & 40s music/ film/ history etc), but I’d guess this is actually a minority position around here.

 

[deanglen]

Could campaign hats be any less a minority position.lol

dean

 

[nightandthecity]

ha ha, you definitely win Dean!

 

[Widebrim]

Photos

Please do! Thank you, Widebrim.

dean

So sorry, but I've not been on the FL for some time. If you want me to send you the photos, please print your e-mail address; I don't have enough posts yet to contact you via the FL. If you don't wish to do so, I'll send them to you when I have permission to contact you on this site.

Widebrim

 

[deanglen]

So sorry, but I've not been on the FL for some time. If you want me to send you the photos, please print your e-mail address; I don't have enough posts yet to contact you via the FL. If you don't wish to do so, I'll send them to you when I have permission to contact you on this site.

Widebrim

Welcome back, Widebrim, I love your screename! I'll get back with regarding the stuff you have to send. Meantime, don't be stranger! The Lounge is always open! Come on in!

dean

 

[staggerwing]

I've always had an affinity for the 1920s-1040s, and, I've always liked fedora-style hats. But, I never really put the two together until I found this site. That said, other than hats, I don't really dress vintage, although I so seldom shop for new clothes, I suppose some of my stuff qualifies! I do wear classically-styled suits most days, though.

 

[Detective_Noir]

why do people hate the fedora trend?

i always wear it with a suit and and nice clothing but theres always someone saying its a terrible style... is the suit and fedora not a fashionable style anymore to people outside of the website

 

[scottyrocks]

I've never had anyone tell me that my fedoras and suits are a terrible style. In fact, I usually get a compliment or two most times I am so attired.

 

[jbucklin]

I've never had anyone tell me that my fedoras and suits are a terrible style. In fact, I usually get a compliment or two most times I am so attired.

Yep. That's a new one to me too.

 

[Chuck Naill]

To work last week, laundered khakis, white long sleeved pressed white shirt (not buttoned down), light yellow print silk long tie, and my new Stetson Stratoliner, with old man SAS cordovans. I got several favorable comments and one, "you look nice today"...LOL!! Those silver bellys go well with khakis.