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The nicest comment I ever heard

I probably wouldn't mind being called indy if I went out wearing a brown fedora and a brown leather jacket, or even if I had a brown fedora and some kind of tan adventurer shirt and khakis on or something, but sometimes you really wonder if these people have ever even SEEN indiana jones, as their only knowledge of him seems to be that he wore some kind of hat...

Like I said, if you are just wearing a hat you are Indy. I suppose I can live with that better than gangster. That is a really good idea to call someone a gangster who might just be. Death Wish much? lol lol
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
Try having some fools humming the theme when you pass by---morons!

I've had it before, but never again after that. This is what happens when something falls into obscurity, such as felt hats. Many people will associate it with some part of the prevailing popular culture; Indiana Jones in this case. That's not to say that Indiana Jones films aren't great, though!


Like I said, if you are just wearing a hat you are Indy. I suppose I can live with that better than gangster. That is a really good idea to call someone a gangster who might just be. Death Wish much?

As a big fan of crime/noir films, I think I can handle "gangster" with less embarrassment than "Indy." To say that my interest in hats isn't in part influenced by gangster style is basically a lie. Real gangsters were awful people, sure, but movie gangsters looked cool.
 
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Some here might find it offensive, but someone nicknamed me cowboy (and "The Man With No Name") while I was wearing a Stetson Open Road (modern), Levi's, desert boots, and a railroad stripe work shirt. I identify quite a bit with the cowboy image even if I may be a city slicker (or an "Urban Cowboy?"), so I'll accept it as a badge of honor. Even when I was a little kid, I dressed sort of western looking; tan felt cowboy hat (it used to have feathers around the crown), jeans, and at one point cowboy boots. I stopped dressing this way regularly around age 11, but I never left my interest in things western behind.

Anyway, my fedoras don't actually give me cowboy comments that much, although my Indy styled Akubra Fed IV did a little. My light grey and black ribbon Stetson usually gives off more of a noir detective or gangster vibe based off of some comments I've heard about it, but mostly just sharp hat. Almost all remarks are positive, people seem to think hats are cool if they've got anything to say at all.

I think you hit on the one I could best live with. The Man with no Name. I like it.
Were you wearing a serape? :p
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
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2,361
Location
California, USA
I think you hit on the one I could best live with. The Man with no Name. I like it.
Were you wearing a serape? :p

No serape or poncho, just the same stuff I posted in "What Hat/What Are You Wearing Today" threads; suede boots, jeans, and a railroad stripe blue shirt. Getting close to the look, come to think of it. ;)
 
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I've had it before, but never again after that. This is what happens when something falls into obscurity, such as felt hats. Many people will associate it with some part of the prevailing popular culture; Indiana Jones in this case. That's not to say that Indiana Jones films aren't great, though!




As a big fan of crime/noir films, I think I can handle "gangster" with less embarrassment than "Indy." To say that my interest in hats isn't in part influenced by gangster style is basically a lie. Real gangsters were awful people, sure, but movie gangsters looked cool.

In reality, gangsters looked like everyone else though. When you were doing something illegal, you wanted to look like everyone else and blend in. Legitimate businessman etc. :D Only big time hoods like Capone were flashy and had enough juice to live like that with nearly all of the constabulary forces bought off. :p
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
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2,361
Location
California, USA
In reality, gangsters looked like everyone else though. When you were doing something illegal, you wanted to look like everyone else and blend in. Legitimate businessman etc. :D Only big time hoods like Capone were flashy and had enough juice to live like that with nearly all of the constabulary forces bought off. :p

Of course! That's basically all there was to blending in back in the day, a suit, fedora, and maybe a coat. Most people in the city wore a variation of that attire. Some gangsters were definitely flashier, standing out more like you said.

As a matter in fact, I wonder if an actual gangster/criminal were to dress in a suit and hat today, they would look even less suspicious than just wearing a baggy t-shirt and jeans/shorts, and a flat-billed baseball cap. Maybe more attention might be drawn to them in public eyes, but they might look less obviously threatening?


I think you are owning that look. No "business associates" named Tuco?

Thanks, and nope, I'd rather not deal with someone like that, but he was an entertaining movie character. The best of Eli Wallach's roles.
 
As a matter in fact, I wonder if an actual gangster/criminal were to dress in a suit and hat today, they would look even less suspicious than just wearing a baggy t-shirt and jeans/shorts, and a flat-billed baseball cap. Maybe more attention might be drawn to them in public eyes, but they might look less obviously threatening?

lol lol I think you definitely have something there. I won't even mention the whole pimp look. :p
 

Chuck Naill

New in Town
Messages
35
Location
Tennessee, USA
Indiana Jones!?:eeek::eusa_doh:

Fortunately the young woman neutralized that comment. Did you get a phone number? :p

No phone number, but just a surprise that she did not say "hat". I was checking out at a Target and a young lady used "fedora". It must be more common than I suspected. The hat I was wearing that day was a fur felt grey Trilby from the Bollman reissue collection.

As to the "Indiana Jones" comment, I was always drawn to the hat because of its wide brim and high crown so when the comment came, I suspected the young man and I shared the same appreciation.

I think the main point for me is that a hat needs to be worn, and not the other way around. I think this is what people really liked about the IJ look.
 

Florida_Marlin

One of the Regulars
Messages
238
Location
Georgia
Wearing my early 50's, chocolate brown Stetson 20, mode edge at an Olive Garden in Maryville, TN. The waiter gave me a great compliment on my hat, then tried to trade me out of it fom my check! Needless to say, I thanked him for the offer and it left the restaurant on my head!
 

Shangas

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,116
Location
Melbourne, Australia
Out shopping yesterday, just buying groceries. It was a bit sunny so I wore my Panama. Two kids were scootering past. They looked like a brother and sister, about 5 years old. The girl stops and she says: "Cool hat, man!" and then scooters off.

Awwww :)
 
Messages
10,883
Location
Portage, Wis.
I reckon you're right. I deal in cars pretty heavily and do most of it through Craigslist. I'm a legitimate businessman, but a lot of deals can get messed up by scammers. Oftentimes, I'll find a car on a whim and only have a grand or two in cash lying around and offer to pay the rest via check. Usually, the guys are pretty cold about such a deal.

After we meet in person, I usually take my Cadillac car, or my buddy's new Ram truck, if I gotta haul it. I'll get out of the truck in nice clothes, a fedora, and an overcoat, if it's cold out. After a couple minutes, they usually just say something like "Oh, well you look like a good, honest guy." or "I can tell you're good for it."

As a matter in fact, I wonder if an actual gangster/criminal were to dress in a suit and hat today, they would look even less suspicious than just wearing a baggy t-shirt and jeans/shorts, and a flat-billed baseball cap. Maybe more attention might be drawn to them in public eyes, but they might look less obviously threatening?
 

JonnyO

A-List Customer
Messages
463
Location
Troy, NY
I finally got my first sincere compliment Friday night/Saturday morning at work. One of my coworkers came into our office and saw the hat on my desk and asked if it was mine, I replied with a yes. She then sat down next to me and told me how much she liked my hat which I thanked her for. Afterwards she began to tell me about her father and his hat, I think that was the best part of the whole conversation for me.
 

The Good

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,361
Location
California, USA
While at the Getty Center, someone in an elevator told me my pale grey Stetson St. Regis (mine is a fedora now, not a homburg) was a nice hat. I just said thanks with a bit of a smile.
 

Mystic

Practically Family
Messages
882
Location
Northeast Florida
While at the Getty Center, someone in an elevator told me my pale grey Stetson St. Regis (mine is a fedora now, not a homburg) was a nice hat. I just said thanks with a bit of a smile.

Most of my "Nice Hat" comments seem to come from people that feel they have to say something because they got caught staring at my hat as if it were a odd thing to be wearing. I live in baseball hat country.

What seem to be the most sincere and spontaneous comments come from younger people.

I got a chuckle out of a young stock clerk at Home Depot Saturday.
I had asked him for the location of an item...and he replied ...Hey, that's a real hat isn't it? Where did you get it? lol
 

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