The Open Road Guild

[John in Covina]

So far, I have been introduced to and gotten to see a most wonderful collection of Stetson Open Roads displayed here in the Hat section of the Fedora Lounge. Whether retaining the original side dents and center crease as seen on the head of such powerhouses as Lyndon Baines Johnson or given a rebash to a C-crown, teardrop or a frontal fedora pinch this Paragon hat of hats presents an awesome classyness that makes it a definative "must have" for a growing number of collectors.

I'd like to ask that the members continue seeking out these classic hats and remember to share with the Lounge the intimate details of finding, stalking, and acquiring their Open Road. Along with the cleaning, re-bashing and the wearing of the same.

To those that achieve this great quest is bestowed title of "Open Road Guild Member." Keep sending those pictures! And non Stetson facsimiles such as the Dobbs Westward and the Mallory Dallas will be considered as Honorary members since imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.

With warmest regards,

 

[epic610]

Cattleman's Bash....

with brim snapped down like a fedora? Any thoughts?

 

[shamus]

Sign me up! I've been wearing the Open since I got it a few weeks ago and really love it.

Although my 7 3/8 is more like a 7 1/2 as I had to "pad it a bit"

Definately one for the collection!

 

[John in Covina]

with brim snapped down like a fedora? Any thoughts?

******
I need to see a photo of someone wearing it like that to give any opinion.

 

[tonyb]

with brim snapped down like a fedora? Any thoughts?

Sure. I've seen lots of 'em like that. That cattleman's crown is the sort of thing I think looks just fine on other people but not on me. Can't really say why, precisely. One of mine has a fedora pinch, center dent and the brim pulled down just a bit in the front, but not snapped down. I don't know what that brim shape is called, but it looks good on that particular hat.

 

[John in Covina]

Sign me up! I've been wearing the Open since I got it a few weeks ago and really love it. Although my 7 3/8 is more like a 7 1/2 as I had to "pad it a bit"
Definately one for the collection!

*****
Shamus, you're a Guild member with that one. How did you shape the crown?

 

[Victor]

I have two older ones that I shaped into the fedora style and love them! I think that tehre must be a big difference between teh older open road and teh more recent as the older ones have a very soft easily shaped crown

 

[John in Covina]

Down in Front!

Sure. I've seen lots of 'em like that. That cattleman's crown is the sort of thing I think looks just fine on other people but not on me. Can't really say why, precisely. One of mine has a fedora pinch, center dent and the brim pulled down just a bit in the front, but not snapped down. I don't know what that brim shape is called, but it looks good on that particular hat.

********
With the original set of dents, I have a hard time picturing it (in my minds eye) with the brim snapped down in front. Up or flat but down escapes me.

 

[tonyb]

Whether retaining the original side dents and center crease as seen on the head of such powerhouses as Lyndon Baines Johnson or given a rebash to a C-crown, teardrop or a frontal fedora pinch ...



Open Roads used to come to the retailers with open crowns, ready to bash into the customer's preferred style. These days they come from the factory blocked in the cattleman's crown, or so the local retailer tells me. Just when the factory stopped sending them "open" I couldn't say, but I do recall buying them new with open crowns 20-plus years ago, and my newest one, purchased something like a dozen years ago (and a real piece of junk compared to the vintage versions) came with an open crown. I would bet that those bought-new hats were indeed "new" (as opposed to old stock) when I bought them.

 

[riccardo]

My Open Road.

Hi to all,
I've a vintage Open Road, very soft, one of my favorite hats.
There is a problem: in the crown, in the top of it, in the front, the felt is very very thin...near to break...could anyone advice me any manner to save it..
I'd think to seal, inside the crown, a piece of felt, for make this point more thick than now...what do you think about;any advice?

I hope my english could be understood.

Best regards.
Riccardo.

 

[RBH]

John, I want in also...

Here I am in mine.

In the next couple of weeks I will be sending mine to Steve for a cleaning and reblock.
I will be sure to post the pics when it is returned.
P.S. I love wearing this hat !

 

[J.B.]

Ooh. Ooh. Can I join? Me! Me!

I don't think I qualify, though?! Maybe I could be in a "satellite" branch of The Open Road Guild?! Hey, I could sweep up the cigar ashes offa the floor and Brasso the cuspidors after the meetings?!

The Fedora Lounge Open Road Guild:
Their Open Roads are vintage.
The members are youthful...

The proposed J.B. Open Road Guild Satellite Branch:
My Open Road is recent.
I am vintage...

BTW, speaking of O.R. VIP's...

...Harry Truman started out as a haberdasher in Kansas City. Here's a link to a cool website showing just a few of his 75-hat collection. He was one of the "top ten best-dressed men of 1947." (God, would he have loved this place!) If you poke around you will also find a pic of his Homberg from Eddie Jacobson's where I used to shop...

Harry Truman's Open Road

Best Wishes to all you guys! Open Roads Forever!

 

[Feraud]

The Open Road is a wonderful warm weather hat.


Whenever I look at it sitting on the rack, I think of Summer!

 

[maintcoder]

Hopefully...

I will be a member in this esteemed group this week. I won a tan Open Road last week on eBay and I expect the delivery Monday or Tuesday.

 

[fedoralover]

Here's mine. I had 3 more but traded them off.

fedoralover

 

[K.D. Lightner]

I have a Stetson Open Road black fedora, styled as a traditional fedora, not the cattleman LBJ type. (I don't think most women look good in that style, anyway.)

I also have a Dobbs silverbelly hat that I got off ebay and it was styled in the classic LBJ Open Road. I bashed around with it, finally took it into the Hat Works in San Diego and had them clean it and reshape it into fedora style.

I am an Open Road fan, as long as I can bash it the way I want.

karol

 

[riccardo]

Helpful pics,many thanks.

Here's mine. I had 3 more but traded them off.

fedoralover

Hi to all,
thanks fedoralover and everyone for the most helpful pics.
I didn't understood why your OR were different from mine, whats different there were between yours and mine.
I'd looked your pics, and, wowow....
I take my OR, it had the rear brims turned up...too up.
Then i take my iron, with a lot of steam...I've ironed the rear brims,now they are ...flat...or so...I've turned down the front...and ,now its ok!!
Finally my OR has the original look.

Many thanks to all.

Sincerely
Riccardo.

 

[Kaleponi Craig]

Count me in as a member of the Open Road Guild. As soon as I get my OR back from Art, who is bashing it into a Seabiscuit style fedora, I'll post a pic...KC

 

[Matt Deckard]

I have one. It was found on Ebay about 5 years ago. Rarely worn unless taken on a road trip where I need a good knockabout hat.

 

[Craig Robertson]

I have a couple of Open Roads, and I find them better as a more "casual" wear fedora. However, I prefer the Borsalino Lightweight more, because it has better drape and color. Here's a quick digital image of one of my faves: a dove-grey Borsalino with a black ribbon.