The Seven Best Hat Stores in America

[Tomasso]

According to Gentlemen's Quarterly .

 

[suitedcboy]

The 20 hats you need piece needs to be re-titled. I would suggest "20 way overpriced items to use to cover your tractor exhaust during rainstorms".

 

[Lefty]

No Gary White?

 

[T Rick]

Harumph. All stingies? (Refers to the 20 hats piece, the 7 stores look cool, though I'd have liked to see Henry The Hatter in Detroit included).

 

[DocMustang]

The 20 hats you need piece needs to be re-titled. I would suggest "20 way overpriced items to use to cover your tractor exhaust during rainstorms".

Agreed,

While I aplaud the return of the brimmed hat to the fashion scene I am saddened that the stingy brim is the form it has taken. My ovesized noggin long face and broad shoulders make the stingy brim look damn silly. What is worse is that some fine thrift store hats are having their brims cut down by the ignorant masses of young adults in an efffort to look "cool". That dish was fine when you found it! Give me a chance to give you a good price before you cut up a pristine vintage lid.

 

[1961MJS]

Hi

I've been to Levine's, and from what I hear on this forum, Byrnie's and Optimo are good. The list of 20 hats leaves me cold. All stingie brim straw hats, jeez...

Later

 

[Florida_Marlin]

I can't wear stingys! Tall lanky frame, looks like an eraser on top of a pencil. I gotta have 2-1/2 minimum or i'll just go with a newsboy. All those have very minimum brims!

 

[Atticus Finch]

I'm sure Charlie Sheen would like and wear most any of those twenty hats...so there you go.

AF

 

[rlk]

Too bad they didn't go to any of those stores for their 20 picks. Even if you ignore the fact that they are all essentially the same shape and dimensions--the extreme of brim brevity--there isn't a decent quality example in the bunch in terms of weave or construction.

 

[suitedcboy]

Yep, that was really my point. Not that they are stingies but that the ones shown all were junk quality and some WAY overpriced due to the name stamped on them. The weave on them was so loose they really wouldn't keep water or wasps out of the tractor exhaust......

I guess if they plant a seed that grows into greater acceptance of hats it would be OK.

 

[Feraud]

J.J. Hats is a quality shop. I haven't been to Still Life but the pictures on their site look less than impressive.

 

[GamaH]

I really want to visit Optimo one day. I have a hat from them being shipped on the 25th. I can't wait.

 

[fmw]

There are a few I would have put ahead of Still Life. The top 20 fedoras are a true travesty. Heaven forbid. These folks dictate fashion. Ouch.

 

[Sam Craig]

All you need to know about how pin-headed GQ has become is to check out the 15 fedoras of the season. The first one that comes up looks just like one you can get for 10 bucks at Wally World

Where's Wichita Hat Works?

This is just another example of the coastal elitism that we here in the Heartland have come to expect!

Wichita Hat Works is a WorldClass hat store, and deserves to be on any list.

Sam

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Sam

When I talked to Jack a few months ago, he was sending out some hats for Prince's show. I pick up a third Sun Body from him on Friday (I hope). I didn't exactly expect to see Buckaroo Hatters, Jaxonbilt, or any of the good Western hat places on the list. Gary White should have been on the list as should Art Fawcett.

Later

 

[Jantjeuh]

The top-20 hats, it is like they tried to pick only the very worst... Sjeez, what horrible taste/choice

 

[navarre]

The top-20 hats, it is like they tried to pick only the very worst... Sjeez, what horrible taste/choice

I agree, living near Seattle for over 20 years and I have always thought Byrnie Utz was horrible. Being the only hat shop around makes it easy to be "one of the Best". Not that they don't have a nice hat. Just poor service. Granted, some of their "Don't touch the hats" attitude is likely base on location. Being located on a block that some days will have your wife keeping a tight grip on her purse, probably keeps their guard up against wayward hands. I have purchased a hat or two from them over the years and have never felt welcomed there.

 

[Tomasso]

This is just another example of the coastal elitism that we here in the Heartland have come to expect!

But Optimo was chosen first and Chicago is the capital of the Heartland.

 

[fmw]

Hi Sam

When I talked to Jack a few months ago, he was sending out some hats for Prince's show. I pick up a third Sun Body from him on Friday (I hope). I didn't exactly expect to see Buckaroo Hatters, Jaxonbilt, or any of the good Western hat places on the list. Gary White should have been on the list as should Art Fawcett.

Later

If you were to take the largest Western store chains, any of them would be bigger than GQ's top 7 combined. I don't think GQ is interested in promoting western wear. I think stingy brims appear to be the "thing." Incidentally, I don't think Fawcett would qualify simply because he isn't a store. A great source for a great hat but not a store. I guess the "resurgence" in interest in hats hasn't built enough steam yet.

Oh, and remind me to ignore GQ. They are obviously speaking to someone other than me.

 

[monbla256]

If you were to take the largest Western store chains, any of them would be bigger than GQ's top 7 combined. I don't think GQ is interested in promoting western wear. I think stingy brims appear to be the "thing." Incidentally, I don't think Fawcett would qualify simply because he isn't a store. A great source for a great hat but not a store. I guess the "resurgence" in interest in hats hasn't built enough steam yet.

Oh, and remind me to ignore GQ. They are obviously speaking to someone other than me.

They are not. Not now not ever. Their market demographic has always been btwn the age of 25 to 35, income level btwn $35k to $75k. I stopped reading it when I turned 30 which is now OVER 30 years ago. Nice photos but that's about all.