Jedwbpm
One Too Many
- Messages
- 1,031
- Location
- West Coast Florida
I wish they would put wind cords on these new hats
Jeff
Jeff
I wish they would put wind cords on these new hats
Jeff
A recent discovery in my wife's costume shop... I took it home to clean and renovate. It is in good shape overall - unfortunately missing its crown tip sticker. After removing the sewn in actor labels and restitching the ribbon and bow in a few places, I used a size 7 961 block (close but not a perfect match to the Stetson 122 block that was used originally) to smooth out the old crease. You can see how thin and light the felt is in these 1940s Strats as the thin supple sweatband is easily visible from the pressure of the block.
This hat is not as early as the Vita-Felt strat posted here. The brim width is 2 3/4" vs. 2 1/2". It shows the later single field version of the red manufacturing label and does not have a LOTXXXX stamp on the back of the sweatband. The size tag has been cut, but I would not expect it to be of the gold foil variety. But unlike the 1950s Strats, it retains the unlined, lightweight and very soft and flexible gestalt of the early 1940s Stratoliner. Price was $7.50.
I gave the front of the brim a gentle touch with a flat iron. While I like my Strats various, I seem to wander back to making them play this uplifting tune.