They say the first step is admitting you have a problem...

[havershaw]

And I think I have one. (A problem, that is.) OK, I've just counted...and I now have reached the milestone of 30 hats. What does this mean? It means, generally, that it's time to quit! (For a while, anyway.)

I'm bidding on a few last hats which I'm pretty sure I'll die without, then I think I'm going to get my wife to change my eBay password so I can't bid anymore.

I think it might be the only way.

Terrible affliction, this mania for hats...

...hard on the pocketbook, too...

 

[Dusty Rhodes]

Amen to that!

I'm no where near done acquiring vintage hats. Now I have so many choices in the morning, I have a hell of a time making up my mine what to wear! Heck as of this writing I can't recal lhow many hats I own but I know I have three in for cleaning and reblocking LOL
Dusty

 

[Andykev]

There is a cure

Decapitation....hahahahah no just kiding:cry:

You will find that you get MUCH more selective, then you will weed out the stuff that is not up to your standards (which will become high).

The result is your collection will then be quality, rare, and have people drooling.

 

[Pen Collector]

Andy is right....

Your standards do get higher. Since I dress up most of the time I find myself gravitating to my OPTIMOs and Borsalino hats everyday. It is expensive but I feel GREAT!

Hey, we have to reward ourselves in some form or "fashion". Why not with a great looking hat! Besides, a well made hat will last a long time. So, they are worth every penny, eh, I mean dollars.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Speaking of buying alot of hats, Havershaw, congratulations on that cavanagh, thats a better price than I paid. I probably would've gone a tad more had I known the cost of shipping.

 

[Renderking Fisk]

My fedora's are like drinking. I don't want a lot, I just want the best for my needs. Akubra is the Red Label of Fedora's.... just enough to do the job in style.

 

[Art Fawcett]

developing a

12 step program as we speak. Let's see....hmmm..first you need to let go of the anxiety...my gosh man. the're only hats!!

Need help going from here...any suggestions out there?

 

[fedoralover]

A collector is a collector is a collector

I think it's probably in your blood. Heck I have 40 varieties of Bamboo in my yard. I did have over 50 at one time. I've got over 75 ties and probably more jackets than I'll ever need. I don't even want to start on how many antiques my wife and I have collected over the years. Fedora's are just one more thing to collect. But just like my bamboo, eventually you either run out of room and stop, or open a shop or a bamboo nursery.

fedoralover

 

[havershaw]

Good point. I've been obsessively collecting things ever since I was a kid. I'm trying to slow down now mainly because my tastes are getting a lot better. You can't find out what you really like until you try a little bit of everything, I guess. Just like you guys promised, I'm getting pickier. And that means hats are getting more expensive, which means I'm getting fewer and fewer (not to mention the steadily rising prices on eBay). I doubt it will be long before I start paring the collection down some. I hope to score a couple more (they're sort of my 'holy grail' of vintage hats) and then try to enjoy what I've got...though I do love fixer-uppers...

Daryl, I got lucky on that Cavanagh. The shipping turned out to be $5.85 (sometimes they really nail you with shipping! I had one seller claim it would cost $25 to ship me a hat - and they lived about fifteen miles from me and would not let me pick it up!). It looks like a fixer-upper. Hopefully I can whip it back into some shape. I have to say, my brown Cavanagh has almost completed its odyssey on the block and I have to say...it's looking beautiful. I hope to have it in time to take it to LA for the Casablanca screening (as I'm sending to a hatter for the ribbon and sweatband replacement, coward that I am). How's yours treating you? It's a real nice-looking hat.

Art, I think Andy's suggestion for a cure is pretty much our only option.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

My Cavanagh's doing fine. And when you get it whiped back into shape, make sure you post pics of yours And if you can't manage to do anything with it, you know where to pm me

And whoever sold you that hat that was $25 for shipping, you should've threatened to sue since they're so close, 'cause you could probably prove that it wouldn't cost that much to ship a hat.

 

[Andykev]

Hat Quest

You can't find out what you really like until you try a little bit of everything,

Havershaw, does that include the field of women? (ok a line from Casablanca)LOL LOL LOL LOL LOL


You will find that hats not in your size are plentiful, and the select ones in you size you have to fight for. You will also obtain hats that are not what you thought. I personally know and Art does too that you get a hat from Ebay that is supposed to be one thing, and it turns out to be something completely different.

That is life, and the quest for the perfect hat is before us all. I quite frankly enjoy it, but there are some great hats for example that are on Ebay NOW, but I either already have one, or decided it's not right for me.

 

[Dakota Ellison]

Ain't it the truth. Last week I won what was advertised as a "Bogart Fedora" size 7 3/4. It is a vintage Stetson, but after measuring it, I found the size to be more like 6 7/8. It needs cleaning and there's a small hole near the top of the front pinch.
If it's Bogart, it's more like the Treasure of Sierra Madre fedora.
Oh,well! Hats in my size, like you say are few, or seem to be, and I know I jumped on it. Have to be more careful next time.

 

[Fedora]

Being the helpful fellow that I am, makes me extend to all of you an outlet to help you get well. First, you have to admit that you have a problem. Once you accept that, you have to stop your addiction, cold turkey. The next step is to send me what is making you sick---your hats. Especially the Cavanaghs, the Stetson Imperials, the clear Nutrias and pure beavers. Don't ever let anyone say old Fedora doesn't have a heart. I will even pay the postage.LOL Fedora

 

[Bogie1943]

Well, Havershaw, I counted my fedoras last night just out of chance, I now have 24 fedoras and three panamas. It may be a sickness, but if so, it's a darn good one to have, lol.:cool2:

 

[Renderking Fisk]

I don't have a problem, I tell ya! I don't have a problem! I can quit any time I want to!

 

[havershaw]

I've told myself that a few times...apparently I'm not very persuasive.

 

[Kentucky Blues]

I have to admit, I do have a problem. I want hats but have no money with which to buy them:cry: Love and collecting hats=no problem. No money=big problem. So the solution to all of this is that all you people with this "problem" send me money. That way, you can solve your hat buying "problem" and I can solve my hat not buying problem Whaddya think?

 

[Andykev]

My Friend

Who is rather wealthy (he owns a glass factory or two) saw a guy on the way to our airport. The guy had an old army coat on, was unshaved, and was holding a cardboard sign with "Please Help Vietnam Vet Homeless - GOD BLESS" crudly scrawled. My friend (Bud) feeling sorry and having been an ex pilot or military something or other also, told the guy, "Come over to my hangar the next block over at the airport. I'll get you something to eat, you can get cleaned up, and I'll pay you for a days work and all you have to do is sweep out the hangar". Guess who never showed up?

 

[Kentucky Blues]

Andykev....What exactly were you saying in that post? I know you were saying something, but I couldn't tell what....

 

[Renderking Fisk]

How can you help someone who can't help himself?