Tired of the Hat Stupidity. . .Time to get a new hat.

[Pat_H]

We've been getting a real winter hereabouts, and in my town job I wear a jacket and tie darned near every day. As the weather's been nasty, I've also been wearing my overcoat, a London Fog trench coat. It's a khaki one.

Most days I wear my B!Wear black newsboy. I like it, but frankly in the recent weather, I'd much prefer my old brown Royal Stetson fedora. If I had a wood topcoat (which I don't), I wouldn't hesitate, but with the trench coat, I know that the ignorant would have to amuse themselves (while shivering on the street, snow falling on their soggy pates, exposing them to pneumonia) by commenting about looking like you are from a 1930s detective movie. If it was raining, rather than snowing, I wouldn't care, but I'm ashamed to admit that I've been avoiding the brown fedora for that reason.

That, and there's a new Indiana Jones film coming out, which always inspires the same folks to think that Indian Jones invented the Fedora.

Anyhow, while I know that shouldn't bother me, what it is doing is causing me to think of this as an excuse to get a new Fedora. I was thinking maybe a black one, but then I just noticed the really sharp looking thin ribbon silverbelly Fedora down below.

What to the experts up here think? Black, silverbelly, or no point as the ignorant can't distinguish these colors from brown anyway?

 

[citRon]

I pick #3- If your wearing a silverbelly, you're going to be Bogart. Black or Brown, you're still going to be Indiana Jones.
Wear your Stetson and laugh at them for not having enough sense to wear a brimmed hat themselves!

 

[Lon Goval]

No expert here! (me only, not the forum)

I feel you need 3 colors minimum. Black, Brown, Grey! Then get the other shades in between.

I feel lucky that I haven't received rude comments from people I encounter. About all I get is "nice hat". If it's a sarcastic tone, I probably missed it, but I just reply "Thanks" and continue about my business.

I wear the hat for my own pleasure, and mostly wear a Fedora, except when performing Western Music when I wear my soft telescope Western hats. All my "big-@ss" (tall crown) Cowboy hats are going to be sold or converted.

 

[carldelo]

Match the coat

I'd say just wear what looks best with the raincoat, i.e. the brown fedora. I've been called Indy while wearing a Harris tweed coat and a lightweight charcoal gray Trilby with 1/2" band - the hoi polloi will see what they expect to see, so I just dress to please myself. At least in NYC there is a reasonable (single digit) percentage of people who will actually see and appreciate what you're wearing.

 

[surely]

Pat_H, you're in Wyoming, so strap on a six shooter & silence your critics!...

 

[Not-Bogart13]

The comment (be they Indy or otherwise) will come no matter what sort of brimmed hat you wear. Consider them a declaration of stupidity or jealousy, and move on. Wear what you like, and know that the opionions of the stupid don't matter.

I love wearing my fedoras with my taupe trench, and I've never gotten anything but compliments. Except my from my father. He's one of the stupid people, unfortunately.

The irony is, most people who make those ridiculous comments actually like what they see. I've discovered this by being forced to talk to some who have called me a mofioso in my black hat.[huh]

 

[Pat_H]

Pat_H, you're in Wyoming, so strap on a six shooter & silence your critics!...

They only get that treatment if they give a negative comment on one of my Western hats. I do wear those for outdoor work.

 

[Pat_H]

The comment (be they Indy or otherwise) will come no matter what sort of brimmed hat you wear. Consider them a declaration of stupidity or jealousy, and move on. Wear what you like, and know that the opionions of the stupid don't matter.

I love wearing my fedoras with my taupe trench, and I've never gotten anything but compliments. Except my from my father. He's one of the stupid people, unfortunately.

The irony is, most people who make those ridiculous comments actually like what they see. I've discovered this by being forced to talk to some who have called me a mofioso in my black hat.[huh]

I think your last comment is no doubt correct. People commenting on them generally like them.

And there's no accounting for parents. . .

 

[johnnycanuck]

If you are out of high school then you should not have to worry about negative comments. Last time I got the "Indiana Jones" Not only did I deserve it (I was wearing my Wested with a brown Federation Deluxe and a beige collared shirt) but it was intended as a compliment. So I would not worry about it myself.



This is a nice looking option. http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi/products.cgi?view=58&returncat=Fedora+Hats&returnpage=0 in tawny fawn.

Johnny

 

[HarpPlayerGene]

Fedora Confidence

I've seen a couple of posts like this. Interesting. Maybe it's because I'm a caricature artist most of the time and a performing musician when the spirit moves me, but I'm among the few who haven't gotten negative remarks about my hat wearing. Folks kind of expect that sort of thing from "the creative guy". The other thing may be this: I have been wearing brimmed hats for so long (twenty plus years), every day in public for the last two or three years, that I have become totally comfortable in them. People sense when one is self conscious. And conversly they sense easy confidence. Wear the fedora. Wear it until it becomes a real part of you. And no matter what comments you receive, gently grasp the front of the brim with you thumb and middle finger and give 'em a tip and a wink.

 

[J.T.Marcus]

And no matter what comments you receive, gently grasp the front of the brim with you thumb and middle finger and give 'em a tip and a wink.

I like your attitude!!! :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap :eusa_clap

 

[citRon]

DUDE!!! You should Totally get a yellow Fedora to wear, and when people make comments act like you have NO idea what they're talking about!! "Dick Tracy...who is that?"

 

[HamletJSD]

I think you'll find that very few people will say anything intentionally derogatory.

Hat or not, anyone who's just "into" being mean will find something to be mean about. IMHO, however, most people who make Indi comments are just trying to connect to you. They're just saying, "nice hat" in what they think is a clever way.

 

[metropd]

Very true HamletJSD. It may seem like an igonrant or dumb comment, which it is but very seldom is it meant to be mean or rude. Many times its their way of complimenting you while they think they are being clever.

 

[Pat_H]

If you are out of high school then you should not have to worry about negative comments. Last time I got the "Indiana Jones" Not only did I deserve it (I was wearing my Wested with a brown Federation Deluxe and a beige collared shirt) but it was intended as a compliment. So I would not worry about it myself.



This is a nice looking option. http://www.hatsdirect.com/cgi/products.cgi?view=58&returncat=Fedora+Hats&returnpage=0 in tawny fawn.

Johnny

Excellent point.

 

[Pat_H]

I think you'll find that very few people will say anything intentionally derogatory.

Hat or not, anyone who's just "into" being mean will find something to be mean about. IMHO, however, most people who make Indi comments are just trying to connect to you. They're just saying, "nice hat" in what they think is a clever way.

No doubt true.

 

[Pat_H]

Of course, in spite of all the "don't worry about it" posts, I still need a silverbelly or black Fedora.

 

[Ugarte]

Of course, in spite of all the "don't worry about it" posts, I still need a silverbelly or black Fedora.

I don't really expect this to help, but my first hat was a charcoal Federation. The second was a brown Squatter, followed closely by my third which was a silver Champ.

I find my brown Squatter is my go-to hat (see avatar at left). I also wear the Federation when I can. I had my first opportunity to wear the silver Champ last night:

http://www.thefedoralounge.com/showthread.php?t=13881&page=207

See message #3095

Start with the brown and then let the sweet, sweet agony take hold.


Mark
.

 

[Not-Bogart13]

Just as an aside, sort of... I recently was told (in a complimentary way) that I "look like Harrison Ford in that hat". I was wearing one of my VS hats, and it wasn't even brown. But he refrained from saying Indiana Jones, which tells me he thought it, but realized it might be an immature way to compliment me. So, a little :eusa_clap for a stranger who chose the high road.

 

[NonEntity]

I agree with the posters above. Most people don't know squat about hats, and when they say you look like Bogy or Indiana Jones or whoever, it may come across as ignorant, but they're just trying to say something nice.

Now I would be the last person on earth to discourage you from getting a fedora, but I've been in Casper, WY in winter, and my ears would have frozen solid in a fedora!

For dress up there, I'd wear an Ambassador--the Russian/Cossack style that Stalin and Kruschev often wore--with the earflaps turned down.

Of course, when someone calls you by one of those names, it's probably not a compliment!

No matter what's on your head, somebody's going to say something stupid about it. It's just part of wearing a hat.