Too short a brim or am I overthinking it?

[memphislawyer]

I had a new hat made and I am finding that for some reason, I am liking a bit more brim. I think someone here told me that I would gravitate that way. I have a Falcon Park Hat that I love but it is a 2" brim and I am thinking it does not look all that great on me. Mike Moore did me a silverbelly last year with a 2 1/4" brim and that thing looks just right. Who would imagine that an extra 1/4" can make that much difference. It is bugging me a little and I am thinking of selling the hat to have the cash to have Mike make me another hat. What do you men think, and if I need to take more pics, tell me what angle and what not.







Here is the newest one with a decididly wider brim:

 

[hatophile]

Memphis,

Like you, I started wearing smaller brims first and have gravitated now to larger ones.
I think my smallest now is about 2 1/8. I still wear the smaller brims, depending on my mood, weather, etc.
I actually like the way you have the smaller brim hat styled and think it looks fine. I
reaalllly like the Buckaroo though.

 

[Tomasso]

A larger brim suits your face and physique much better. Hard to tell from the pics how well the colors work with your skin tone.

 

[BladeOfAnduril]

I think both look good, but I agree with others that the second one looks better. I think it has to do with the crown height-to-brim width ratio. To me, the taller the crown, and wider the brim should be to look proportional. The Buckaroo looks just right.

 

[Brad Bowers]

I'm going to disagree with everyone else. I think the first brim looks better on you, and it has more of a late-1920s look, which I find ideal. If the crown height is bothering you, deepen the center crease a bit more to change the proportions.

Brad

 

[Damon Falzone]

There's nothing wrong with the first hat. It's just a different flavor. I like it. Wear it proudly!

 

[jlee562]

Frankly, I don't think either is ill suited for you, but are hats for different occasions.

 

[Mulceber]

Yeah, I've gotta agree with Brad. The first one looks much better to my eye. I wouldn't say that a taller crown necessarily merits a wider brim. There are different looks. Tall crowns with narrow brims are very "early-30's" (my favorite era of hat wearing, personally) and you pull that look off well.

 

[Feraud]

I think the first one looks better. The crown may be a tad high but that could be camera distortion.

 

[53Effie]

I like the first one best too. It seems to be very well suited to your features.

 

[Tomasso]

What's your height and weight, ML?

 

[memphislawyer]

5' 10" and 193

 

[Crazy Dave]

First one looks great and absolutely natural for you. Not so sure about the second one, though it's an absolutely beautiful lid.

 

[tonyb]

As you observed, counselor, a quarter inch difference in brim width can make a BIG difference in a hat's overall look.

Still, though, that hat looks good on you. There was a time when I thought I couldn't wear a hat with less than a 2 1/2 inch brim. I'm glad I got over that. As Brad noted, that hat has proportions similar to styles popular in the late 1920s. I dig it. I'm guessing you will too, once you grow accustomed to it.

 

[memphislawyer]

Yeah, tending to think I overthink it. I just see hats sitting there on my shelf and wonder, heck, I never wear it, and that is money that could be used on a super pair of shoes. Then again, I just have four felts, and the idea to step outside of my comfort zone and get that brown hat well, was a new experience to me and having people comment favorably. I mean, I never would consider myself western at all!

 

[Baron Kurtz]

Like any other hat, it's useful to see full body/outfit shots to give an impression of whether a specific brim was too short. A different outfit has a profound effect on how a hat looks. Head shots/selfies tend to make the head look bigger and the shorter brims more extreme.

I agree with Brad above that the first hat has a nice late 20s/early 30s vibe to it … just my kind of look for hats.

 

[bloc]

First one for me. I am a complete novice but for what it's worth

 

[1961MJS]

As you observed, counselor, a quarter inch difference in brim width can make a BIG difference in a hats overall look.

Still, though, that hat looks good on you. There was a time when I thought I couldn't wear a hat with less than a 2 1/2 inch brim. I'm glad I got over that. As Brad noted, that hat has proportions similar to styles popular in the late 1920s. I dig it. I'm guessing you will too, once you grow accustomed to it.

Hi Tony

Gawd, I can't hardly stand exactly 2.5 inch brims. A lot of my fedoras are closer to three inches than 2.5. On the other hand, Both hats look good on the good counselor. IFFFFF you really don't like the Falcon Park, then sell it, but I wouldn't take a huge hit on the price. It looks really good.

Just my $0.02

 

[facade]

Why limit yourself? For myself, I see no reason not to have hats of all sorts of brims widths. When I want a more understated look, such as at work, I prefer a 2" brim. If I plan to be outside where function is more important or I simply want a more eye-catching appearance, I opt for a larger brim. If function means nothing and its fits a look I'm sporting, I may opt for a stingy brim.

Unless a certain hat style is woefully wrong for your face, all hats have a place in one's wardrobe.

 

[TomS]

Each presents differently, but I like them both...