Tour of Author Gay Talese's Hat Closet - A Visual Treasure

[hatflick1]

This is a grand tour.
And what a collection!
http://vimeo.com/29796667
Does he belong to the Lounge?

 

[tonyb]

I've been a fan of Talese's work ever since I first read "Frank Sinatra Has a Cold," lo those many years ago, and I like the way he presents himself -- distinctive and somewhat dressy but not showy (as contrasted with, say, Tom Wolfe; I mean really, a white suit? In the real world?).

His hat style -- tapered crown and all -- works for him, slightish fellow that he is. And, frankly, it's hard to find straight-sided crowns in contemporary mass-produced hats, so most hat wearers, even relatively avid ones such as Gay Talese, wear such styles. But I know I'm not alone around this place in wishing for taller, straighter crowns from the Stetsons and Baileys of this world. Alas, when Stetson attempted such a style, it was a sales flop. Or so I've read. So I guess that makes us the oddballs.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

[video=vimeo;29796667]http://vimeo.com/29796667[/video]
Mr. Talese at least found a style that works for him. That is the important part. He says that he has his made by a hatter in Miami.

 

[RBH]

Very cool, like Mr Talese I find I like the brim down in back also.

 

[DJH]

That's great - thanks for posting it.

 

[job]

I also like my hats on the wall for easy access.

 

[MCrider]

I loved this piece. Just wish I could have a hat closet. Ran it by the wife and she couldn't understand the concept. Obviously it's not going to work in this house! I did like the way he stated his style was with the brim down in back. A couple hats I own just don't look right with the brim turned up. Sometimes you just have to listen to the hat!

 

[alanfgag]

That's great - thanks for posting it.

ditto!

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

I loved this piece. Just wish I could have a hat closet. Ran it by the wife and she couldn't understand the concept. Obviously it's not going to work in this house! I did like the way he stated his style was with the brim down in back. A couple hats I own just don't look right with the brim turned up. Sometimes you just have to listen to the hat!

My wife is so OCD she made me a system of storing my hat's. Each of my hats is in it's own hat box the boxes are all alike. I have a picture of me wearing the hat on the outside so that I know what hat is in the box in my two walkin closet's that I use for my hat's and clothles in my upstairs office.

 

[tonyb]

...
Mr. Talese at least found a style that works for him. That is the important part. He says that he has his made by a hatter in Miami.

Yes, as I noted, the style does indeed work for him.

I'm left wondering, though, the pedigree of the hats. He alluded to the hatter who made a particular hat. He shows his name embossed on the sweatband and says "this is a fedora that I had made by a, made for me; they're actually made by a guy in North Miami." So at least that one is a custom, but that reference to a single hat ("a fedora") becomes a plural ("they're") a few words later. It's left unclear if he's saying all of his hats are made by the North Miami hatter, or if the "they" are the hats produced by that particular hatter.

No doubt Mr. Talese has the means to afford a closet full of custom hats, and it wouldn't seem at all unlikely that a fellow as clothes conscious as he would go the custom route. And the hats themselves look as though they could indeed be, if not siblings, at least kissing cousins.

 

[hatophile]

Nice video. Gay is certainly a sharp dresser, a lost art these days it seems (excluding the folks on this forum of course).

Looks to me the way he has them stored and categorized they are likely all custom.

 

[The Wiser Hatter]

Yes the Oxblood one is surely custom. I would say they are all custom from the looks of them they use the same block.

 

[DesertDan]

Very interesting (though I don't know who any of those men are.)

The best statement of the interview; "You're not completely dressed until you put on a hat."

 

[MCrider]

The best statement of the interview; "You're not completely dressed until you put on a hat."

The man has style!

 

[mayserwegener]

Yes the Oxblood one is surely custom. I would say they are all custom from the looks of them they use the same block.

The number 1 is an Akubra. The number 2 is a Cavanagh. Those are only two I could make out. I think there is a mix of custom and production hats (some modern some later vintage).

 

[RBH]

I believe you are correct.

If he isnt a 'member' he should be.

There are some neat hats hanging there.
He is such a great writer.... it would seem to be a fantastic novel on that wall.

 

[Widebrim]

A solid-dressing paisano...

 

[Terry "The Hat"]

I don't have a "hat closet" but I do have a "hat wall" in my bedroom. If I had one of those "walk in" closets like you see in the larger homes it would be a "walk in hat closet" when I got done with it!

 

[daizawaguy]

For a gentleman with a great suit, I`m surprised he flips the brim at the back of the hat down. I guess thats his way to make it less formal, but as I say, with a great suit, it does not match imho...

 

[Paul Roerich]

Mr. Talese dresses as if he were his own father: a NYC Italian tailor. The suit's fine; the jacket's lapels are just windless sails. Nobody's perfect.