Vintage Silhouettes Custom Hats - Official Affiliate Thread

[AbbaDatDeHat]

The second to last of my VS projects. I bought a very thin felt, too small for me Borsalino a while back. It was almost certainly made for the religious market. I had Divid at VS remake it in an OR style. I’m not usually a fan of black hats, but I really wanted a black hat in this style. The felt is very thin and soft and much lighter and...”flimsier” than any OR I’ve ever handled (vintage or modern). Due to the amount of felt available, the crown is “only” 5 3/4 inches. The bound brim is exactly 2 3/4 inches wide. I’m thrilled with how the hat turned out. David said he had to block the felt several times to get it to stay in the shape we wanted, but he assured me it has been tamed and will stay as blocked. I gave it a quick dry diamond crease and I’m beginning to reconsider my opinion on black hats! This is a great use of the commonly found black wide brimmed Borsalinos...all told with donor hat and the work by VS I’m into this hat less than the cost of a current 6X OR!

View attachment 232811 View attachment 232812 View attachment 232813 View attachment 232814 View attachment 232815 View attachment 232816 View attachment 232817 View attachment 232818

I’m an absolute black hat lover and i absolutely love this one.
The black hat abides!
B

 

[Blare]

This is a 100% hare fur felt hat body that Agnoulita sold and that Panos @PanosChris gifted to me. The felt is very nice. It’s tightly felted and, in my opinion, the equal of Winchester’s beaver for feel and shaping. David called it a velour, but it’s more like a suede finish. The felt was very large, just like I like them, and David could make it just as I asked: 6 inch open crown on a 52 block and a 3 1/4 inch (that 3 2/8 inches for Bowen ).
This and the Borsalino conversion I posted earlier were sent to VS last October, but well worth the wait. Now for autumn and cooler weather so I can actually wear them.

View attachment 232825 View attachment 232826 View attachment 232827 View attachment 232828 View attachment 232829 View attachment 232830 View attachment 232831 View attachment 232832 View attachment 232833

Wow!

 

[AbbaDatDeHat]

This is a 100% hare fur felt hat body that Agnoulita sold and that Panos @PanosChris gifted to me. The felt is very nice. It’s tightly felted and, in my opinion, the equal of Winchester’s beaver for feel and shaping. David called it a velour, but it’s more like a suede finish. The felt was very large, just like I like them, and David could make it just as I asked: 6 inch open crown on a 52 block and a 3 1/4 inch (that 3 2/8 inches for Bowen ).
This and the Borsalino conversion I posted earlier were sent to VS last October, but well worth the wait. Now for autumn and cooler weather so I can actually wear them.

View attachment 232825 View attachment 232826 View attachment 232827 View attachment 232828 View attachment 232829 View attachment 232830 View attachment 232831 View attachment 232832 View attachment 232833

Holy blackhat man!!
Another one, and in 3 2/8” brim. What a unicorn!
Imma keep readin for more.
Still abides.
B
Ps: sadly no more. Lookin for my 3 4/16

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Holy blackhat man!!
Another one, and in 3 2/8” brim. What a unicorn!
Imma keep readin for more.
Still abides.
B

I wouldn’t have chose black, but you don’t look a gift horse in the mouth. Panos is a very generous guy. Although it wouldn’t have been my choice, I’m completely enamored with these two hats. The Borsalino felt is wispy light and thin and the hare is more robust; dare I say more like a western 7X CB but with an antelope finish?

 

[Rmccamey]

A couple of great looking blacks! Very nicely done. I need to give David a call.

The second to last of my VS projects. I bought a very thin felt, too small for me Borsalino a while back. It was almost certainly made for the religious market. I had David at VS remake it in an OR style. I’m not usually a fan of black hats, but I really wanted a black hat in this style. The felt is very thin and soft and much lighter and...”flimsier” than any OR I’ve ever handled (vintage or modern). Due to the amount of felt available, the crown is “only” 5 3/4 inches. The bound brim is exactly 2 3/4 inches wide. I’m thrilled with how the hat turned out. David said he had to block the felt several times to get it to stay in the shape we wanted, but he assured me it has been tamed and will stay as blocked. I gave it a quick dry diamond crease and I’m beginning to reconsider my opinion on black hats! This is a great use of the commonly found black wide brimmed Borsalinos...all told with donor hat and the work by VS I’m into this hat less than the cost of a current 6X OR!

View attachment 232811 View attachment 232812 View attachment 232813 View attachment 232814 View attachment 232815 View attachment 232816 View attachment 232817 View attachment 232818

This is a 100% hare fur felt hat body that Agnoulita sold and that Panos @PanosChris gifted to me. The felt is very nice. It’s tightly felted and, in my opinion, the equal of Winchester’s beaver for feel and shaping. David called it a velour, but it’s more like a suede finish. The felt was very large, just like I like them, and David could make it just as I asked: 6 inch open crown on a 52 block and a 3 1/4 inch (that 3 2/8 inches for Bowen ).
This and the Borsalino conversion I posted earlier were sent to VS last October, but well worth the wait. Now for autumn and cooler weather so I can actually wear them.

View attachment 232825 View attachment 232826 View attachment 232827 View attachment 232828 View attachment 232829 View attachment 232830 View attachment 232831 View attachment 232832 View attachment 232833

 

[Art Fawcett]

I second the “Art had a lot going on” opinion. I know, because I had a hat on order with him to be finished before he handed the business over, and it just fizzled out. I even got a photo of the nearly finished item, then all communication stopped. Weird, but I get how things can snowball and get out of hand. Did anybody here end up with a silver belly 7 7/8 inch large brim hat? It looked like a beauty in the photo. Frank

I'm sorry Frank but I reached out several times with no response from you so I passed it over to David when we did the transition. If you reach out to him I'm sure he will finish it up for you.

 

[Art Fawcett]

Gentlemen, I have been away from the Lounge so my apologies for not seeing these posts about the hat bodies. Virtually all of my bodies were yellow string, meaning 7 3/8 average and workable up to size 8. These are the bodies I used for all of your hat needs in the past so if they are too small it is because your hatter isn't using enough steam or doesn't have enough experience to work with them. Doug, you should have no issue with yours at all. Brent, yours will require more than just slipping it on a block because of your size but are very workable, especially the pastels which stretch more than darker colors.
Gents, my email hasn't changed and I check it several times a week so please, reach out if you have concerns.
stone@vintagesilhouettes.com works well

 

[1961MJS]

Hi Art, I got a Pecan Indy Hat back in 2012 or 13. I have a hopefully quick question. I wear a 7 3/8 LO. What's the widest brim I can have with a 5 3/4 open crown?

Thanks

 

[Art Fawcett]

Hi Art, I got a Pecan Indy Hat back in 2012 or 13. I have a hopefully quick question. I wear a 7 3/8 LO. What's the widest brim I can have with a 5 3/4 open crown?

Thanks

you should be able to get at least 2 3/4 but possibly 3" if it's a pastel

 

[frussell]

I'm sorry Frank but I reached out several times with no response from you so I passed it over to David when we did the transition. If you reach out to him I'm sure he will finish it up for you.

Chalk it up to crossed lines. No ill will intended, huge fan for life. I’ll speak with David. I hope retirement is treating you well. Frank.

 

[1961MJS]

you should be able to get at least 2 3/4 but possibly 3" if it's a pastel

Thanks.

Mike

 

[belfastboy]

you should be able to get at least 2 3/4 but possibly 3" if it's a pastel

Art: In the video that documents your hat making at the 5:24 mark after you have spritzed the felt with the alcohol you are using a white cloth/sponge to drive the alcohol into the core. Can you tell me what is that made from? Is it a white hat sponge or? Thanks,

 

[Art Fawcett]

I had to look at the video again to see what you were talking about Bob, that's just a white scuffing pad that you can get anywhere, paint store, hardware. They are usually near the sandpaper

 

[belfastboy]

I had to look at the video again to see what you were talking about Bob, that's just a white scuffing pad that you can get anywhere, paint store, hardware. They are usually near the sandpaper

Thank you, that is what I thought it was...just wanted to double check.

 

[Ivan smith]

My last man standing hat by VS

 

[crawlinkingsnake]

View attachment 254330 View attachment 254331 View attachment 254332 My last man standing hat by VS

Thanks Ivan, I'm all about the grey or is it gray? Either way it's nice.

 

[Rmccamey]

Looks like a blue smoke or the Glacier. Very nice regardless of color!

View attachment 254330 View attachment 254331 View attachment 254332 My last man standing hat by VS

 

[Ivan smith]

Thanks guys! It’s a grey called blue smoke. I love grey’s. It’s my go too hat. I have navy, ox blood, and a cream colored one as well.

 

[deadlyhandsome]

Thanks guys! It’s a grey called blue smoke. I love grey’s. It’s my go too hat. I have navy, ox blood, and a cream colored one as well.

It’s a great color and a great hat. Now how about photos of the rest of the VS family?

 

[Rumad]

It’s a great color and a great hat. Now how about photos of the rest of the VS family?

I second!