What colour for my first fedora?

[kasperbs]

I've been inspired, partly by my dad, to try and get myself a "classic" hat and give hat wearing a go. I'm sure you get this question a lot, but I'm in doubt about what way to go.

I live in a country and an area where there is no retailers who has any great number of hats that you can try. But I have managed to get hold of a few models and colours to try.

The pictures show me in a Brixton Gain black, Brixton Gain charcoal, Brixton Jones in grey and my dads Maser in a dark navy.
Brixton Gain, black
Brixton Gain, charcoal
Brixton Jones, grey
Maser, navy

I've come to the conclusion that I need a brim of at least 2 inches and I like the snap brims. I seem to find this in the Bailey of Hollywood Tino Fedora, but I'm unsure what colour to get. I'm thinking of either the grey, brown or dark blue (navy).

In the following pictures you see the models I'm contemplating.
Grey
Brown
Dark blue

What do you think would be a safe bet for someone "learning" to wear a hat? What was the colour of your first hat?

 

[jlee562]

Ifyou're going for a starter hat, get grey. It's easily the most versatile. If you think that there's a chance at all you're going to stick with hat wearing, my advice would be to invest in a good fur felt. however. In the long run, it'll be a better investment. It will also retain a higher resale value if you decide it's not for you.

 

[Spats McGee]

For a first hat, I have to agree with the grey suggestion. It's very versatile.

 

[gtdean48]

since silverbelly wasn't listed, I went with gray...

 

[splintercellsz]

I would suggest reading this:

http://deckardsguide.blogspot.com/2012/01/felt-hat-care.html

I went with a brown hat for my first, but if I could do it again, I would go with grey. It is more versitile, as previous members have said, and it can go from casual to dress in the change of the outfit. Brown is a bit more, well picky. And Blue is in it's own category!

 

[kasperbs]

I appeeciate your comments. Makes the choice much easier ;-). I completely see the idea of a grey one for my first.

I'm not fond of the black band on grey hat. It carries too many connotations for me. But grey on grey looks sharp.

Rearding quality I have been introduced to a grey Borsalino hand made in NY Hat Center, I think it was. It's second hand but never worn with tags.

Only question I have to you experts is that the brim looks like it's not a snap brim. But thats no so much my concerne if I can mold it into the shape I like, with the front a little down. See the hat in the link below. Is that hard to do? Or even possible for at beginner? I'm not aware of any hat makers in my area.

See the hat here:
http://instagram.com/p/SmvqMxD6CS/

 

[splintercellsz]

I am unable to view the photo, but to shape a brim, you can steam it. What I use is a tea-kettle wiht some foil on the end to create a spout. I can take a photo to show you what it looks like. It creates a jet of steam, allowing you to focus on the area you wish to shape.

 

[jlee562]

Yeah, you can put that brim down for sure. It ain't rocket science, really. It just snaps down. Don't be afraid to handle your hat a little.

 

[splintercellsz]

Now I can see the pic. Bah!

Just like Jlee says, don't be scared of the hat. It may be made out of fur, but that doesn't mean it's gonna bite!

 

[kasperbs]

Thanks, that sounds simple. I'll google it for some more info, but how do you hold the hat for shaping the front of the brim for example? Do you hold it by the crown or upside down? And do you steam only the very front of the brim, or a larger area around the front?

 

[jlee562]

I really don't think that Borso will need steam to shape the brim. You can also use distilled water. Or wait for it to rain. There's not really right and wrong way to hold your hat for shaping, but you should generally try to handle your hat only by the brim. Your hat isn't going to fall apart instantly if you grab the pinch, but over time, it will wear down the felt. But we're talking about a duration of years here.

 

[kasperbs]

I appeeciate your comments. Makes the choice much easier ;-). I completely see the idea of a grey one for my first.

I'm not fond of the black band on grey hat. It carries too many connotations for me. But grey on grey looks sharp.

Rearding quality I have been introduced to a grey Borsalino hand made in NY Hat Center, I think it was. It's second hand but never worn with tags.

Only question I have to you experts is that the brim looks like it's not a snap brim. But thats no so much my concerne if I can mold it into the shape I like, with the front a little down. See the hat in the link below. Is that hard to do? Or even possible for at beginner? I'm not aware of any hat makers in my area.

See the hat here:
http://instagram.com/p/SmvqMxD6CS/

Can anyone see from the photo, what model the hat is? I have search for Borsalino hats, buts they seem to make quite a few models? Or if it's hand made, it might not even be a certain model?

 

[jlee562]

Looks like the Claudio in Taupe to me: http://www.bencrafthats.com/product.php?pid=413&subcname=Felt+Hats

 

[kasperbs]

Well yes, that looks pretty close. It's listed as gray though, but your right, judging from the photos is hard to see if it is in fact taupe. Thanks