What do you wear when it rains?

[LadyPowers]

I wear whatever hat I would normally wear, be it vintage or modern. Its usually vintage though

I agree. I usually wear whatever strikes my fancy when it rains or shines. So far, the hats have held out well despite harsh climates. One day it was raining so hard that I decide to switch fedoras. My hat was drenched and the only thing missing was goldfish swimming in it. Its great when you have several spares fedora to rotate throughout the day. I dried out my hat in the bathroom. I used one Sky Hook from Vintage Silhouettes to hang out my fedora to dry.

Regards,
Lady Powers

 

[renor27]

funny that this Thread is running

Yesterday I looked out into the predawn light the snow had started to fall again ( been snowing here in Reno Nv off and on for a week ) So took my silver 5x beaver fedora that I got @ the local western shop down from the hook . Funny how when you are kind of out of the main streem of America you can find stuff. This shop carries both the Stetson Open Road and Beaver Brand, the older ranches here still like the old style hats.
So with a Fedora covering my head & a Pendleton covering my body I set out for work. Just brushed the snow off when I got to work. When I left work it was raining so once again hat got wet but my head stayed dry. When the day is done it gets hung up and ready for the next day. To day it will keep my head dry once again this time as I snowblow my drive way and sidewalk.

 

[K.D. Lightner]

Yesterday, for the first time, I wore my GH blue fedora outdoors and it got wet in the rain. In spite of what everyone says about these felt fedoras, I was nervous, fearful I had ruined my soft and beautiful hat.

Of course, it dried out and went right back into the shape it was before it got wet.

Wonderful hats those fur felts! No wonder we love them so....

karol

PS LadyPowers -- cool avatar. That was the one ladies hat I thought I would like to find someday. -- kdl

 

[gcollins]

I'm currently travelling in Kunming (SW China, near Burma and Viet Nam), and I'm wearing my Trent Johnson hat, and I wear one of my GH hats normally and during caving. All three are combat ready for sure. The TJ is cowboy stiff felt, and not what many people like, but my GH hats are awesome in wet and snowy weather, and more like vintage hats. My Optimo and newer Borsalino don't do very well in rain for my requirements.

Anyway, you won't find Greeley Hatworks (Trent Johnson) or Charlie Swindall at the Golden Era. You can check out a google search.

Enjoy the journey!

 

[Michaelson]

Just to stick my 'nose' in here, when you do your 'google' search, look for 'Gladhatter', not 'Ghadhatter' as Andy suggested. Not sure WHAT you'll find under THAT spelling. (grins) High regards! Michaelson

 

[rick5150]

Michaelson. You will find this:

Did you mean: Madhatter

Seriously...

 

[Panamabob]

Oh, you'll see Charlie's IP snooping around here, but you won't see him...just his minions keeping his name alive.

I wear the dreaded baseball cap in the rain.
:drum:

 

[Kentucky Blues]

I wear the dreaded baseball cap in the rain.

Why?

 

[Panamabob]

WHy? Because I like baseball caps.

 

[BogieMcFly]

Unfortunately I'm not as well established hatwise as you fellas are, but I wear my Akubra out in the rain, and it generally dries pretty quick. Actually, certain spots have darkened up, on the brim... unnoticable unless you know where to look, but a difference nonetheless. I'm afraid it'll taper and I'll have to get a new one though.

In Christ,
Shane

 

[Michaelson]

Minions? Well, I guess that makes me one, as well as a minion of Art's Fawcett's, and a minion of Fedora (Steve Delk), and a minion of Joe Peter's and.....I own, wear, and post about their items too in forums on the internet. If that makes me a 'minion', I'm fine with that. I wouldn't own them if I didn't like them. Michaelson

 

[Panamabob]

I could have used a variety of other words, I suppose. I just find it funny the number of ways to bring up banned former members as opposed to band members.

 

[Michaelson]

Yep. 'Minion' sort of reminds me of some kind of bait fish. Regards. Michaelson

 

[android]

One gets the impression that the only felt hats (if ANY) that will never taper/shrink from the rain are vintage, that one can spend hundreds on a modern hat and it can still be a problem. That's fairly discouraging... not to mention that you might be spending hundreds on something that's a real pain in the wind, and may end up in traffic with a sudden gust.

Not true, my Texas Hatter beaver is bullet proof. I've worn it in soaking New Orleans downpour and it doesn't phase it.I just shake it off and it's dry in a few hours. It's just straight fur, not even sprayed with water repellant or anything. I've had my Dave Brown beaver in moderate rain before also, and it's done fine.

If it's windy where you live, go for a snug fit. You just do the touch the brim and nod thing to tip your hat rather than a full doff. You can also get a wind cord that will button into a coat button hole.

You will develop a sense of how to hold your head when it's windy. It's often windy in Austin, but I rarely have to hold onto my hat. You just tip your head the right direction and the hat will stick to your head.

Tradition aside, just from a utilitarian standpoint, is felt still best?

Absolutely.

 

[Matt Deckard]

Traditionally if you were going to "work" in the rain you would have a yellow rubberized coat and a yellow rubberized hat. You find them in the old catalogs -- though generally working gents of the day went with the fur felt. I'm pretty sure the cowboys stuck with felt because it breathed alot better and just plain looked better in the field.

As for wind, I'm am a big fan of the lapel string and find it very convenient when I'm on a boat to Catalina and am nervous about the unforseen gust of wind from over the water I have mine firmly in the button hole. If your lapel hole is closed, you should be able to carefully take a razor to open it up.

Western felts: tough as nails when compared to dress hats in the rain. They are made of thicker felt, shellacked and pressed with tremendous pressure and steam. The stiffer felts tend to keep from shrinking much better than the modern dress hats from any company.

 

[Michaelson]

Matt, I'm kinda surprised you wear fedoras on the boat. Every 20's and 30's travel book I've read with recommendations of wardrobe for sea travel (short OR long trip) recommended the newboy cap for deck wear. With your great looking newsboy you showed elsewhere, that's the one I'd be wearing on the trip to Catalina. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Matt Deckard]

I'd rather be in the felt hat on the deck rather than risk the assumtion of being a ne'er do well with a wool cap that has little shade.

The newsboy will stay on better in the wind, though the fedora stops the sun all around your head.

Actually, depends on my mood and outfit mostly. You might find me in a boater on the deck of the QM when we meet.

 

[Michaelson]

Very good. Well, there's always something to be said for being a 'ne're-do-well' too, when the occasion calls for it. Regards. Michaelson

 

[Kwebs]

I usually wear what ever goes with my clothes, nice clothes I'll pull out a good vintage fedora. I only have a few to choose from but the vintage I own looks the best.

Dave