What Hat Are You Wearing Today 1?

[Short Balding Guy]

Heading out to see the new Batman movie with my brother and my nephews. Movie here we come.

The horrific shootings in Aurora, CO., USA on Friday have made us pause in our plans. Our hearts go out to the families of the victoms. But we, like many, are determined to live life not in fear of the lone crazy person. Off we go.

As we have all experienced, the movie theatres are cooled to low temps. That must be an ploy to entice us to purchase warm popcorn and other treats. In any case, I am wearing my VS Bluesmoke and a Pendleton Board Shirt, whilst I go and pick erverybody up. This evening I will leave my hat in the car in its carry case. I think that would be prudent and respectfull.

Thanks, Eric -

 

[B.J. Hedberg]

Looking good everybody. Silverbelly Campdraft today.

 

[randooch]

Heading out to see the new Batman movie with my brother and my nephews. Movie here we come.

The horrific shootings in Aurora, CO., USA on Friday have made us pause in our plans. Our hearts go out to the families of the victoms. But we, like many, are determined to live life not in fear of the lone crazy person. Off we go.

As we have all experienced, the movie theatres are cooled to low temps. That must be an ploy to entice us to purchase warm popcorn and other treats. In any case, I am wearing my VS Bluesmoke and a Pendleton Board Shirt, whilst I go and pick erverybody up. This evening I will leave my hat in the car in its carry case. I think that would be prudent and respectfull.



Thanks, Eric -

I await your review, sir, and appreciate your reflections.

 

[Chepstow]

Eric and Steve, thank you very much for the nice comments! It's much appreciated
Eric, my Dog enjoys his freedom since he was a little puppy. Always without leash. Now he is 7 years and the laws say you must go with leash!
PS. Cool Blue smoke, you wear it great!


Robert, great looking boater.Great color match.

B.J, nice combo, CD and suit! Looks great!

 

[Teflon]

Thanks for the details Jeff! I'm very envious!

 

[bowlerman]

Jeff; Thanks for sharing your adventure. Pretty country you visited. Happy Anniversery, happy vacation and welcome home.

Eric -

Thank you on all three counts, Eric! I've been enjoying your pine tree pics lately.

Beautiful and poignant images from what I am certain was a deeply emotional and nostalgic trip for you and your family, Jeff. :eusa_clap

Thanks Al, certainly lots of nostalgia for us out there, especially being able to see some old friends, teachers, mentors, as well as getting to enjoy some great food (even the burritos the size of my forearm were just as amazing as I remembered!). It was definitely like fighting gravity driving eastward...

Blackthorn-- very kind of you, since I'm all too often humbled by the photos you and others post here!

Thanks for the details Jeff! I'm very envious!

You can get one yourself! Here are some more specs for you:
brim: 2 7/8"
ribbon: 1 1/2"
brim binding: 1/8"
crown: 4 1/2" at its highest point, which is about an inch behind the tip of the pinch, and 4" at the lowest point, the back.
the liner is black satin, and has the clear plastic protector over D Bar J's gold embossed logo.
The black leather sweatband is also stamped with their gold logo and "HANDMADE 5X."

 

[Dave E]

Campdraft yesterday and today:

 

[scooter]

Jake, Elwood and I getting down in Midway airport. Those guys are party animals, let me tell you.

 

[delectans]

My compliments to all for a fine display of wonderful hats over the weekend!

I am afraid I have not had much variety to contribute to this thread this Summer as I find myself wearing my Montecristis exclusively. Summer is too fleeting, and the hats too nice to be sitting on a shelf when they can be worn...







Friday morning found us up North in Moose Lake, Minnesota, where the hardcore collectors of the Lake Superior Agate traditionally have gathered in the parking lot of the AmericInn the day prior to the Moose Lake Agate Days Festival. OPTIMO Montecristi.



Some of the finest 'Lakers' are bought, sold or traded even before the weekend festivities begin. Here I am examining a small but particularly red specimen. The red coloration of the Lake Superior Agate is derived from iron inclusions in the microcrystalline quartz.



After several hours baking under a particularly fierce Sun, catching up with old agate friends but not finding the one exceptional specimen I seek every year, we headed up to Duluth to browse some of our favorite antiques shops. I came away empty handed and uncharacteristically without any nice vintage hats. Plenty of unusual and rare vintage hat boxes to be found, but no mens hats of any merit...



With our long overseas trip coming up, we did not have time to spend a week up on the North Shore of Lake Superior, as we have done every Summer. The long hours of daylight, however, enabled us to make a dash up the North Shore to have supper by the lake at one of our favorite restaurants before heading back to Moose Lake. It never ceases to amaze me what being by the shores of Gitchee Gumee, even if only briefly, does to one's soul.



Undeterred by my lack of success in finding a large 'Super' specimen, we arose at daybreak on Saturday and headed over to the Moose Lake Elementary School for Agate Days. OPTIMO Montecristi.



You may be wondering why the fellow in the middle holding the spectacular, nearly two pound Lake Superior Agate looks so sad, and why I am beaming? Tim and his buddy Rick have picked agates together for over forty years, and found this once-in-a-lifetime specimen on June 3, 2012. They brought the agate to Moose Lake to show, but Tim had not intended on parting with this, the finest agate he had ever found.



This agate has all of the qualities that we desire in a top specimen: Size(anything over one pound is exceedingly rare); Color(red & white with high contrast is most prized); Quality(complete, 'fortification' banding with a minimum of macrocrystalline quartz is desired). Although it had not been cleaned or treated, its beauty was obvious to all. It is one of the finest, un-polished natural large specimens we have seen.



As much as I wanted to stay in Moose Lake a little longer to share in the great camaraderie and fun with my agate friends, we drove back to the Twin Cities to catch our friends in the Minnesota Orchestra perform an all-Beethoven concert. We did not want to miss the Beethoven Concerto played by our esteemed Concertmaster Erin Keefe, nor our fabulous orchestra play Beethoven's 3rd Symphony, 'Eroica'. Meanwhile I had changed into something more presentable and switched Montecristis.



On the way over to Park Square Theater in St. Paul Sunday afternoon to see the amazingly complex and thought provoking Sondheim musical, "Into The Woods". Still wearing one of my OPTIMO Montecristis.



Indulge a happy man one last photo of his prize(s).


Details of my agate adventure in a forthcoming post to FEDORAS AFIELD!

 

[randooch]

Al "The Agate" Delectans, nice photo series once again. That's a heck of a paperweight. The agates I find along the Oregon coast are thumb-size at best, and even those are few and far between.

Great hats, too!

The shot of you in the Adirondack chair by Lake Gitchee Gumee Gotcha is my favorite. Kudos to Lydia, the presumed photographer. :eusa_clap

 

[alanfgag]

Yikes... I've got to follow a Delectan's photo essay. :eeek:

Just a couple of iPhone shots from our twice annual journey to Saratoga Springs... first to drop Lily off and then to pick her up from the NYS Summer School for the Arts. Drop off coincides each year with opening weekend of the racetrack and we love to walk over there after the betting is finished to wander around the empty stands. It is always oddly open, accessible and dripping with that wonderful earthiness and seediness that is horse racing.

fried chicken at Hatties - southern cooking in Saratoga Springs since 1938.

 

[Chepstow]

Dave E, nice photo with the little one. Very Harmonic!

Al, marvelous photo series and a great looking Montecristi.

Alan, cool IPhone photos and nice motive. Impressive the black and white photos.

 

[John in Covina]

Unfortunately the olny times i was in Saratoga it was a Greyhound buse ride stopping for 20 minutes.

 

[delectans]

Randall: Thanks for your kind words! Believe me, I know of what you speak. Over the years we have searched in gravel pits(with permission), down gravel roads, and along the banks of streams, rivers, and the shore of Lake Superior. The largest agates we have found have been quarter-pounders, of good quality. Oh, and by the way, Ryan was behind the lens on that shot.


Alan: Wow, and I HAD to have the fortune of preceding your amazing set from Saratoga Springs! :eusa_doh:


Manfred: Many thanks, my friend!

 

[clossonrr]

@alanfgag that hat is magnificent!

 

[DJH]

Fantastic photo sets, Alan & Al.

Nothing so exciting for me I'm afraid.

All I have to show from the weekend is a big boot and a walking cane.

Here in the office with my Brent Black

 

[hatophile]

Super photos Al.
You did an admirable job of following him up, Alan.
That combo of boot and cane looks ominous, Dave. Here's hoping for a speedy recovery.

 

[alanfgag]

Ouch, David... I hope those are short lived accessories and that you're back on the road lickety-split.

@alanfgag that hat is magnificent!

Many thanks... it's a Brooks Brothers panama that I've found especially comfortable and durable in the heat. It has been getting a lot of wear on road trips this summer.

 

[Neophyte]

Beautiful pictures, Alan! I especially like the hydrant photo.

I have not posted shots in forever, so today I'll present a double feature. Both of these are oldies but goodies, mostly because my entire rotation consists of only four hats at the moment (a situation I'm desperately trying to change lol). The first is a heavy-weight fedora manufactured by Sydney's Toggery. The second is my trusty Resistol 3X western with a Ft. Worth crease. The Buckaroo, my usual choice, is currently at Buckaroo Hatters getting a new crown shape blocking and a brim trim. These two are keeping me company until that one returns .

 

[DJH]

Thanks, Hatto and Alan. The X-ray showed a clean break which should heal OK.

Good couple of hats, Alexander. I especially like the Toggery.