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What Hat Are You Wearing Today ?

Messages
17,521
Location
Maryland
R. Hecht Leipzig - Theater Passage - Grimmaishe Str. 12, possibly 1930s. I am fairly sure this Wool Stiff Felt was sourced possibly from Berlin Gubener Hutfabrik. This Wool Stiff Felt has a more tapered Form. The Wool Felt has a very nice finish and the Wool Stiff Felt in very good overall condition.

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T Jones

I'll Lock Up
Messages
6,795
Location
Central Ohio

Gary in NC

One of the Regulars
Messages
240
Y'know, looking at that hat, it doesn't have the same look mine had. I had two "Florentine Milan" Stetsons, purchased in about 2014-2015 or so. Both were coated with a "glaze" of some sort. Yours doesn't look the same - my Andover and Strat were shiny. Yours looks much different. Perhaps they've backed off the coating.

To be fair, the Latte has a bit more of a sheen than the hemp Stetsons I have. Not obnoxious at all but it's there.
 
Messages
19,001
Location
Central California
To be fair, the Latte has a bit more of a sheen than the hemp Stetsons I have. Not obnoxious at all but it's there.


Does your Florentine Milan breathe at all? I had one made by Dobbs in the homburg style and it looked great, but it was air tight. I even thought about perforating the weave somehow, but I ended up just selling it. Sure was a great looking hat.
 
Messages
10,586
Location
Boston area
Love it Chas! I have one coming from an auction (that doesn't fit either one of us), but when I saw it my first thought was "Charlie would rock a hat like this!".

View attachment 525260
Yes!!
Thanks, Bob; that’s right in my sweet spot. I need to learn how to cut/fold a puggary, though… IMG_8886.jpeg
Love it Chas! I have one coming from an auction (that doesn't fit either one of us), but when I saw it my first thought was "Charlie would rock a hat like this!".
 

Gary in NC

One of the Regulars
Messages
240
Does your Florentine Milan breathe at all? I had one made by Dobbs in the homburg style and it looked great, but it was air tight. I even thought about perforating the weave somehow, but I ended up just selling it. Sure was a great looking hat.

Yes it breathes some but it's all relative. It's definitely not air tight because I can see light through all the holes between the weave. Air definitely passes through because I can feel it. That said, it's not as airy as the hemp Stetsons, which in turn aren't as airy as the Dobbs Hemp Rosebud I recently bought.

I can't help but wonder if Stetson and other brands made some changes to the weave of their Florentine Milans over the past few years. Here's a picture of my Latte from underneath the sky so you can see the air space. The sun is already setting so it's not so bright but I think you can see it okay. The second picture is of my Hemp Stratoliner for comparison.

IMG_3881.jpeg

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Teej

New in Town
Messages
28
Yes it breathes some but it's all relative. It's definitely not air tight because I can see light through all the holes between the weave. Air definitely passes through because I can feel it. That said, it's not as airy as the hemp Stetsons, which in turn aren't as airy as the Dobbs Hemp Rosebud I recently bought.

I can't help but wonder if Stetson and other brands made some changes to the weave of their Florentine Milans over the past few years. Here's a picture of my Latte from underneath the sky so you can see the air space. The sun is already setting so it's not so bright but I think you can see it okay. The second picture is of my Hemp Stratoliner for comparison.

View attachment 525320
View attachment 525321
That’s really interesting. I’m just in the process of deciding about purchasing a Stetson Stratoliner Hemp Fedora (deciding about color). Right now I’m wearing an OPEN ROAD 10X STRAW in toast.
 

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Teej

New in Town
Messages
28
That’s really interesting. I’m just in the process of deciding about purchasing a Stetson Stratoliner Hemp Fedora (deciding about color). Right now I’m wearing an OPEN ROAD 10X STRAW in toast.
… or a Stetson Stratoliner Milan. I’m just trying to see the differences. Any thoughts from anyone?
 

khamus

New in Town
Messages
24
Location
Leipzig, Germany
Mayser, Panama Hat, Torino Schwarz
My first panama hat. I found it several years ago in a hat shop in Long Beach California, when I lived in Irvine. Also my first Mayser hat.
(I'm in love with the classic Mayser logo)
 

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Gary in NC

One of the Regulars
Messages
240
That’s really interesting. I’m just in the process of deciding about purchasing a Stetson Stratoliner Hemp Fedora (deciding about color). Right now I’m wearing an OPEN ROAD 10X STRAW in toast.

I'll speak for myself here - I don't think you can go wrong with a Stetson Hemp in any style they make. I've got three, including the Stratoliner. It has a nice limber feel that keeps its shape, is well ventilated, responds very well to a good steam if you want to change anything, and seems about as indestructible as a straw can be. It's nice in every way.

Ventilation and polymer (nice way of saying plastic) fibers notwithstanding, Florentine Milan is a good-looking and durable hat with an attractively lower price point. I find the ventilation to be adequate but based on others' posts your mileage may vary. I wear my FM Latte around town on hot and humid days and I enjoy having it.

My verdict: Florentine Milan will get the job done, but I think that if you can buy the hemp Strat and still put food on the table then you'll probably like it better.

By the way, that's a great-looking Open Road you've got there.
 

RBH

Bartender
I finally finished up my Dobbs Western conversion for TAR Tuesday. This one was sent to me by a generous Lounger friend. This is another dimensional brim cut. 2 3/4 front to back, 2 5/8 on the sides and flanged on a #19 brim flange for a sleeker profile. Following Rusty's suggestion, @RBH, I gave the crown a Center Dent. I went with a contrasting thin ribbon and an OR style bow.

Before: Off the block and the brim trimmed with a quick dry center dent crease
Dobbs-Conversion.jpg


After:
Dobbs-Center-Dent-5.jpg


Dobbs-Center-Dent-1.jpg


Dobbs-Center-Dent-2.jpg


On the head:
Dobbs-Center-Dent-3.jpg

Some good old Rock a Billy:

Dub Dickerson

Carl Perkins

Gene Vincent

Charlie Feathers

Great job as always, Terry!!
 

The Shoe

Call Me a Cab
Messages
2,189
Location
Wakayama, Japan
Y'know, looking at that hat, it doesn't have the same look mine had. I had two "Florentine Milan" Stetsons, purchased in about 2014-2015 or so. Both were coated with a "glaze" of some sort. Yours doesn't look the same - my Andover and Strat were shiny. Yours looks much different. Perhaps they've backed off the coating.

To be fair, the Latte has a bit more of a sheen than the hemp Stetsons I have. Not obnoxious at all but it's there.
I purchased my plastic bucket two years ago and it definitely has the sheen.
Does your Florentine Milan breathe at all? I had one made by Dobbs in the homburg style and it looked great, but it was air tight. I even thought about perforating the weave somehow, but I ended up just selling it. Sure was a great looking hat.

Yes it breathes some but it's all relative. It's definitely not air tight because I can see light through all the holes between the weave. Air definitely passes through because I can feel it. That said, it's not as airy as the hemp Stetsons, which in turn aren't as airy as the Dobbs Hemp Rosebud I recently bought.

I can't help but wonder if Stetson and other brands made some changes to the weave of their Florentine Milans over the past few years. Here's a picture of my Latte from underneath the sky so you can see the air space. The sun is already setting so it's not so bright but I think you can see it okay. The second picture is of my Hemp Stratoliner for comparison.

View attachment 525320
View attachment 525321
Mine looks similar to Gary’s when held up to light, but it definitely doesn’t breathe as well as some of my straws. But neither does my Sunbody. Nor does my Panama, though the Panama has such a lightweight feel as to make up for the lack of real breatheability.
… or a Stetson Stratoliner Milan. I’m just trying to see the differences. Any thoughts from anyone?

I'll speak for myself here - I don't think you can go wrong with a Stetson Hemp in any style they make. I've got three, including the Stratoliner. It has a nice limber feel that keeps its shape, is well ventilated, responds very well to a good steam if you want to change anything, and seems about as indestructible as a straw can be. It's nice in every way.

Ventilation and polymer (nice way of saying plastic) fibers notwithstanding, Florentine Milan is a good-looking and durable hat with an attractively lower price point. I find the ventilation to be adequate but based on others' posts your mileage may vary. I wear my FM Latte around town on hot and humid days and I enjoy having it.

My verdict: Florentine Milan will get the job done, but I think that if you can buy the hemp Strat and still put food on the table then you'll probably like it better.

By the way, that's a great-looking Open Road you've got there.
I agree with Gary. I like my Florentine Milan Stratoliner, but wouldn’t purchase another. I actually really like my Bailey Toyo straw hats. I have two, the Wilshire, which is quite casual, but very well ventilated, and the Hester, which is a bit classier, but still with good ventilation.
I don’t have a Stetson hemp. My Akubra hemp breathes really well, but I was surprised at how stiff it was. Is the Stetson stiff, or quite flexible? I much prefer the sweatband in the Akubra to my Stetson.
 

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